Fish dying, shrimp dying, and even a crab has died (Arrow Head)

[Tcompton4]

Fish which have died are: coral beauty, flame angel, Japanese swallow tail, and long nose hawk fish. Cleaner shrimp and peppermint shrimp have died. Along with two arrow heads. Now that we know what has died let’s talk about parameters:
Salinity: 1.025
Alk: 11.22 (before adding the meds it was at 9.0)
PH: 7.96
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0
Phosphate: 0
Ammonia: 0
OPR: 422
CA: 514
MAG: 1350
Massive algae outbreak just happen even though the tank receives algae treatment. Any advice I would be happy to take please. The tank had been running for about a year and was growing awesome coral until now the corals are starting to die and the fish are too. I am at a loss on which path to take.

 

[code4]

It might help to know how many gallons and what treatment for algae you are doing. If it is carbon, and possible doing to much it can deplete the oxygen from a tank. Good luck figuring this out.

 

[Fish_Sticks]

Just a stab in the dark, but it sounds like it's been contaminated. Bleach, soap, oil...

Or maybe something to do with oxygenation.

I dunno

 

[SMSREEF]

Also what medication did you add? Did fish, shrimp and crabs die before or after the meds

 

[Daddy-o]

Chloramine?

 

[Hugh Mann]

As I understand it, there's not much that will kill everything in a tank that quickly. The usual cause is either contamination, oxygen depletion and ammonia.

You mentioned using meds and/or an algae treatment. Some of those can use up oxygen, so without knowing more, that would be my guess.

 

[Tcompton4]

It might help to know how many gallons and what treatment for algae you are doing. If it is carbon, and possible doing to much it can deplete the oxygen from a tank. Good luck figuring this out.

210 gallon tank with over 200 pounds of live rock. Live sand. Red Sea algae management treatment.

 

[Tcompton4]

As I understand it, there's not much that will kill everything in a tank that quickly. The usual cause is either contamination, oxygen depletion and ammonia.

You mentioned using meds and/or an algae treatment. Some of those can use up oxygen, so without knowing more, that would be my guess.

OPR is sitting steady at 422 which is the read for the oxygen. Also added a second skimmer and air pump in the sump to make sure no oxygen would be depleted.

 

[Tcompton4]

Also what medication did you add? Did fish, shrimp and crabs die before or after the meds

Added iche treatment reef safe. Can’t remember name right now but can look very soon.

 

[Tcompton4]

Chloramine?

Not that I am aware of at all.

 

[Daddy-o]

Not that I am aware of at all.

Do you have an RODI?
Does your city water company use chloramine?
Do you have a chloramine specific carbon filter?

 

[Hugh Mann]

OPR is sitting steady at 422 which is the read for the oxygen. Also added a second skimmer and air pump in the sump to make sure no oxygen would be depleted.

And so the mystery deepens.
Any possibility of some contamination or other nastiness getting into your water? Broken dosing pump, cleaning chemicals, metals, perfumes, nearby open window?

 

[Tcompton4]

Do you have an RODI?
Does your city water company use chloramine?
Do you have a chloramine specific carbon filter?

As far as I am aware of the city doesn’t use chloramine. Yes, RO/DI system in the house ppm are at 0. No, I do not have the specific filter for that but I guess this is something to look at for us. Thanks.

 

[Tcompton4]

And so the mystery deepens.
Any possibility of some contamination or other nastiness getting into your water? Broken dosing pump, cleaning chemicals, metals, perfumes, nearby open window?

None, as my other half and myself have been the only ones which neither of us use perfume or Cologne bc of the tanks. No metals, or open windows, no cleaning chemicals allowed to be used in that room with out one of us. Just double checked dosing pump the other day and nothing out of the ordinary. Also it is all tracked with apex.

 

[Daddy-o]

As far as I am aware of the city doesn’t use chloramine. Yes, RO/DI system in the house ppm are at 0. No, I do not have the specific filter for that but I guess this is something to look at for us. Thanks.

Which city?

 

[Hugh Mann]

None, as my other half and myself have been the only ones which neither of us use perfume or Cologne bc of the tanks. No metals, or open windows, no cleaning chemicals allowed to be used in that room with out one of us. Just double checked dosing pump the other day and nothing out of the ordinary. Also it is all tracked with apex.

A very strange mystery indeed. I'm out of ideas, sorry. I do hope you figure out the cause of this.

 

[artieg1]

I would recommend changing things only one at a time, so you can see what factors are at play. I personally would cease all algae treatment and ich treatment, and see where that leaves you in 3-4 days. NOPOX is varsity level chemistry, I played with that for a while and regret it. Focus on a water change and water quality. Let algae grow for now. See if it stabilizes. Nitrate is really 0? That is very odd, and not ideal. Again, I'd cease the nutrient removal stuff.

And of course it could be two things hitting all at once - like velvet on the fish. Good luck!

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Not that I am aware of at all.

Not chloramine unless your city adds that to their water supply and you then used that to perform a water change....and that would show up on an ammonia test.

Jay

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Fish which have died are: coral beauty, flame angel, Japanese swallow tail, and long nose hawk fish. Cleaner shrimp and peppermint shrimp have died. Along with two arrow heads. Now that we know what has died let’s talk about parameters:
Salinity: 1.025
Alk: 11.22 (before adding the meds it was at 9.0)
PH: 7.96
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0
Phosphate: 0
Ammonia: 0
OPR: 422
CA: 514
MAG: 1350
Massive algae outbreak just happen even though the tank receives algae treatment. Any advice I would be happy to take please. The tank had been running for about a year and was growing awesome coral until now the corals are starting to die and the fish are too. I am at a loss on which path to take.

My hard and fast rule is: if fish are dying and inverts are fine, it is a fish disease - every time. If fish and invertebrates are dying, it is a water quality problem - every time.

Mystery poisonings are difficult to track down. You used an algae control product (possibly erythromycin?) and a reef safe meds? As @Hugh Mann said - look at those as possible culprits.

You say your ORP is 422. Are you just measuring that for general knowledge, or are you running ozone? I ask because ORP probes rather frequently fail or get out of adjustment, and if you are running ozone, that could be an issue. A simple DPD chlorine test (like they use for pools) will tell you - any pink color means ozone oxidants are in the water.

Another thing to consider - you mentioned a "massive algae" outbreak - that is relative to different people, but in some cases (not usually a reef though!) during the night, reverse phase photosynthesis takes in oxygen and produces carbon dioxide. That drops the oxygen level and pH every night - a real roller coaster for the animals! I see that it outdoor ponds mostly...

Jay

 

[Brew12]

I'm sorry for your losses!

I would recommend getting an ICP test to check for heavy metal contamination. You may have something rusting in your tank. Contaminants may be leaching out of your substrate.
Unless you run your system on a GFCI with a ground probe or titanium heater, you could have a failed electrical component leaching nasty stuff into your system.
I suspect your algae outbreak was caused by the smaller parts of your CuC dying off and no longer keeping it in check and that whatever caused that problem is working it's way up the food chain.