Help Needed A.s.a.p. Whats Happening???

[sh8wn9]

So...I was looking into my tank last nite with the moonlights on, and everything was doing great. Same as normal. I did a 5g water change on Sunday.
This morning I left for work at 545 and before I left I added 3/4g of tap water...I know I usually use distilled for topoffs but did not have any and was in a rush. Anyways, I got home today at 545pm and my tank is not looking good at all. The water looks a little cloudy....my xenia basically shrunk and turned bright white, my one and only hard coral doesnt look good at all, most of my zoas and polys are closed!!! Also, there were these weird things on the back of the carbon filter when I changed it today...anyone have any idea what they are???
Does anyone have any idea what is happening? This happened all from the time I left for work and the time I got home. It had to have been something in the water I used this morning???

29g
salinity-1.024
ph-8.3
temp-78.6
amonia-0
nitrite-0
nitrate-0


any advice would be awesome...

 

[goldenmean]

So you topped off with tap water?

 

[sh8wn9]

yea, like a 3/4 gallon...but I topoff with distilled 90% of the time...and its always filtered tap water, but this morning was the first time I used straight tap well water.

 

[Surfnut]

more than likely you've added a toxic substance,.. more than likely copper, to your tank by using the unfiltered tap water. I'd put in some copper absorbing materials as well as any other cleaner pads others can think of. On top of that you need to do a fairly large water change very quickly or my opinion is you'll lose everything.

 

[mettjl03]

I sometimes use tap water and do a bigger top off than that... I don't think 3 gals of tap well water would make your tank that cloudy. Sometimes if you pour fresh water (with no salt) the mushrooms and things will close up for 1-2days. Is there any other change that you noticed? If not, I would just keep a close eye on it for a couple of days. Good luck!

 

[goldenmean]

There must be some minerals in your well water that your corals really do not like

 

[Sapphire]

It does seem, as others have said that you've added something with that tap water. certianly I would do a large water change and run carbon.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[sh8wn9]

It wasnt 3 gallons of tap water it was only 3/4 of a gallon. I wouldnt think that that small amount would cause such a harm.
I will do a 5g water change tomorrow. I pretty much think my xenia is a goner though...

 

[Clownfish518]

I know the well at my family's farm is high in sulfur. Who knows what is in your well water; certainly seems to be suspect to me

 

[BigAl07]

seems awfully likely something was in the well water but it would take some in-depth tests to know.

A) Using anything other than self filtered (meaning you're own system) is a gamble because you have NO way of really knowing what's REALLY going into your tank.

B) Don't sweat the Xenia. Odds are if it does "wilt/wither" it will come back in time as long as your water parameters come back in line.

Good luck

 

[sh8wn9]

ok thanks for all the advice....I never thought the well water would cause such harm with such a small amount.
so im basically going to do a water change and see how it goes.

thanks

 

[cbrownfish]

Tap water can = High PO4, High NO3, Heavy Metals, Minerals, and God knows what else. As suggested, run a lot of carbon (GAC) and do water changes to dilute the contaminant.

 

[PaulR]

Like everyone else, the water would be suspicious. Time to have your well water checked!

The clue that hits me is the cloudy water - when not caused by stirring up the tank or substrate, the #1 cause I can think of is bacterial bloom. A moderate water change (10%) can usually help with that, so long as the inbound water is known good.

The critters in your filter are probably some sort of a clue. I would keep investigating them.

-Paul

 

[mettjl03]

What a bummer... Keep us posted!

 

[r2d2]

I have a lot of those critters in my tank, mainly in plastic surfaces like overflow box and powerheads casing, but some on rocks too. I dont know what they are but for sure are harmless. Any clue? I've never used tap water.

 

[michelle9491]

the critters look like pineapple sponges. I have tons in my sump. They are harmless.

 

[ReefLady]

I really can't add much to what everyone else said, but in a small tank, even that amount of water can have a bad effect (if there was something "off" with the water). One question I did have - was the water pretty much the same temp? I'm thinking possibly temp shock, a large pH drop, or maybe the change in salinity. I know that Xenia is pretty sensitive to changes in pH, but like Al said, Xenia can be tempermental, so give it some time.

The small things on the filter almost look like Scypha sponges...do a google image search for that or "pineapple sponge" and see if it looks like that.

Good luck - keep us posted!

 

[sh8wn9]

Yea the water I added was basically the same temperature...it was slightly cooler...around 71 or so. Im not too sure about the xenia....I got home from work today and it shrunk even more Its definitely not looking good for it at all.
On a good not though, the zoas are looking a lot better and have opened back up for the most part(although some of them are less colorful now). But at least I didnt have a total tank crash.
I will do a 5.5 gallon water change tomorrow evening...I wasnt home most of the day today, and did not think it would be a good idea to do a water change so late a night...plus I just set up the new water and it is still too cold.
Anyways...I ll keep you posted, and any other advice would be great.

thanks

oh and thanks for the info on the pineapple sponges

 

[ReefLady]

Yea the water I added was basically the same temperature...it was slightly cooler...around 71 or so.

I guess that bears the question - what is your tank temp? It should be at least 77 (bare minimum)...79-80 is better. Could that be the problem?
Don't change anything quickly.

Do you have access to a copper test?

 

[fishkisser]

Cant speak to your tap water.........u will need to test it but DO DO a large water change and IDENTIFY the critters in your filter. If they died or in the process of dying there may be enough bio mass there to pollute the tank. Also, some critters release poison substances thats why I suggest u identify them after the water change. Oh yea, take them out of the filter before the water change with distilled or RO water first! If you have a hospital tank hold them in their. There is a chance they may be benifical creatures as well.