Trouble keeping snails, hermits and even fish alive

[Amboss72]

I have a clients 240 gallon tank that seems to have one struggle after another. The tanks parameters have consistently been 1.025, ph 8.3, Alk 9.8, Ca 420 nitrates 8, phosphates .25, temp 77. This tank has been in my care for 8yrs. It was once a thriving reef filled with fish, sps, lps, leathers, anemones etc. Three yrs back an office worker accidentally sprayed Lysol to close to the tank and all the fish died. The tanks corals were unaffected. I’ll be darned if since that poisoning I’ve been unable to keep any fish alive beyond one clownfish. Snails die, hermits die and just recently I lost a mimic tang that survived for at least 6 months. The tank get a 15 gallon water change weekly and all chemicals are dosed via an automatic doser. I’ve fought bryopsis, dinoflagellates, hair algae etc. Anymore it seems as though all I’m doing is fighting problems. This is the only tank out of the 25 I manage that has one problem after another. I should add that the canopy on this tank has deteriorated to the point that sawdust from the wood seems to be falling in which I’ve attempted to address by staple gunning plastic around the expanding woood. I’ll stop rambling! Has anyone had a problem like this where keeping things alive seems so challenging? I’ve been servicing tanks for the past 11yrs and this ones got me stumped! Thanks for anyone’s input.

 

[hijinks7]

Have you sent the water off to an ICP test? Might help giving you more insight into what might be wrong.

 

[EmdeReef]

Sounds like something toxic may be getting into into the tank. Start by inspecting equipment for rust etc. I’d send a sample to Triton to check if anything is out of whack. In the meantime you can try adding something like metasorb and see if it helps. Also keep in mind that sawdust can be causing at least part of it.

 

[Amboss72]

Have you sent the water off to an ICP test? Might help giving you more insight into what might be wrong.

Hadn’t thought of that! Thanks for your input.

 

[Amboss72]

Sounds like something toxic may be getting into into the tank. Start by inspecting equipment for rust etc. I’d send a sample to Triton to check if anything is out of whack. In the meantime you can try adding something like metasorb and see if it helps. Also keep in mind that sawdust can be causing at least part of it.

I’ll take a look into the rust issue. I too feel like the sawdust could be an issue. Trust me I’m tired of cleaning it off the vortex wavemakers. Does anyone know if sawdust is inert? I just wish I could get this client to buy a new canopy. Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix a canopy that’s had water expansion damage? Thank you

 

[WVNed]

That would depend on what kind of wood it is and if it has had any treatments to waterproof or rot proof it. Pressure treated lumber would be toxic.

 

[cracker]

Is this tank in a building with other offices / rooms or a home? Maybe an exterminator is spraying something in another part of the building. I wouldn't think the sawdust would be bad but the glue that holds it together could be .

 

[Cory]

I agree sawdust is just cellulose its inert for a long time. Id suspect something is off and would do an icp test too. Id also run some rox .8 activated carbon to remove any toxins.

What are you using to measure salinity?