Sudden death

[mryellowtang]

This morning, on the 90 gallon fish only tank have dead! My parameters are all fine. This tank I treat very different from my other one since it has no coral. Last thing I did was 10% water change, replaced my carbon and phosphate media. And nothing else. I have three wave makers , two sources of water in flow from the canister filters, and a UV sterilizer that also gives flow in the water. I have plenty of live rock and my wave makers provide a nice flow that hit the rocks. However the waver makers are for off for 4 hours or anytime I add or change water. I lost two two tangs, purple and yellow. Picasso Trigger, one clownfish, cardinal fish, and valentine puffer. Some of the fish were three years old and others about a two. My clownfish is from my smaller coral tank. I have no idea, but this morning all we’re dead. Any tips or suggestions that could help me out?


And typically I test my water every 2-3 weeks. My phosphate levels are none but nitrate I have about .25 to .30 ppm. I top off water 4-5 days usually with water from the local fish shop.

 

[Crabs McJones]

So sorry for your losses. Couple things, can you give us your exact water parameters? Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate. Are you able to check for stray current. Have you introduced anything new to the tank recently? Any pictures of the fish to check for diseases? Are your heaters functioning properly?
Thanks

 

[eatbreakfast]

My quess would be equipment failure, either power outage, canister filter failure, or heater failure to have those types of catostrophic losses.

 

[40B Knasty]

My guess is O². After 4hrs oxygen depletes into the danger zone from what I have heard if everything is turned off. Sorry for the losses.

 

[mryellowtang]

My guess is O². After 4hrs oxygen depletes into the danger zone from what I have heard if everything is turned off. Sorry for the losses.

Thank you all! I will post my water parameters soon. To combat O2 depleation, can run those oxygen air stones they use for fresh water tanks , you know the one with the bubbles ??

 

[40B Knasty]

Thank you all! I will post my water parameters soon. To combat O2 depleation, can run those oxygen air stones they use for fresh water tanks , you know the one with the bubbles ??

Yes that would help a little. Why does it take 4hrs to do a water change if you don't mind me asking? I do a 15g in 20m.
Also another thing is your beneficial bacteria can start dying off when there is no movement. Maybe that could of happened as well causing an ammonia spike. Not sure on the time length for not keeping a flow on it, but I thought it was 2hrs.
While the water is being changed. Make sure you are using a small pitcher like 16 cups. Dunk the pitcher in the tank and pour the water back in.

 

[mryellowtang]

So sorry for your losses. Couple things, can you give us your exact water parameters? Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate. Are you able to check for stray current. Have you introduced anything new to the tank recently? Any pictures of the fish to check for diseases? Are your heaters functioning properly?
Thanks

I

Yes that would help a little. Why does it take 4hrs to do a water change if you don't mind me asking? I do a 15g in 20m.
Also another thing is your beneficial bacteria can start dying off when there is no movement. Maybe that could of happened as well causing an ammonia spike. Not sure on the time length for not keeping a flow on it, but I thought it was 2hrs.
While the water is being changed. Make sure you are using a small pitcher like 16 cups. Dunk the pitcher in the tank and pour the water back in.

Sorry for the confusion, I turn off the wave makers for 4 hours but the flow from the and uv sterilizer are on 24/7. During the 4 hour I feed them and I was thinking 3 wavemakes off would kind of provide the fish some kind of break and it would help with the feeding. But idk what to think honestly

 

[40B Knasty]

I



Sorry for the confusion, I turn off the wave makers for 4 hours but the flow from the and uv sterilizer are on 24/7. During the 4 hour I feed them and I was thinking 3 wavemakes off would kind of provide the fish some kind of break and it would help with the feeding. But idk what to think honestly

Keep your WaveMakers on when feeding. It will keep the food suspended in the water column. They don't need a rest from flow. That's natural for them to have that. Unless you have a dragonet that you spot feed. Then I could see after the spot feeding. Turn them back on.

 

[MnFish1]

My guess is O². After 4hrs oxygen depletes into the danger zone from what I have heard if everything is turned off. Sorry for the losses.

I guess I got the impression that he always turns the wavemakers off for 4 hours but the other things that move the water are still 'on'. But I might have misunderstood. Sometimes when one thing dies especially its a large fish or whatever, ammonia builds up very quickly and can quickly kill the rest of the fish.

 

[mryellowtang]

Here are my water parameters. Sorry I’ve gotten away with not testing for too many things but this what the kit I have gives. Like I said I usually Test about every few weeks.


Currently
Nitrate 0 ppm
Phosphate looks like about 0.25 but not more.
Calcium 520-525 ppm
KH way really high at 200 ppm

 

[mryellowtang]

If it was a power outage I think I would’ve noticed but it’s strange they died overnight

 

[40B Knasty]

200ppm?!? Is that for real?
What is your pH?

 

[lapin]

......Last thing I did was 10% water change, replaced my carbon and phosphate media. And nothing else.
And typically I test my water every 2-3 weeks. My phosphate levels are none but nitrate I have about .25 to .30 ppm. I top off water 4-5 days usually with water from the local fish shop.

Is any of the media a new batch?
Have you checked your salinity?
If the media is the same batches and you have used it before then you can rule it out.
That leaves the water as the first thing that I would suspect.

 

[Crabs McJones]

200ppm?!? Is that for real?
What is your pH?

that only equates out to around 11 DKH which isn't horrible.

 

[lapin]

Table 1. Parameters critical to control in reef aquaria.


Parameter: Reef Aquaria Recommendation:
Calcium 380-450 ppm 420 ppm
Alkalinity 2.5-4 meq/L
7-11 dKH
125-200 ppm

 

[rkpetersen]

I am really sorry to hear about this; all those great fish, that's awful. Anything different about this last water change? Any chance toxins might have gotten into the tank, like someone using a cleaning product nearby or overhead? Was one fish missing before the rest? - Something rotting in a sand bed could suddenly give off hydrogen sulfide and kill everything. Agree with the comment that equipment failure is a real concern; I would tear those cannister filters down and see if anything is amiss there.

 

[40B Knasty]

that only equates out to around 11 DKH which isn't horrible.

Okay phew. I thought for a second he had to add 200 drops to get a reading. Different way of me saying what I have.

 

[mryellowtang]

200ppm?!? Is that for real?
What is your pH?

The Test I used has only KH and 11 drops puts it at 11 dKH or 200 ppm

 

[mryellowtang]

I am really sorry to hear about this; all those great fish, that's awful. Anything different about this last water change? Any chance toxins might have gotten into the tank, like someone using a cleaning product nearby or overhead? Was one fish missing before the rest? - Something rotting in a sand bed could suddenly give off hydrogen sulfide and kill everything. Agree with the comment that equipment failure is a real concern; I would tear those cannister filters down and see if anything is amiss there.

This time I did use a different type of activated carbon media. But it had decent reviews on Amazon.

 

[mryellowtang]

Guys please keep mind I don’t use a sump on this 90 gallon! It’s two canisters with three media trays and it’s been with me for more than 3 years. Only thing different that I guess is the activated carbon brand was different but still that’s a little strange to think that caused it. My best guess is something failed at night and left it without flow and decrease in oxygen suffacted the fish. As for how they all died? As someone mentioned ammonia probably as one died the others followed. Luckily since my water is fine I’m guessing, I’ll do a water change and watch it closely for now. And put a heater in too