Fish died.

[TroyClark]

Please help.

This morning I tore down my 34 hex tank that was leaking and replaced it temporarily with an extra 20 something hex I had so I can fix the leak. Used rinsed crush coral, cleaned diatoms off rock since I was in the middle of a diatom bloom and switched out my hang on filter to a used eheim pro 4+, using the bio media from hang on in the canister filter with all new filter pads, carbon and new bio media to go with the old bio media. Used half the old water and half new RO water. Within 5 hours I lost both mocha gladiator clowns.

Checked water. Temp 78, Ph 7.8, Ammonia .25, Nitrite and Nitrate are zero. Was using prime every 48 hours to detoxify ammonia during cycle.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated. I am sick that these two beautiful fish suffered and died.... Up to switching tanks out this morning they were doing great.

 

[Coralreefer1]

Sorry for the loss of your beautiful Clowns. Basically what happened was you tried to do too much and make your tank too pristine and in the process started your tank cycling again. Your ammonia level is high as ammonia is very toxic to livestock in a marine aquarium. I think because you tried to do too much too fast, your tank was way out of whack and it was too much for your fish.
You rinsed the crushed coral in salt water or fresh? Was it live coral from the other tank? Did you wash your live rock too? Did you acclimate the fish into your new tank?
Also with Prime! It only works for up to 24 hours I believe...

 

[TroyClark]

I was going over things in my mind and think it was the crushed coral. I rinsed it really good about 2 months ago when I set up the 34 hex. Put it in the 34 hex and realized it was too much and took about 1/3 and put it in a bucket till I needed it. I think I forgot to re rinse it before using it yesterday. It had sat damp in a bucket for 2 months and probably grew some nasties on it. I am going to drain the tank, replace crushed coral with aragonite and start a fishless cycle.

 

[Reefin Ryan]

A possible cause could also be if you didnt match temp, salinity, ph from old to new water it can shock fish to death. I learned this the hard way and used to think floating the bag to temperature acclimate was enough. Clowns are normally pretty hardy but marine fish in general need more than just temperature acclimation.