Lost... Need help understanding H2O

[Bryce73]

Hello,
First thing, I genuinely would like your input. I’ve been in the fish hobby since I was 16 years old, 45 now. However ever it’s been all fresh water, Central and South America cichlids. I came across a 125 gallon 6ft tank fully loaded that I couldn’t refuse. Come February it will be a year running. I have been learning a lot. Most important, quarantine! Marine ick, I caught everyone, set up a quarantine tank and medicated with copper and frequent water changes. I didn’t lose one. It was a brand new tank that needed cycling. 80 Days! Then, I decided to put fishes back in the display tank. Here is where I’m confused, before I started adding fishes I checked the water parameters. They are perfect except Ph. They are Ph 8.0, salinity 1.024, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0, I’ve never had nitrate 0, so I rechecked and 0. I added some of my fish and the next morning I had 4 dead. So I got out my purple tang, Hoeven Wrasse, back to quarantine. I left in display tank 3 chromis, 3 sailfin mollies, and 1 cleaner Wrasse. All were breathing fast at the time, but now fine. Swimming and eating. So a week passed ph 8.0, salinity 1.025, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0. Everything looks good! I tried adding 1 diamond goby. Again with the heavy breathing, lethargic. 2 and 1/2 days later dead. What am I over looking or need to check?

 

[DLHDesign]

Seems simple, but are the temps matched?

Were there any physical signs beyond the heavy breathing? White spots, red gills, etc.?

 

[Bryce73]

No spots on them. Totally active until they go in display, then rapid breathing lethargic hanging out at bottom of tank. Water temperature 72-74 degrees. The person that I bought the tank from, never did water changes only added water. Just changed filter socks and emptied skimmer cup. As I said before the mollies and chromis swim around like nothing wrong.

 

[DLHDesign]

Let's check with the rest of the #reefsquad (and others may chime in as well, for sure!). There's likely something obvious that I'm missing, but my brain is in low-gear tonight, sorry...

Where did the tank water come from? Mix it up yourself, or sourced from the LRS? If mixed yourself; did it start with 0 TDS RO/DI water?

 

[SPR1968]

Is the temperature a little on the low side, I certainly keep mine at around 25-26c (77f)?

Assuming you don’t have stray voltage (on the basis some of the other fish are fine) so maybe it’s not that.

Might be time for a major or complete water change to get whatever is in the water out quickly unless you/we can identify what the issue is.

 

[60CubeReefer]

What are the parameters of QT? (include temp)

 

[BigRedReefer MT]

I wonder if there is the possibility of some sort of chemical contaminant? Do you run carbon, chemipure, purigen? If you do, how long since you changed it out? Seems odd that the chromis would be fine but everything else is stressing that bad.

 

[BigRedReefer MT]

Is the temperature a little on the low side, I certainly keep mine at around 25-26c (77f)?

Assuming you don’t have stray voltage (on the basis some of the other fish are fine) so maybe it’s not that.

Might be time for a major or complete water change to get whatever is in the water out quickly unless you/we can identify what the issue is.

I'm with spr on this one. It might be time for a large water change and a media replacement. It's a relatively cheap and easy way to eliminate the possibility of it being a contaminant that the chromis are oddly not bothered by. Weird:confused:

 

[Bryce73]

Where did the tank water come from? Mix it up yourself, or sourced from the LRS? If mixed yourself; did it start with 0 TDS RO/DI water?[/QUOTE]

I make my own RO/DI water. It’s the same water when I did my frequent H2O, while the quarantine tank was cycling. The RO/DI filter will be a year old in February.
Thank for everyone’s input. I’m currently at work. Don’t know the quarantine tank water parameters off the top of my head except salinity 1.024. Will check when I get home.
When I had to catch the purple tang and wrasse I did a 25% water change, and cleaned out sump, and changed filter socks.

 

[Bryce73]

So keep temp around 77. Question how do I keep my PH 8.4 I don’t keep corals. Having a hard time with fish. Do have 3 green rock flower anemone. They did take a hit in the beginning but appears fine now.

 

[60CubeReefer]

Make sure that the parameters (mainly salinity and temp) in your QT matches what your DT is running, if you're simply pulling from one tank and dumping into another. What are you running for flow in the tank? Could be a low oxygen situation...

 

[SPR1968]

Do have 3 green rock flower anemone. They did take a hit in the beginning but appears fine now.

Does taking a hit, mean the anemone isn’t well ? Or hasn’t been well and possibly released some toxins into the water?

I’m not an anemone expert, maybe the other guys can help #reefsquad but could this be the cause?

I’m still up for a major water change if not a complete change as you don’t have any corals, and that should hopefully sort your problem.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Does taking a hit, mean the anemone isn’t well ? Or hasn’t been well and possibly released some toxins into the water?

I’m not an anemone expert, maybe the other guys can help #reefsquad but could this be the cause?


I’m still up for a major water change if not a complete change as you don’t have any corals, and that should hopefully sort your problem.

If the nems didn't slime and die I wouldn't think they would be the issue or cause. You would know if they were gonners for sure.

Everything sounds good which is a little baffling. I agree a water change would be a good move. I seen it asked but didnt spot the resonse, are you using any carbon?

I assume you have good flow? Good gas exchange?

 

[Bryce73]

They took a hit when I had the outbreak of marine ick and had to tear down to catch all the fish. I think I released toxins from sandbed. They looked wilted. Back to their plump self. No carbon.
At one time there was slime around anemone. Now green and eating pellets and brine shrimp.

 

[Frtdrmrose7]

I agree you either have stray voltage or a contamination of some kind. Did you attempt to medicate the fish in the DT before going to the QT? I would definitely check for voltage, do a W/C, and add carbon.

 

[60CubeReefer]

Doesn't make sense that your nitrates are at 0 if you haven't been doing water changes. However, I think you just provided an important clue. How deep is the sandbed?

 

[60CubeReefer]

In any case, I think your next step should be to do a large water change.

 

[Captain Quint]

Welcome to R2R Bryce73

80 days is a nice cycle time but I noticed your listed reading of 'ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0' but we would expect to see a few nitrates and I don't know if you did any fantom feeding of the tank to see if the bacteria was taking care of the nitrates. I really would like to see a current parameter check.

You've received great input from fellow members already which all makes sense in attempting to find the cause of losses. BTW, I'm sorry to read of the critters dying.

Don't worry about bring the pH up 8.4 for now as it's not bad from what you posted. Keeping parameters stable and constant is the main priority.

Sounds like you are on the right track as far as starting water changes.

Could you share a full water parameter panel, please?

I'm also wondering about the oxygen level from some of what you described because of the lack of effects so much in our aquariums.

Most reef aquariums require warmer than 72-degree temperatures, the fish have a high basal metabolism, and need the oxygen level at a good level. When the oxygen level is at a low-level the good bacteria suffer and becomes a breeding ground for harmful pathogens in our tanks up to and including parasites. To maintain a proper, healthy environment, the DO (dissolved oxygen) level should be between 5.5 and 8 mg/l for optimal fish survival.

Without enough oxygen, in the tank, the fishes often become listless and/or lack energy. They will swim slower than usual and can appear sick. Your fishes hanging out at the top of the tank, where the oxygen content is highest and I would think your Chromis may have seemed okay but were probably not at a lower level in the tank.

The water in the aquarium absorbs oxygen from the surface air but the pump, powerheads, and filtration aerating the tank by water movement and circulation in the tank. Without aeration and circulation, the water on the bottom of the tank can be rapidly depleted of oxygen.

 

[jsker]

To add, what is your acclamation process?

 

[Fin]

Can you tell us more about how you cycled the tank? During the 80 days, did you introduce any of the following: ammonia, dead shrimp, phantom feedings or have a live fish or two in the tank during the process? After your cycle period, how many fish did you add at once? When was the zero reading of ammonia obtained? Right after the 80 days, or during the time the fish were dying? I am wondering if the tank did, in fact, cycle properly and if it maybe overloaded whatever bio filter that had established when you added the fish. None of us reading this has all the facts, so all we can do is guess, based on what you tell us. I hope you find an answer to your problem and can begin to enjoy the hobby.