Fish are dying

Chicago-quicksilver · Sep 24, 2018

Hi everyone,

I'm losing a fish every few days and I can't figure out why. I have been in the hobby for almost 2 years and never had any issues with keeping fish. Also lost one cleaner shrimp and have one remaining.
Checked my parameters and it's
0 for nitrate
0 for nitrites
.2 for Ammonia
PH is 8.0
1.025 salinity
A month ago I took the water, live rock (bought new live sand) and the contents from my old tank and moved it into my new tank. Before that I when I did a water change of my old tank I would take the water that was clean and place it into the new tank. I let it run for a few weeks prior to me moving everything over. Everything was great for the first 4 weeks then I lost one fish and now I have lost 4 fish. After losing 3 I did a 20% water change and my levels was identical. The fish showed no signs of distress and were eating and swimming normally. All my anemone's, coral, softies, LPS and SPS look normal and are doing well. The fish have no signs of anything when I removed them.
Any help would be greatly appreciated it, need to take some corrective action before I lost any more.
I'm have been running carbon, my chaeto is growing fast and my algae scrubber after being online for a few weeks is starting to show growth. I also have marine pure blocks, maxspect nanospheres in my sump.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated

hdsoftail1065 · Sep 24, 2018

#reefsquad

Crabs McJones · Sep 24, 2018

Did you reuse your old sand or buy brand new sand?

Chicago-quicksilver · Sep 24, 2018

Crabs Mcjones said:
Did you reuse your old sand or buy brand new sand?

I bought new live sand and didn't reuse the old sand, I used about 60% of the water and all the live rock from my old tank prior to placing any fish in the tank.

jeffyang · Sep 24, 2018

I see you have a tiny bit ammonia. It's probably just mini-cycle. Just reduce feeding and see what happens.

I had this several times before for fresh water tank. The fish are still eating but not as voracious as they were before. I reduce feeding and do one or two 50% water change. Everything goes back to normal within one week.

declanisadog · Sep 24, 2018

For starters you shouldn't have any ammonia. .2 is pretty high

reefwiser · Sep 24, 2018

Size of old tank and new tank?
Do you have pictures of the fish?
Do you find them in the morning after lights come on?
Do you see the fish under stress gasping at bottom or with stress coloring?

jeffyang · Sep 24, 2018

I also upgraded my reef tank several months ago.
I used one bottle of Instant Ocean BIO-Spira when I moved the tank.
You can also try it.

Lasse · Sep 24, 2018

What type of ammonia test do you use? Is ammonia ions or ammonia gas (NH4 or NH3) that show 0.2? Many, many NH4/NH3 test often show false readings - and often just 0.2 ppm. What is your pH?. I would send in an ICP test in this case. I do not believe you have any ammonia at all.

Sincerely Lasse

Chicago-quicksilver · Sep 24, 2018

Old tank was a 65 gallon all in one Red Sea Max and the new tank is a Deep Blue 80 with a 36" Trigger sump.
No pictures, all the fish looked normal and clear eyes
I found them all in the morning before the lights came one or shortly thereafter.
No stress, the day before they are swimming and eating and looking like they usually do.
Used Brightwell Microbactor when I initially started to fill the tank and I also soaked some of my new marine pure before. Placed in the tank after the 3 deaths on
Friday I used Seachem Safe and Stress Guard to help control the little ammonia that I had after the first 3 deaths along with a 20% water change.
.2 measured total ammonia is the lowest in 2 years of saltwater fish that I have had the levels at. After using Safe and Stress Guard it is now 0, the test I used was the Red Sea NH3/NH4 test kit.
PH range is 7.92-8.26

Lasse · Sep 24, 2018

Is the tank heavily populated with corals? especially LPs and softies? Do you have a skimmer?

Correct me if I´m wrong - three fish die in the morning before you add marine pure or all chemicals? Have you have any deaths after this?

That test analyse total NH3/NH4. If I translate 0.2 ppm NH3/NH4 in the pH of 7.9 (your in the morning) it will be around 0,008 as NH3 (the toxic species) and around 0.014 NH3 at pH 8.2. Not toxic levels and the lowest in the morning when your fish die. I do not think that the NH3/NH4 is responsible here.

I have something else in mind but I need your answers about skimmer and coral population before I guess

Sincerely Lasse

reefwiser · Sep 24, 2018

If in the morning you are finding them there may be an oxygen issue. I don't see a skimmer mentioned like Lasse said. At least add an air stone to the tank and run it at night to get more air and gas exchange to your tank.