lostiniraq1976

I had really cloudy water. Me and my wife vacuumed the tank last night removing the algae. I also put all 4 of my filters in the tank. I let the filters run all night and half of the day. My wife removed 3 of the filters and I checked on my fish. I watched a thirty minute show on television and went to check the tank. All of my fish were dead. I don't understand how they could be fine and thirty minutes later all were dead. I tested the water and the parameters were normal except my pH was only 7.4. Three of the filters I used had been used in freshwater tanks Anybody have a clue what could have caused the deaths? The water was still cloudy. HELP!!!!!

Hypnox

Have you ever used the filters in a freshwater tank that was being medicated? Many freshwater medications can be very bad for saltwater fish.

Describe the cloudiness, is it a white cloudiness? If it is white it could be several things. There could be a bacteria bloom going on, there could be sand being kicked up into the water column by a power head. The sand in the water column can be very bad as the sand can get clogged up in fish gills.

au01st

What were your parameters? "Normal" doesn't say much. It's possible the water was cloudy because of an algae bloom. The PH is very low, should be around 8.1-8.4.

catfishlover123

I think the freshwater filters killed them, but I can't be sure. I'm sorry you lost your fish.

lostiniraq1976

me too. My wife recently used an ick treatment but removed the carbon filter, it still had the biological filter in it though. It just suprised me that they all died in thirty minutes. I have had fish die before but not all at once. My ammonia was 0, Nitrites .25, and my nitrates were 20.

cerianthus

what kind of fish did you have in the tank? Why pH so low for s/w? The filter you said that was used for F/W, was it running on f/w right before using them on S/W?
If tank has proper substrate and rock, pH should be stable around 8. If pH was kept that low for long time, it could be that fish were under very stressful condition, thus small changes might have triggered such massive loss at once.
Give more info on your tank so i can have better understanding of situation!

I do not know of medication that is toxic for S/W fish as far as antibiotic and parasitic med is concerned. Different story for Inverts though!
As matter of fact, due to low soulubility of antibiotics in hard water, usually recommend double dosage.

lostiniraq1976

The ph was 8 yesterday before we cleaned it. I had a small porcupine puffer, a domino, and a green chromis. Yes the filters were used in freshwater tanks right before. I don't think it was just stress because they all died within thirty minutes of removing filters. They were fine for twelve hours after cleaning.

cerianthus

What you are saying is pH crashed within twelve hours? How deep is the sand/substrate?
Trying to figure out how such drastic pH swing can take place thus could avoid in future!
I can think of few possibilities but not in 12 hours? Odd! If anything, less CO2 due to more circulation thus higher pH.
If have deep sand bed where toxic gas can be produced but you vacuum the gravel. Thus stirred up already and extra circulation should have driven the gas out.

Since all the fish died w/i thirty minites after removing 3 filters. could it be lack of oxygen? Copper if ever used in F/W?

What kind of substrates? Any LR? Any foul odors? How is pH now?

lostiniraq1976

I have about an inch of sand substrate, about 10 lbs LR (no foul odors from water or rock) I was wondering if the removal of the extra filters could have caused a lack of oxygen. The water was pretty thick with particles. [i] will go check ph now! PH is still 7.4

cerianthus

For whatever reason, your water lost buffering ability to stablize the pH. You didnt happen to use any products to clear up water, have you? Those coagulants will drop pH!
Although never expose the fish to such low pH, would assume such low pH will burn the gill membrane thus suffocation can result, especially with low circulation.
I do not know of /cant see the particles you are talking about!!
BTW, does your pH test kit go lower than 7.4.? It may be lower than 7.4, maybe?
I know s/w fish are shipped in lower pH (around 7.6 and bagged for more than 24 hrs, even longer sometimes)) thus NH3 build up in bag is in less toxic form. Otherwise cost of fish will be unaffordable!!!

Knowing s/w fish can survive exposure to lower pH, it maybe that sudden pH drop might have caused your loss.
As far as why sudden changes, cant think of any with info given!
Sorry couldnt be more help.

lostiniraq1976

I have been researching on the net and the only thing I keep running into is ph crash. I didn't use anything to clear water, I just figured it was an algae bloom and tried to clean it. I am still wondering if it wasn't a combination of ph crash and lack of oxygen. You have been a lot of help, you have given me enough info to research. I have a kit that tests regular ph in freshwater but I can't find a saltwater color chart for that test (API ph test). I miss the puffer most of all, everyone loved that fish he was neat. My 70 year old mother even hated that one died, and she hates fish lol. Like I always say "trial and error-when you put something in nature on trial it's usually an error" lol. By the way do you think a ph crash could affect my live rock?

cerianthus

I believe it can but should bounce back up as pH is well adjusted and stablized. When I used to cure uncured rocks, used to do it in lower pH to save invisible hitchhikers. Thus no need to worry. Woundnt add any new fish until well stablized though. Keep adding small amt of food to keep bioactivities alive.
Next time, I would not just move filter from f/W to s/w. Most if not all,lifeforms will die off in s/w, causing NH3/NO2 spike undetected but detrimental to fish.
At least put new media when changing would be good idea.
You can just use High/Range pH test kit if possible (purplish at 8.2).
Should find the way to reboost pH and stablized (marine buffer).
If keep plunging even with buffer, gotta find the cause!!

lostiniraq1976

I done a 50% water change and added a buffer. How low can the salinity get before it damages live rock? Sorry to bounce off subject.

Mike

I was thinking low salinity and see you asked about it. The bacteria maybe died off in the filter causing stress on the already weak buffering capacity of the system. Do you have an alkalinity test kit? Just curious to see where it's at, most likely low.

I'd do partial water changes for the next couple of days until you've replaced most if not all of the saltwater in the tank so you can get it back up to the 1.023 to 1.025 SG range. At least then you'll know that the water should be good.

Not sure how much low salinity would affect the live rock. I know that when my salinity starts to drop that the invert activity levels (turbo snails, nassarius mostly) seem to really slow down. Just an fyi, you may already know this but just in case - keep any sort of copper meds out of the display tank and away from the live rock. Always use a QT tank to dose meds if you have to.

Mike

cerianthus

I have kept LR w/o inverts but w/ fish at 1.016 successfully as far as bio-activities are concerned (no NH3, NO2 spikes), but why are you asking? Did you have low SG?

lostiniraq1976

No I changed half the water and was kid of waiting for water to clear before adding more salt. It is at 1.016 after water change.

cerianthus

No, I wouldnot recommend adding just F/W.What I meant was have kept at 1.016 but gradually decreased SG.

Would recommend taking some water from tank to dissolved salt to gradually bring it back to where it should be along with marine buffer if needed..

Do post the reading of tests!

lostiniraq1976

Yeah I went ahead and brought it back to 1.021, I also added a ph buffer. My ph is going back up, it is at 7.8 now. Ammonia = 0, nitrite = .5, nitrate = 20, Ph = 7.8. I will keep posting as the days pass. I am not going to add anything for a couple weeks.

cerianthus

Glad to hear things are moving along! will be waiting for your post. Hopefully water clears up by itself and lets hope it will be smooth sailing from now on!

lostiniraq1976

Let's hope.

Demosthine

Hey there.

This month, I set up a new 40 Gallon saltwater aquarium in my bedroom. Working closely with the saltwater specialist at my local fish store, my levels were perfectly accurate for where the tank is in the cycle. After adding some Bangaii Cardinalfish, they survived for about a day and looked fine. I fed them and they were active and find. About a half hour later, I went back and one was dead. Within the next hour, the second one died as well.

Although this was weird, we checked the levels the following day and again everything was perfect. We stocked it with three Green Chromis and they did well for a few days. Then, one day after feeding again, two of the three dropped within an hour.

I went back to the store and after a good, long discussion, we think we found the problem. I use the AirWick plug-ins around my house and they are oil based. Rick explained that oil-based products contaminate the top of the water and cut off oxygen circulation. Further, when the fish are feeding, they come up to the surface and can get the oil in their gills. This causes further suffication.


Double check any cleaning products and air fresheners you are using. Apparently furniture cleaners, air fresheners, and candles are all major candidates for this.

Just a suggestion that I have yet to read on any site and caused me major issues recently.

Scott