fish keep dying....help!

[Jay0103]

Hi Guys,

i am new to the marine tank world. I have had my tank for about 2.5 months. i started with fish in cycle with 2 clown fish.

within the first 10 days the smaller clown fish died. i then decided to not add any more until my tank cycled. once my tank cycled...i decided to buy a another clown fish and a fire shrimp....after acclimation and putting them both in my tank along with my 1 previous clown that was in my tank....30 mins later my shrimp died and my new clown died 8 days later....i still have 1 of my original clown left.

my ammonia is 0, nitrite is 0, and nitrate is around 2 to 5...my temp is 25 degrees celcius....my salinity is 1.025....its a fish only tank....but i don't understand what is happening why all my fish are dying apart from that 1 fish from the start.

any help would be appreciated.

for context i have a redsea max e 170

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

IMO fish in cycles, especially for brand new hobbyists, is a mistake.
How did you confirm the cycle was complete before adding the fish and shrimp?
What size is the tank? How is the water oxygenated?
Fish dying points to disease, but when shrimp die, it points to water quality.
Are you using tap water or rodi water?
Tank pictures really help to give us a good idea of whats going on. Can you add a picture?

 

[Danroo]

Could be some copper leaching.

 

[Jay0103]

IMO fish in cycles, especially for brand new hobbyists, is a mistake.
How did you confirm the cycle was complete before adding the fish and shrimp?
What size is the tank? How is the water oxygenated?
Fish dying points to disease, but when shrimp die, it points to water quality.
Are you using tap water or rodi water?
Tank pictures really help to give us a good idea of whats going on. Can you add a picture?

I checked water quality for a few days and comfirmed amonia and nitrite are 0 and nitrate is there...this was at approx over 2 months of running tank to confirm cycle complete. My tank is 170 litres. I am using skimmer and return pump and wavemaker to ripple surface for oxygenation. I do also have 6 snails and some have given birth also...i use Rodi water from LFS and salt water from them too.... I'll have to take pic once i am home from work

 

[Jay0103]

Could be some copper leaching.

How do i test and how do i clear it out?

 

[CrewePD210]

I cleared out my tank twice by using Imagitarium carbon. Came here and found out that it is full of copper. Just FYI

 

[Piotrek]

Best way is to order and ICP test - you'll get a good view on the water parameters, and get info on poisonous stuff like Cu, Al and others checked.

 

[Danroo]

How do i test and how do i clear it out?

ICP test is a good starting g point, even though fish in cycle is frowned upon it shouldn’t kill your clowns. It could be copper leaching or the biological load isn’t there yet to handle fish.