All my fish are hyperventilating and my corals are shrinking in HELP!

[ReefJake123]

If no one has said this.... check for stray voltage or bare cords. I had an urchin chew through the plastic on an unplugged power cord. It leached copper in the tank and killed everything in a 300 gallon tank. Everything. I had accidentally left the plug draping in the sump and tossed an urchin in. He ate through the plastic on the cord.

Nothing is strayed or bare

 

[ReefJake123]

I think you're right that the fish death is the key - which lead to higher ammonia, etc - and caused some corals to close off.

Yellow tangs can live far more than 40 years. So - I guess its also possible that the coral beauty died of 'something' which caused ammonia - which caused some of your other corals to release toxins...?

Are you seeing any other problems with your fish (Besides hyperventilating)? (Could it be latent velvet, etc ) - when was the last new thing you added?
You say you are pointing the power heads up - thats not the same as having them pointing across the surface of the water to increase oxygenation.
Water changes and carbon are great just remember - assume chemical x is at 1. And that chemical x is toxic at .5. If you change 5 gallons x is down to .9. Another 5 - .81 another 5 - .73. Another - .65. etc etc etc it would take more water (and take more time - ie. if you did it every day) it will take much longer to get down to safe levels than if you did a large water change (i.e. 50%)

Not a single problem with my fish they are spotless and half my tank is dead I don’t think the coral beauty death caused everything to go to crap also that’s what I meant by up meaning across the surface I haven’t added any new fish since maybe 6 months ago and I’m doing the biggest change I can I can only do 5 gallons at a time I’m trying here

 

[Lasse]

Streamers normally (today) are hooked up with magnets - one on the inside - one on the outside of the window.

A very silly question - but most things have run out into nothing for the moment - Are you sure your temperature probe showing the right temperature?

Sincerely Lasse

 

[ReefJake123]

Streamers normally (today) are hooked up with magnets - one on the inside - one on the outside of the window.

A very silly question - but most things have run out into nothing for the moment - Are you sure your temperature probe showing the right temperature?

Sincerely Lasse

Oh you’re talking about the newer powerheads magnetic yeah I don’t have those[emoji23]

 

[w2inc]

Is there chloramine in your tap water?

 

[ReefJake123]

I use RO water

 

[ReefJake123]

So no

 

[w2inc]

I was under the impression that you were using RO. I was wondering more if the city you live in puts chloramine in your tap water.

Pre-filter to the RO could be tapped out, membranes could be failing. Things go wrong. Is there chloramine in your city water? Is it worth testing your RO water?

 

[ReefJake123]

I was under the impression that you were using RO. I was wondering more if the city you live in puts chloramine in your tap water.

Pre-filter to the RO could be tapped out, membranes could be failing. Things go wrong. Is there chloramine in your city water? Is it worth testing your RO water?

There’s no Chloramine in our water myn is well water and I’ve already had it tested awhile back for my pool

 

[w2inc]

Ammonia in a 3 year old reef is a big concern to me. Where do you think it is coming from?

 

[ReefJake123]

Ammonia in a 3 year old reef is a big concern to me. Where do you think it is coming from?

Well Sunday night I target fed pretty heavy with reef roofs mixed with reef chili and coral frenzy possibly that?

 

[Dom]

Ur a little behind Dom lol[emoji23]

Serves me right for responding to the OP and not reading what came after it.

 

[w2inc]

I have a Seneye on my 120 gallon reef. It monitors my pH, temp, and ammonia. Heavy target feeding for me looks like 1/4+ teaspoon of roids, 1/4+ tsp decapsulated brine eggs, 4 cubes oyster eggs, 2 cubes coral food, some times a couple cubes of mini mysis. The Seneye has never registered an ammonia rise. It has shown one in other tanks, so I know it works.

When you say heavy feeding, was it something like that? Or proportionally to what normally goes in the tank would you say it might have been 10x normal? We probably dont' have the same set up so I can't guess whether that would spike your ammonia, but I have never seen a rise off of my Seneye from over feeding my less stocked systems either. I think that in an established tank with as much rock as you have that it would really take a ton of nutrient input to see an ammonia spike and it seems like it would be gone within 12 hours. Check it now and see if it has changed? If yes, then probably that was the cause and you can cross it off the list.

I have at least 30 fish that I feed heavily, countless clean up crew, shrimps and one sea cucumber. I grow Cheato on a reverse daylight cycle under 150 watt led. So this might be why I dont see a rise in ammonia. Since the time that my tank was cycled, every time I have seen a rise in anything other po4, it has been from an external cause. Most of the time traced back to my input water. Which is why I keep going back there.

Sounds like you are sure your input water is clean and you have tight control over your tank. Seems like you have covered everything from new products like a change of brand of GFO, different food, or new hardware that might have leaked so I will pitch in if I get any new ideas. Water changes fix a lot for people. It will at least dilute whatever the issue is and buy you some time to figure out the underlying cause.

 

[Lasse]

Well Sunday night I target fed pretty heavy with reef roofs mixed with reef chili and coral frenzy possibly that?

I´m not think that it is an ammonia problem either. If I got this right - it was the morning after this heavy feeding you found one fish dead and after that - more have died and the corals do not looks fine? Is there any possibillity that some of the foods you use have gone bad?

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Mariette]

Ugh sorry Jake. Was gonna suggest voltage but someone beat me to it. Didn’t see you answer. Could that be a possibility? I’m just as stumped as you are. What do you have left?

 

[ReefJake123]

Serves me right for responding to the OP and not reading what came after it.

lol

 

[ReefJake123]

I have a Seneye on my 120 gallon reef. It monitors my pH, temp, and ammonia. Heavy target feeding for me looks like 1/4+ teaspoon of roids, 1/4+ tsp decapsulated brine eggs, 4 cubes oyster eggs, 2 cubes coral food, some times a couple cubes of mini mysis. The Seneye has never registered an ammonia rise. It has shown one in other tanks, so I know it works.

When you say heavy feeding, was it something like that? Or proportionally to what normally goes in the tank would you say it might have been 10x normal? We probably dont' have the same set up so I can't guess whether that would spike your ammonia, but I have never seen a rise off of my Seneye from over feeding my less stocked systems either. I think that in an established tank with as much rock as you have that it would really take a ton of nutrient input to see an ammonia spike and it seems like it would be gone within 12 hours. Check it now and see if it has changed? If yes, then probably that was the cause and you can cross it off the list.

I have at least 30 fish that I feed heavily, countless clean up crew, shrimps and one sea cucumber. I grow Cheato on a reverse daylight cycle under 150 watt led. So this might be why I dont see a rise in ammonia. Since the time that my tank was cycled, every time I have seen a rise in anything other po4, it has been from an external cause. Most of the time traced back to my input water. Which is why I keep going back there.

Sounds like you are sure your input water is clean and you have tight control over your tank. Seems like you have covered everything from new products like a change of brand of GFO, different food, or new hardware that might have leaked so I will pitch in if I get any new ideas. Water changes fix a lot for people. It will at least dilute whatever the issue is and buy you some time to figure out the underlying cause.

Thanks man very good comment I fed probably 4x normal which is 1/2+ tsp each brand and I am at my volleyball game I’ll check it tonight and ofc I will keep you guys in the loop

 

[ReefJake123]

Ugh sorry Jake. Was gonna suggest voltage but someone beat me to it. Didn’t see you answer. Could that be a possibility? I’m just as stumped as you are. What do you have left?

Wym by voltage? Like my lighting? And by what do I have left do u mean livestock? If so, I have my diamond watchman goby which I haven’t seen since Sunday so I sadly assume it’s dead, my 4 chromis, 2 designer clowns, a blood shrimp and I think that’s it[emoji17]

 

[ReefJake123]

I´m not think that it is an ammonia problem either. If I got this right - it was the morning after this heavy feeding you found one fish dead and after that - more have died and the corals do not looks fine? Is there any possibillity that some of the foods you use have gone bad?

Sincerely Lasse

Yes you have it right and no my food sources are as clean as far as I’m aware they’ve always worked just fine and my corals love them

 

[Kscope]

Was the water cloudy at all or clear when you first noticed the issue. Usually when fish are breathing hard it's an O2 issue. Over feeding and fish death cause a bacteria bloom depleting O2. Carbon and an air stone? Didnt read the entire thread....Just a suggestion.