New addition

[steve528]

Hello everyone, wanted to say hi and introduce.

I have been at this for ten years now. Finally upgraded from a 55 gal to a 195 bowfront. Help I have an issue though::frustrat:

All Glass sump,
150 lbs of live rock
Sea Clone 100 protein skimmer ( i know it needs to be upgraded)
Mag Drive 12 return pump
Marine Land 48" LED lighting w/timer

I have lost several fish in the last three weeks that completely perplexes me. I have lost a four year old Heniocus, four year old tomato clown, green mandarin, blemmy, Hawaiin tang, Hippo tang and a wrasse. All the fish seemed happy and healthy. I put a green tip anenome in a few months ago, and my clown paired with him instantly. After a few weeks he disappeared, and the clown no longer hosted with it. I found him a month ago and he was starting to shrivel and had lost his tentacles. I removed him from the tank, because at this time I had lost my Heniocus. i tested the water levels and they were ok. (ammonia and nitrate slightly high due to underperforming skimmer) I did a 25 gallon change anyway. After that, I have lost a fish every few days. I had my water retested from two stores as well as my own and the water still tests ok. No signs of disease on any dead fish, that I can see. My Porcupine puffer has some white spots on it, but is not rubbing so I am assuming it is not ICK. I feed daily with ZOE and Garlic guard. Any Ideas are greatly appreciated

 

[fastrd400]

Hello and welcome.

Have you checked for stray voltage from your equipment? If your water is testing out within specs, then that would be the first thing I would check for. How is your clean up crew? Are you noticing crabs and snails dying off as well?

Also, post the readings from your tests, this would help as well since some stores, and hobbyists have varying ideas on what is ideal.

 

[steve528]

Ammonia---- .25ppm
Nitrite---- 0
Nitrate--- 5.0 ppm
Ph---- 7.8
Salinity--- 1.024
Phosphate --- 0

Silly question but how do you test for leaking voltage from equipment? First I have ever heard of that!

Clean up crew has been fine. No casualties beside what the puffer eats!

 

[fastrd400]

Well, if you stick your hand in the tank, with an open cut, you will feel a tingle. The other, better may is with a multi meter. Stick the black probe in the wall socket, and rgw red one in the water. If you get a reading, start un-plugging equipment one by one until you find the source of the voltage.

Now, about your readings. Ammonia is a bit high, not worry some however.
Nitrates at 5.0 are excessively high and could be what is killing things.
Ph will rise and fall depending on the time of day it is checked
Salinity is at the lower end of the scale. I'd bump it up to 1.026
What is your tank temp? Have you been seeing excessive temp swings?

 

[steve528]

Tank temp normally fluctuates between 78-80. I understand that the ammonia may be high due to undersized skimmer. New one may help with nitrates as well? They have always been around there and I never lost fish like this before. I will adjust the salinity. Thanks for the insight.

 

[little_fish]

When anemones die they release their stinging cells which can float around in the tank to sting and kill your fish. If there is not stray voltage, that would be my guess.

However, they could be stressed from the move to the new tank. When did you move them to the new tank and did you acclimate them to the new tank?

 

[steve528]

Swapped the tank over six months now. Only two of the fish that died were transplants. Others were purchased after.

 

[little_fish]

Then that was not the issue then

 

[FishyReef]

I'm a bit baffled by the presence of ammonia. Did you cycle the new tank before adding them? I've also heard conflicting reports that a puffer can release toxins into the tank when stressed and wipe out other fish. Not sure if I believe this or not, just reporting what others have said...

Oh, and I'm not sure you have enough live rock in there. You really should aim for 1-2lbs per gallon, so you need at least 200ish lbs for your tank. Your bioload doesn't sound that high yet, but might be contributing. What else do you have in the tank right now for fish, and how much time are you waiting in between additions?

 

[steve528]

I swapped the tank using all the original water and live sand. filled the rest withRO water and i also kept all the media from my old filter for several weeks while new tank was cycling.I do have bio balls in the sump to help in addition to the rock.

I transferred three fish from the original tank and added tank mates over the course of a month. I really do not think it is from stress because all the fish were thriving for at least three months in my tank before they started to die off

I have never heard about the puffer releasing anything but I did have the anemome die on me. I have a blue headed wrasse, coral beauty, porcupine puffer, hawkish, several turbo snails and crabs, and green chromis.

 

[fastrd400]

The bio balls are more likely the source of your high nitrates. Get rid of them. You can replace them with live rock rubble if you want.

 

[steve528]

Thank you everyone for the insight. I am going to make the recommended changes and cross my fingers.