Need Advice - Fish/Coral Death What to do next?

[Friendly Fire]

29 Gal
No Skimmer
No Sump
Canister Filter running Carbon/GFO and Purigen
40lbs live rock
LED lighting
Temp - 78
SG - 1.024
Ammonia - 0
Nitries - 0
Nitrates - 0
PH - 8.3
Alkalinity KH -12.6
Calcium - 350
Magnesium - 1280

I have had great losses in the past few months. I need advice on what to do next. I'm starting to think its time to throw in the towel.
Ive lost:
1 - Starfish
2 - Lawn Mower Blennies
1 - peppermint shrimp
1 - emerald crab
1 - torch coral
1 - blue mushroom
3 - blue legged hermits

I have two clown fish that seem to be thriving but anything I add to the tank seems to die.
I think that my trouble started when I bought an RODI filter and started mixing my own water. I am using RODI filter from BRS, refractometer, and Instant Ocean Salt.
All my perimeters test good, I am properly drip acclimating them. The only thing I can think of is something in the water that I am not testing for. I went to the LFS and bought SW from them to rule out the possibility of it being the water that I am preparing. I am planing on doing a large water change with the store bought water but I have no way of know if it solved my problem without possibly sacrificing more livestock. If any of you have suggestions I would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[PSU4ME]

How about a picture of the tank? Your calcium and alkalinity are not balanced.... Ca is low and alk is high. How old is your tank? Any possibility of contamination, copper or anything like it?

I doubt the ro water is the issue unless you didn't allow the new unit to run for a bit as they suggest running at least 5g of clean water before you use the water.

 

[saltfan]

Beat me to the same ?s ^

 

[reefle]

maybe your refractometer is off. Does the RO/DI system come with a TDS meter?

 

[reefle]

and don't give up!!! I'm ashamed to say it but I've lost about 4 times that amount of livestock in two months as well. Now I've finally got my tank running and everything seems happy.

Its a learning process and boy its worth it!

 

[Friendly Fire]

How about a picture of the tank? Your calcium and alkalinity are not balanced.... Ca is low and alk is high. How old is your tank? Any possibility of contamination, copper or anything like it?

I doubt the ro water is the issue unless you didn't allow the new unit to run for a bit as they suggest running at least 5g of clean water before you use the water.

Pictures - I'll post shortly (Anything in particular you would like to see in the pics)

Tank age - 5 months

Contamination - Possibility.
Never used any copper treatments.
I dip my fish in methylene blue with a double dip of clean water to rinse. Final dip in clean water for 5 mins before transferring.
Algae scrapper can sometimes get a little rust. I wipe it off very well with paper towel before it enters the tank. You cant see any rust on it after I wipe it.
I have left the tank in the care of wife and daughter while I leave on business. (come to think of it problems started right about then)
Its an open top tank, something could have fallen in or been picked up through the air (Tank is in the foyer near the kitchen)
Also thought it a possibility that the torch coral could have released some toxins in the tank. There was an incident where the LED got unplugged and the factory settings were restored which cranked up the intensity almost double of what I had it set to. Again this happened while I was away on business. When I returned the torch coral was stressed and it never returned to fully extended and healthy. Kenny the Blenny2 was convulsing before death like toxic or nervous system was affected. (Just FYI. I didnt want to leave out details that could help find the root of the problem)

RODI - When I first got the RODI system a month or two ago I ran about 3g through it before collecting anything that was used in the tank. I flush it out before each use per the instructions. RODI system includes a TDS meter and the water used has 0 TDS. I read that the RODI does not remove Chloramine from that water and considered that to be a possibility. But I read that if you test your tap water that the chloramine would spike the NH4 results. Based off tap water test results I initially ruled out Chloramine, but I am not so sure anymore.
I shake the salt bucket before mixing
I mix for 48 hours before water changes
SG and PH is tested and matched to DT before WC
I suspected that refractometer calibration could have been the issue. I calibrate before each use. I have a friend that is going to let me borrow his to rule out malfunction.
I thought it might not be a bad idea to take a water sample to the LFS and have them run some tests and see if they can find anything.

Thank you to everyone that is reading and offering support. I really appreciate it. I hope that I answered all the questions with enough detail. I welcome all suggestions and questions.

 

[whippetguy]

I don't have much more to add, other than you can ask your water company if they use chlorine or chloramine in your local system. They usually include this with your annual report but a quick call can get it answered as well. Sometimes they will switch and you won't know until damage is done. Happened to one of my friends. He lost a ton of coral.

Hope you find some answers. These things are frustrating, but the fact that your trying to find out the cause is a good sign of future success.

 

[PSU4ME]

I would check your annual water report for chloramines as John said. You can easily upgrade your system to remove them if they are present.

From what you've said, you have a lot of variables on a younger system. If I were you, I'd get the tank to a consistent level. Use your rodi, calibrate your refractometer to make sure you're changing out good water. From there try to keep it consistent and I bet it comes around. When you leave on business, leave strict orders!!! And educate them on tank dangers, not topping off water, airborne sprays etc etc.

Seems to be coincidental that your issues arise when you're gone. I'd also get some 2 part and try to balance out that ca/dkh.

 

[forestal]

Thoughts being open top include any cleaning chemicals such as carpet/ windex/ bug spray although I would expect your inverts to show signs of poisoning first. How are they dying? Possibility of an evil hitchhiker?
Your fish treatment seems aggressive and might be better just quarantining and treating if Ill. The treatment might be stressing out already sensitive fish -a thought but not saying you are doing wrong.
I agree getting parameters settled before adding more

 

[Friendly Fire]

I bought some kallwasser to raise the ca, but after study I'm worried that it won't be able to raise the ca level enough without spiking my PH. Should I head back to the LFS or can I use baking soda to raise Ca? If I can use baking soda how do I go about doing that?

 

[slfcaptain]

You typically use kalk to maintain ca and alk not to raise them. You can use 2 part to get the levels you want and then kalk to maintain.

steve

 

[DaveK]

Baking soda tends to raise alkalinity. If you want raise calcium to get it to the level you want, the best choice is calcium chloride. You can buy products like Turbo Calcium or you can get a generic product from places like BRS.

Only use to initially get the calcium level up. Don't use it on a continuous basis. Uses caution when handling Calcium chloride. Read, understand and follow the label directions.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Mixed IO salt is 400 cal, 11 alk, and 1350 mag. I'm thinking a couple large water changes, 50%, three days apart; for two reasons. One, maybe there is a pollutant of some kind. And, two, it will even out you parameters. And change to new carbon. First, I'd make sure your refractometer is calibrated correctly. And call the water company.

 

[andan]

You can change the carbon filter whenever you choose to. In fact, it is not needed all that much. I have run my tanks without carbon for a month at a time, no big deal. If the water starts to look yellow or brown, it is time to change it and put in some fresh carbon.

 

[bullet]

you mentioned that you calibrate your refractometer every time you use it, is it really necesarey to also is the calibration fluid you are using the correct one and not expired or contaminated. We just got ours and it says to only calibrate once a month if needed due to being dropped or miss used