3 dead in a month???

[C4ctus99]

I think this is a myth. I posted once trying to find anyone that had confirmed deaths from this and no one replied they had. I think it gets thrown out there for mystery deaths with no explanation. I had 50 volts (50 not .50 or 5.0) for how long I don't know. I stuck my hand in the tank one day and fell off the chair when I jerked from the shock. Everything in the tank was perfectly normal. The voltage was from karalia powerheads. I designated them to mixing salt but eventually tossed them because being the dolt that I am I kept putting my hand in the mixing station to scoop out water without turning off the power.

Good thought. You have to be grounded to get shocked. Think like how birds don’t get shocked on transmission lines cause there’s no path to ground (or difference in potential really). Now of current was actively running through the tank and the fishes resistance was low enough to where it traveled through them it could cause damage and kill them though. Glass and plastics are insulators though, so it could have potential but never any current until you reach in there while grounded out and get shocked.

Also, be careful with voltage and water, I’m a construction electrician and learned in safety stuff that either 5 or 0.5 millivolts across your heart can kill you (I forget which, the course was a couple years ago)

 

[Lavey29]

Hmm whenever it happens at night I start to lean towards some oxygen issue. Does the tank have solid lid by any chance?

This would be my guess also. He doesn't run a skimmer and only one wave maker pointed down. The picture shows no water ripple at the surface combined with the lack of 02 without the skimmer and I could see a situation develop with 02 deprivation once enough fish are in the tank.

 

[Kustom71]

This would be my guess also. He doesn't run a skimmer and only one wave maker pointed down. The picture shows no water ripple at the surface combined with the lack of 02 without the skimmer and I could see a situation develop with 02 deprivation once enough fish are in the tank.

Is a skimmer part of the answer? I have a brand new one i just hadn't installed it yet. The water does move on top i can adjust the gyre to point up higher the pic makes it look like its still that crazy it definitely is not.

 

[Lavey29]

Is a skimmer part of the answer? I have a brand new one i just hadn't installed it yet. The water does move on top i can adjust the gyre to point up higher the pic makes it look like its still that crazy it definitely is not.

Well a skimmer does more then just skim waste. It aerates the water to which can be important especially over night when 02 levels typically drop some. These reef tanks need a good ripple on top for gas exchange also. Not saying definitely that 02 deprivation was the cause of your fish deaths but absent obvious signs of aggression or disease in the tank something mysteriously killed them and the remaining fish survived the event.

What does your current filtration consist of?

 

[Kustom71]

Im only using filter socks still waiting on algeabarn email that cheato is back in stock.

 

[Lavey29]

Im only using filter socks still waiting on algeabarn email that cheato is back in stock.

If you have nothing else in there I would at least be running a bag of carbon to filter out contaminants.

 

[hrdneglcry]

I agree. Run carbon. Was any of your rock new that is in the tank? That could be contaminated? Also are you running Chaeto in your sump? Ammonia is usually the culprit with symptoms like this but you say you have measured your ammonia and its ok. I'd run chaeto for the good measure. A carbon sock cannot hurt anything. In fact I'd defintely get some carbon in there and keep some on hand. Also a water change is useful in situations where fish are dropping off with no reason apparent. I'd do 50% if it happened to me.

 

[Kustom71]

Cheato is still on backorder at Algeabarn im patiently waiting. Carbon is on the way. Started off with all dead new rock and that was 2 years ago now. Water change again this weekend for sure.