I'm not sure what went wrong...

[Brew12]

Thankfully, she Seems fine today. Thanks for asking. I started a poll asking how many have tops.

I wouldn't run without a screen top unless I had a high canopy.

I've been thinking about what happened some more. What do you use to mix the salt?

 

[Salt1972]

Think you mixed up some gasses from vacuuming the bed and just thought it was the new water? Just throwing out the thought

I appreciate the thought, but our tank is really clean. The design of our return flow is also a bit unique. We have a network of 1/2" PVC under the crushed coral gravel that returns the water. Almost like an old under gravel, but in reverse. The flow (along with regular vacuuming) keeps the gravel pristine in all areas. We're 99.9% that the contamination was Clorox in the salt mixing barrel.

 

[Salt1972]

I wouldn't run without a screen top unless I had a high canopy.

Our tank is recessed into a wall. There's no access from behind or side, so I made a horizontally hinged wall front on gas struts that swings up. So, the front essentially has a high wall when closed. I'm thinking I may use some acrylic and do the sides and back. When the front is open, there would not be coverage there, but with everything closed, we'd have a "high top canopy".

I've been thinking about what happened some more. What do you use to mix the salt?

We have (2) 55g plastic food grade barrels. 1 stays topped off with RO/DI. The other (Salt mix) remains empty until we are prepping for a water change.

1. Fill Salt Barrel with ~ 30g RO/DI.
2. Turn on Sicce Voyager Powerhead, Heater, & Jebao 6000 recirc pump.
3. Add Reef Crystals Salt to 1.026
4. Let mix for 24 hours
5. Test temp
6. Run potable safe hose from mix station to display tank
7. Turn off return pumps / leave wave makers on
8. Siphon ~30g display tank into Brute can using gravel vac
9. Pump new water to replace
10. Change filter media (BRS blue with sponge)
11. Empty Skimmer
12. Wipe down with RO/DI & Dry micro towel

We have a 1" bulkhead fitting mounted as low in the salt barrel as possible with a 90deg fitting turned down. It's surprisingly effective at removing most of the water. It leaves approx 1/8"-1/4" of water in the bottom of the barrel. Typically, I'll run 3-4 rinses of ~2g each RO/DI to flush the remnants of the salt mix from the barrel and the hose. Still, I've always disliked the remnant water. I'm pretty sure during the last change, I added Clorox to the remnant water KNOWING that I'd remember to flush it and add de-chlorinator before the next change. Well... I don't remember details like I once I did. That's a mistake I won't repeat.

 

[Brew12]

We have (2) 55g plastic food grade barrels. 1 stays topped off with RO/DI. The other (Salt mix) remains empty until we are prepping for a water change.

1. Fill Salt Barrel with ~ 30g RO/DI.
2. Turn on Sicce Voyager Powerhead, Heater, & Jebao 6000 recirc pump.
3. Add Reef Crystals Salt to 1.026
4. Let mix for 24 hours
5. Test temp
6. Run potable safe hose from mix station to display tank
7. Turn off return pumps / leave wave makers on
8. Siphon ~30g display tank into Brute can using gravel vac
9. Pump new water to replace
10. Change filter media (BRS blue with sponge)
11. Empty Skimmer
12. Wipe down with RO/DI & Dry micro towel

We have a 1" bulkhead fitting mounted as low in the salt barrel as possible with a 90deg fitting turned down. It's surprisingly effective at removing most of the water. It leaves approx 1/8"-1/4" of water in the bottom of the barrel. Typically, I'll run 3-4 rinses of ~2g each RO/DI to flush the remnants of the salt mix from the barrel and the hose. Still, I've always disliked the remnant water. I'm pretty sure during the last change, I added Clorox to the remnant water KNOWING that I'd remember to flush it and add de-chlorinator before the next change. Well... I don't remember details like I once I did. That's a mistake I won't repeat.

Ah, ok. I wasn't aware that you had found the likely source.

I wonder if I should be more concerned about the remnant water in my system. I typically don't worry about it but I do try and drain and clean both my tanks every 6 months or so.

 

[Reefer1978]

I always use remnant water. It’s clean, never had an issue with it.

 

[Salt1972]

Ah, ok. I wasn't aware that you had found the likely source.

I wonder if I should be more concerned about the remnant water in my system. I typically don't worry about it but I do try and drain and clean both my tanks every 6 months or so.

May be too soon, but I recommend avoiding Clorox.

On another subject I think you may be able to help me with if you will please... GFCI & Ground Probes. I have all tank related power on a GFCI outlet, but I do not have a ground probe.

1. If I understand correctly, I can measure stray voltage by using a volt meter across the water and ground, correct?
2. I've heard that Finnex Titanium Heaters suffice as a ground probe. Do you know if that's true?

If this should be in another thread, please advise and I'll move it. THANK YOU!

 

[Brew12]

May be too soon, but I recommend avoiding Clorox.

On another subject I think you may be able to help me with if you will please... GFCI & Ground Probes. I have all tank related power on a GFCI outlet, but I do not have a ground probe.

1. If I understand correctly, I can measure stray voltage by using a volt meter across the water and ground, correct?
2. I've heard that Finnex Titanium Heaters suffice as a ground probe. Do you know if that's true?

If this should be in another thread, please advise and I'll move it. THANK YOU!

You can measure stray (induced) voltages by putting one lead from the meter in the tank and the other to ground.

Some of the Finnex heaters act as a ground probe and others do not. You need one of their heaters with a 3 prong plug.

 

[Schnizzle]

I'm glad stray voltage was mentioned. I was thinking it up to the point of the Clorox smell. I'm an electronics tech so this fear is always in my head with my tanks.

 

[CindyKz]

How is your clownfish? Ok I hope....I had one jump very early in my reefing "career" and have had DIY tops on all tanks (even QT) since.

 

[Salt1972]

How is your clownfish? Ok I hope....I had one jump very early in my reefing "career" and have had DIY tops on all tanks (even QT) since.

Copper & Mocha -- They're great. Thanks for asking. After considering options for a top, we took a different route to lessen the chance of a jumper. Our tank install is a bit unique. It's recessed into a wall. There was no way to access the space behind/around the tank, so we built a front wall that hinges up on gas struts. Since the top of the tank is hidden by the wall in the 'normal' state, we made no attempt to reduce or hide plumbing in/out of the top of the tank. In addition, we're in the tank everyday maintaining, cleaning, etc. We really didn't want to have fabricate top/screen that would go around all of the plumbing, skimmers, etc. AND be able to easily access.

So, we took black corrugated plastic 10" tall and attached them to the rim sides and back. The front is already covered by the front wall. This allows us unfettered access when the front wall is open and would require jumpers to jump ~10" out of the water and over the side. It's possible, but much less likely than without the sides. We don't have any known trouble jumpers -- we'd love a wrasse, but avoid them for that trait.

I don't have any AFTER pics of the sides yet, but this might help to illustrate.

 

[wangspeed]

I’m glad you found what happened. Terribly sorry for the devastating loss. There is nothing wrong with stagnant new salt water. I let mine sit in a 75 gallon barrel til I need it. He worst thing you might get is some precipitation since you’re using Reef Crystals. It’s not harmful. Leave it down there and skip the bleach.

One other thing, you don’t really need to heat the new salt water. It increases the chance of precipitation, and just adds complexity. I use it from room temp straight to my tank.

 

[Captain Quint]

........................................
We have a Water Mixing Station (pictured below) that has been in use since Sept. '17. We keep ~ 50g of RO/DI in the top barrel. When we prep to do a water change, we transfer ~30g of RO/DI to the lower barrel, mix Reef Crystals salt (1.026), add a powerhead, heater, and circulation pump.....................

Could that 4 weeks have allowed the bottom 1/4" of water in the salt mix barrel to grow a bacteria or some pollutant strong enough to kill fish within minutes?
...........................

..........................What should I test for?

First and foremost, I'm sorry to read of your losses. No doubt Y'all know how to do proper basic water chemistry after the years in the hobby.

The water could have been an accumulation of events and not one singular event of tainted water which would almost certainly be the case as you have deduced.

~I tend not to keep mixed saltwater (even circulated) for any longer than a few days as it may just want to start a cycle for various reasons including the station not cleaned on a regular basis.

~Do you ever completely empty your containers and clean with a 50/50 mix of RODI fresh and white distilled vinegar? Including the pumps/PH's or whatever means.

~Filter stages replaced at recommended intervals? And, a biggie....does your RODI unit have a stage to remove chloramines which tends to be so prevalent in most municipalities nowadays? If not one should be considered, and if not done one can use prime after purifying fresh to mix until that is installed. ****This would be part of the answer to your question of what to test for. (NH3 or H3N) with chloramines being ( NH2Cl) on 'What should I test for?'

~Is your salt securely sealed so no contaminants such as air freshener, or any substance somehow permeate the vessel of the salt mix?

With respect and humbly I pose these questions, and again, I am so sorry to read of this.

 

[Captain Quint]

First and foremost, I'm sorry to read of your losses. No doubt Y'all know how to do proper basic water chemistry after the years in the hobby.

The water could have been an accumulation of events and not one singular event of tainted water which would almost certainly be the case as you have deduced.

~I tend not to keep mixed saltwater (even circulated) for any longer than a few days as it may just want to start a cycle for various reasons including the station not cleaned on a regular basis.

~Do you ever completely empty your containers and clean with a 50/50 mix of RODI fresh and white distilled vinegar? Including the pumps/PH's or whatever means.

~Filter stages replaced at recommended intervals? And, a biggie....does your RODI unit have a stage to remove chloramines which tends to be so prevalent in most municipalities nowadays? If not one should be considered, and if not done one can use prime after purifying fresh to mix until that is installed. ****This would be part of the answer to your question of what to test for. (NH3 or H3N) with chloramines being ( NH2Cl) on 'What should I test for?'

~Is your salt securely sealed so no contaminants such as air freshener, or any substance somehow permeate the vessel of the salt mix?

With respect and humbly I pose these questions, and again, I am so sorry to read of this.

***************Replying to myself even though I missed your find on the Chlorox***Arg.

Maybe what I wrote will come in handy for another member?

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Dump the remaining water.

So sorry for your loss.

When was last time you added fish?

Check all equipment, heaters, pumps, ATO, probes....

That quickly, may be stray voltage. Do you have a titanium ground rod in tank? Are you using GFI strip outlet or GFI outlets? Sounds like electric shock, that quickly .