What is Going In With My Tank?

[Cetus]

Sorry for your loss. I too have been having a battle with mysterious fish deaths. I think mine may be due to lack of oxygen. But with you having a PH of 8.4 seems a unlikely in your case. Please keep us updated.

Yep. Really learning the difficulty of maintaining stuff but this is my first tank so its to be expected. But hopefully I can find out what's going on.

 

[BostonReefer300]

To test for voltage, you use a multimeter which are cheaply available at any hardware store---and then google up directions on how to use it to test for voltage in your tank. Alternatively, if you stick you hand in the tank while not wearing insulating shoes and you feel a tingle (or worse) that's a pretty good indication you have voltage in there. I don't recommend that route however.

 

[Sump Crab]

Hey. For 6 months old your tank looks really clean. Something just doesn't "feel" right when I look at it. Good luck!

 

[Cetus]

Hey. For 6 months old your tank looks really clean. Something just doesn't "feel" right when I look at it. Good luck!

Yeah I've been wondering what's going on there... It's strange and there is some algae growth in my QT even but not in my DT yet.

 

[Cetus]

To test for voltage, you use a multimeter which are cheaply available at any hardware store---and then google up directions on how to use it to test for voltage in your tank. Alternatively, if you stick you hand in the tank while not wearing insulating shoes and you feel a tingle (or worse) that's a pretty good indication you have voltage in there. I don't recommend that route however.

Looking at Marine Depot too...

Vertex Titanium Grounding Pole

Use the Vertex Titanium Grounding Pole to protect your saltwater aquarium from stray voltage which may come from pumps, heaters, chillers, lighting and any other electrical components in your system.

www.marinedepot.com

I'm having trouble finding what I should get though... I could use a link for something?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hmm alright! Could you link me one you'd suggest because I'm not sure what I'm looking for exactly.

Vertex Titanium Grounding Pole

Use the Vertex Titanium Grounding Pole to protect your saltwater aquarium from stray voltage which may come from pumps, heaters, chillers, lighting and any other electrical components in your system.

www.marinedepot.com

Something like this?

Yes

 

[BostonReefer300]

Looking at Marine Depot too...

Vertex Titanium Grounding Pole

Use the Vertex Titanium Grounding Pole to protect your saltwater aquarium from stray voltage which may come from pumps, heaters, chillers, lighting and any other electrical components in your system.

www.marinedepot.com

I'm having trouble finding what I should get though... I could use a link for something?

For the multimeter, something like this is fine: Handy thing to have around for all sorts of electrical stuff anyway.
That titanium grounding probe in the link is fine as well for grounding your tank

 

[fachatga]

I get the feeling figuring out why you have such a pristine tank at 6 months is the key to this. I would add rock and start cycle again to get a better filter going. The hard part is you’ll get so many ideas here. All good ones but please keep us updated on what you’re trying. Something will pop out that is recognized here to help out.

 

[Cetus]

Yes

Does it need anything else or will this alone address the stray voltage issue? It doesn't seem to have any indicators on it to tell me if there's voltage.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Does it need anything else or will this alone address the stray voltage issue? It doesn't seem to have any indicators on it to tell me if there's voltage.

It will neutralize stray electrical voltage in the water. Plug it into a GROUNDED outlet and stick probe in sump or tank

 

[Cetus]

I get the feeling figuring out why you have such a pristine tank at 6 months is the key to this. I would add rock and start cycle again to get a better filter going. The hard part is you’ll get so many ideas here. All good ones but please keep us updated on what you’re trying. Something will pop out that is recognized here to help out.

I think I'll just do this regardless of if I find something because it seems like it'd just be generally better for the fish's health and look better too. But I'm going to address stray voltage and metal contaminants first because I think those might be the primary suspects in this.

 

[Cetus]

It will neutralize stray electrical voltage in the water. Plug it into a GROUNDED outlet and stick probe in sump or tank

I think it'd be better to address the problem and see if I even need it in the first place but I can't really find a probe which displays if I have voltage or not. I guess it's cheap though so... Why not. Still I'd like a product that'd display if there's any voltage so I can address what's going on.

 

[T-J]

125 gallons with a 20 gallon sump. Very basic lighting not sure what it is but it came with the tank as a set. All dry rock and dry sand.

I did all QT. 30 days in copper at around 1.75-2.00 checked religiously with Hanna checker. 14 with metroplex. And a week with PraziPro. That’s my typical routine.

I agree that something doesn't feel right about this tank. 6 months and it looks like you set it up yesterday.
Also, in this pic, is that towel you have on the back actually in the tank? It looks like it's in the water, but it might be behind the tank.
Something is preventing your tank from maturing. Maybe get some live rock from a LFS or from a local reefer?

 

[BostonReefer300]

I think it'd be better to address the problem and see if I even need it in the first place but I can't really find a probe which displays if I have voltage or not. I guess it's cheap though so... Why not. Still I'd like a product that'd display if there's any voltage so I can address what's going on.

Didn't you see my post with the link to a multimeter?

 

[Cetus]

Didn't you see my post with the link to a multimeter?

oh i actually got borrowed a voltmeter from someone very luckily!

put the black probe into ground hole, red probe in water. set at 200 AC and the reading was 0.7

think this is the culprit?

 

[Cetus]

I agree that something doesn't feel right about this tank. 6 months and it looks like you set it up yesterday.
Also, in this pic, is that towel you have on the back actually in the tank? It looks like it's in the water, but it might be behind the tank.
Something is preventing your tank from maturing. Maybe get some live rock from a LFS or from a local reefer?

The top of the aquarium is covered in glass so its laying on top of it and the overflow box. I have a small hole where the overflow doesn't quite fit into and I wanna cover it up so a small fish doesn't jump over.

I'm very hesitant about using live rock because of what might come with it at the same time it does seem like this tank should have algae by now. Maybe add some more dry rock and then dose another bottle of Dr. Tim's?

 

[BostonReefer300]

Doesn't seem like high voltage is the culprit. Regardless, still a good idea to put a grounding plug in there

 

[Cetus]

Doesn't seem like high voltage is the culprit. Regardless, still a good idea to put a grounding plug in there

It's 7 bucks so it'd be a good insurance policy anyhow. dang... I guess I should try the water testing thing. I guess at least one thing's crossed off now.

 

[Cetus]

Update:

Tested for stray voltage and it seems not to be the case. Regardless will order a grounding probe just to be certain.

My next course of action is finding anything in the water chemistry so I'll be looking at that TRITON Lab thing and seeing if they've discovered anything. There's also a few comments on how clean my tank looks and I also find that to be very strange so I may order some more dry rock and maybe dose another bacteria product just in case? We'll see. I'm hoping we'll find something out at least.

 

[Cetus]

I'm running into an issue with getting my water tested with TRITON.

Do they only sell test kits at the selected retailers? I can't find a test kit for sale online.
This is an issue because the retailers they provided are nowhere near me.