New tank trouble

[polish bob]

Morning new to the hobby, having trouble with my tank. Lost most of the fish. Possibly due to a low PH. As ftee some corrections PH keeps falling overnight from 8.3 to 7.9 or lower. Any ideas?

 

[Ron Reefman]

A 7.9 pH level should not have any effect on your live fish. Mine runs at 7.8 to 8.0 all the time.

What are your other parameters?
Tell us about your tank. How long has it been running? What fish did you put in and when? Which ones died?

 

[brandon429]

Disease, not pH

List the disease prevention steps taken such as fallow and quarantine etc

 

[polish bob]

A 7.9 pH level should not have any effect on your live fish. Mine runs at 7.8 to 8.0 all the time.

What are your other parameters?
Tell us about your tank. How long has it been running? What fish did you put in and when? Which ones died?

Started in September 2023. Just with live rock at first for a few weeks until I got good water tests from the local fish store. I started with 2 clowns which lead to 6 all together. Of course that lead to an issues. And 2 damsels. Diamond golby. And a coral beauty. Everything added every couple weeks or more. It's a 75 gallon tank with live sand and rock. A few coral. And 3 nems.
I have a side mounted filter with standard substrate and just added charcoal.

 

[polish bob]

Started in September 2023. Just with live rock at first for a few weeks until I got good water tests from the local fish store. I started with 2 clowns which lead to 6 all together. Of course that lead to an issues. And 2 damsels. Diamond golby. And a coral beauty. Everything added every couple weeks or more. It's a 75 gallon tank with live sand and rock. A few coral. And 3 nems.
I have a side mounted filter with standard substrate and just added charcoal.

My pH was 7.2 when we noticed the fish dying

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Which fish died?

 

[brandon429]

I’m now sure it’s disease. This is what happens from skipping preps within 8 mos of most new tanks. pH isn’t the issue, but I know being accountable for disease preps is hard work so most will pick a parameter they feel is unideal, and press there instead because that’s no work it’s just buying pH boosters.

Managing pH in response to disease loss is wrong across the board here, and especially wrong if your pH test kit is a color tube you have to guess the levels from. Even if you had a calibrated digital probe: 7.2 isn’t lethal to any fish in reefing.

It’s important to read and follow the stickies in the disease forum your tank needs to be fallowed now and new entrants need quarantine.

 

[polish bob]

I’m now sure it’s disease. This is what happens from skipping preps within 8 mos of most new tanks. pH isn’t the issue, but I know being accountable for disease preps is hard work so most will pick a parameter they feel is unideal, and press there instead because that’s no work it’s just buying pH boosters.

Managing pH in response to disease loss is wrong across the board here, and especially wrong if your pH test kit is a color tube you have to guess the levels from. Even if you had a calibrated digital probe: 7.2 isn’t lethal to any fish in reefing.

The diamond golby is still alive and all the cleaning crew is alive and thriving
As far as disease how could that be?

 

[polish bob]

The diamond golby is still alive and all the cleaning crew is alive and thriving
As far as disease how could that be?

I have both strip color, drop color and digital. I put reef in the tank because I wanted reef in the tank. I've done tons of reading research YouTube videos tik Tok videos. Books dummy books. I've learned a bunch but still have a lot to learn. But if I don't try and create a tank I'm never going to learn. The unfortunate thing is that the fish pay the price. Which is what I don't want. Believe me everything was fine nothing was added nothing was different parameters of the tank were good.

 

[polish bob]

I have both strip color, drop color and digital. I put reef in the tank because I wanted reef in the tank. I've done tons of reading research YouTube videos tik Tok videos. Books dummy books. I've learned a bunch but still have a lot to learn. But if I don't try and create a tank I'm never going to learn. The unfortunate thing is that the fish pay the price. Which is what I don't want. Believe me everything was fine nothing was added nothing was different parameters of the tank were good.

I just don't know what to do if I should leave the tank as it is and just watch the perimeters of the water. I actually started another tank a 35 in the same fashion. And added four damsels just to see what would happen. And I lost three. Nothing came from the other tank it was all a fresh start so it's not disease. I have consulted the fish store and some chemical specialist through the fish store. They've suggested things such as aerating the water more. Adding a carbon filter. Which both things I did.

 

[polish bob]

Which fish died?

All of them cept the diamond golby

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

I dont see a build thread or anything for this to really help out. Create a build thread with all equipment, what your current numbers are at and everything you have done so far. From there we can get a general idea of your setup. But I dont see a build tgread or any other info other than PH swing, 75 gallon tank and a few fish which are dying. As others said. Ph doesnt seem to be issue and have to go based off disease currently. How long has it been running, where was live rock and sand from? Were they kept wet or moist and if not for how long? Images can also help. Hopefully we can help you pinpoint this.