aomerhing wrong with my tank please help

[johnsamm7]

so I'm getting really frustrated with this I had four fish die in the last couple weeks after acclimating them to the tank I feel like as soon as I put them in my tank they sink to the bottom they swim fine in the bag or container when I'm acclimating them but when I put them in the tank the sink and the next day they die . Idk what's going on I first tried drip acclimating I did this with my clowns and they were fine when I first put fish into my tank then after that it went all down hill I had a tri color wrasse I dropped for an hour plus and he died the next day I had three chromis dripped them and they died the next day and the day after now I tried the bag way I floated the bag for 20 mins then added 1/2 cup of my tank water every four minutes until the bag was more than half full then poured half out and did it again lasted about an hour then put the Royal gramma in my tank and immediately he floated to the rear glass of the tank like he was stuck to the overflow grates so I got the net and touched him a little and he swam off and went right to the bottom of the tank looks like he won't make it past tomorrow super frustrating idk what else to do I can't win anyone have any tips please

 

[KliJefs]

Ammonia? Is the tank cycled?

 

[johnsamm7]

Zero ammonia the tank has been cycled for a good while

 

[BoneXriffic]

Salinity and temp?

 

[johnsamm7]

Salinity 1.023.5 temp 79,80

 

[nemo1017]

To me it sounds like osmotic shock. The specific gravity isn't matching up somehow.

 

[nemo1017]

What are you using to check spec grav/salinity? If it's a hydrometer, that could be the problem bc those things are horribly inaccurate. If it is a refractometer, it may not be calibrated correctly.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Here is some very good info on acclimation and the bad floating bag thing.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/1/aafeature2

Sorry for the probs. It a pain to learn. Check all the Params just to be sure and even stray voltage.
I have a dedicated container I use an make the Lfs give me more water in the bag to make sure it fills it. It makes it a constantly repeatable process so I do it the same every time.

 

[Salty1962]

I don't know if you do this but I check salinity and ph before I let anything out of the bag. You'd be surprised what the salinity and ph is of water livestock is shipped in. I also try to replace all of the shipping water volume to make sure things are lined up right. I don't know if the article that @saltyfilmfolks sent says that but I'd at least start there if everything else looks right.

 

[johnsamm7]

Okay yea I'm using a hydrometer
Ammonia 0 nitrite 0 ph 7.8 nitrate 0
Phosphate did read .25
Kh 9 drops Api test kits

 

[TheEngineer]

I would suggest taking your water to the LFS and ask them to test it for you. My first guess would be ammonia or salinity imbalance, as others have said.

The other thing I would suggest is to stop buying fish until you definitively identify the issue.

 

[Mtnbikedan01]

Sorry about losing fish I know how stressful and heartbreaking that can be. It looks to me like your ph maybe low and I was wondering if you had tried any other hydrometers? I used to have 4 and all 4 gave me totally different readings. I've also been told that you are supposed to let the hydrometrrs "cure" for 24hrs before use. Do you rinse your hydrometer after each use with freshwater? Good luck.

 

[Mtnbikedan01]

I've had the best luck with ph around 8.3-8.4 and you said you are at 7.8. It may not be why your fish are dying but I don't think it is helping.

 

[johnsamm7]

I haven't tried any more hydrometers just the same one I do rinse it out after every use with fresh water

 

[Mtnbikedan01]

I wonder if salt drying in the hydrometer is giving you a higher reading then you actually have. Sorry read you reply wrong

 

[Mtnbikedan01]

Are there any fish in the tank that are doing fine ? Is it only new additions dying ?

 

[johnsamm7]

I mean I have two clowns in the tank there doing great as well as a cleaner shrimp and 10 hermits fighter conch and snails hammer coral frag and a zoa all doin well if my parameters were out that bad wouldn't the shrimp go first since there very sensitive to the parameters

 

[johnsamm7]

Just the new additions are dying

 

[Mtnbikedan01]

I agree

 

[johnsamm7]

It's not making sense to me