I need help....

ms.bubbles · Feb 9, 2016

I have a 56 gallon bow front tank, I run an ehiem canister filter on it, along with a circulation pump. It has about 30# of live rock/base rock. I have star polyps, a Xenia, a Kenya tree, 2 tag along green mushrooms and just recently found baby zoas growing on a rock. Also 3 large nassarius snails, 2 hermit crabs, and I've found a few small star fish. My issue is fish will not live in this tank, it has been set up since 12/4/2015, and I'm on my 3rd round of fish, the first set were 3 green chromis. First round didn't even make it a week, the 2nd set were 2 percula clowns one lasted 2 days the other almost 2 weeks. There were no outward signs of illness, but they would become almost aggitated. I have gotten 3 fish to try again, a Mai tai clown who's a semi adult and 2 engineer gobys. Everyone acclimated to the tank well last night I did an extra long acclimation just to make sure it was as easy a transition as possible. This morning I wake up and they are racing back and forth across the tank almost as if something is getting them. I unplugged my heater, I'm going to get a grounding wire today. And my parameters run
pH- 8.2
alkalinity-9.5
Nitrates-0
Nitrites-0
Ammonia-0
Calcium-325
Magnesium-1125
Phosphates-1.0
Silicates-0
Salinity-1.023
Please help me figure out a way to make these guys happy

saltyfilmfolks · Feb 9, 2016

sorry. I know how that is.
What are you using for your top off and mix water

ms.bubbles said:
I'm going to get a grounding wire today.

good call.

WVReefJunkie · Feb 9, 2016

Phosphates 1.0 ppm is high, are you having a algae issue? How are you acclimating the fish? Do you have another tank that you could set up for quarantine?

p.pep85 · Feb 9, 2016

do you run a skimmer? what kinda test kit are you using?

jetmaker · Feb 9, 2016

It sounds like stray electrical

ms.bubbles · Feb 9, 2016

WVReefJunkie said:
Phosphates 1.0 ppm is high, are you having a algae issue? How are you acclimating the fish? Do you have another tank that you could set up for quarantine?

I had higher phosphates, swapped to pre-made saltwater, bc of an algae issue, it's on the decline.
I did a drip acclimation for the newest fish, for the others I did the float em in the bag routine, and mixed water in the bag.
No quarantine tank at the moment, have a 29g I will be getting soon though

ms.bubbles · Feb 9, 2016

p.pep85 said:
do you run a skimmer? what kinda test kit are you using?

No skimmer, still building slowly, but I've been using Seachem test kits

ms.bubbles · Feb 9, 2016

jetmaker said:
It sounds like stray electrical

The electrical is where I was leaning this morning

WVReefJunkie · Feb 9, 2016

Thats why I asked about a quarantine. You could use your water from your display with different equipment to see if your fish would stay alive.

PatW · Feb 9, 2016

I was going to suggest a grounding line but I saw that you were getting one. Do you have things plugged into a gfi outlet? Using a grounding line and a gfi outlet is a good idea. Also getting a voltmeter and checking the tank is a good idea. I am not great shakes on electricity. There are some detailed threads on it.

You might take a water sample to your LFS for testing. I am not suggesting you are off here but you might be. It is good to check so you can rule that one out.

I am wondering if your acclimation process is off. But inverts tend to be more sensitive to the process than fish or so I am told. I have not murdered fish and inverts to test the proposition. So I would think that since your inverts are living, it should not be that.

It must be frustrating and upsetting. I hope you figure it out.