Every time...Every single time.....

[Reeffan1]

Hello Everyone,


Every Time I do a water change and vacuum the gravel....My fish start to stress out and I loose one. Does anyone have a clue why? :roll: I change about 15 gallons a month I use R/O Water' & use instant ocean salt mix.The mix is done 2 days before. All my water tests are perfect...tanks has been set up for 2 years....and since I can remember every time I change the water. I loose a fish or they stress out. I have even tried changing 4 gallons a week same results. Any suggestions?????? :?:

My tank consists of:
1 - tOP PHANTON SKIMMERS ( WORKS EXCELLENT )
4 - 802 POWER HEADS
125 GALLON
300 POUNDS OF LIVE ROCK
250 POUNDS OF LIVE SAND ( 5" INCH DEEP )
5 - GREEN CHROMIS
1 - YELLOW TANG
1 - TRUE PERC
1 - TOMATO CLOWN
1 - PINK SKUNK CLOWN
1 - PEARLY JAWFISH
1 - FLAME ANGEL
1 - BICOLOR ANGEL
150 - ASTREA SNAILS
75 - TURBO SNAILS
100 - BLUE LEGED HERMIT CRABS
100 - MEXICAN HERMIT CRABS
36 - SCARLET REEF CRABS
50 - NERITE SNAILS
1 - HORSESHOE CRAB
4 - EMERALD CRABS
1 - PAIR OF CLEANER SHRIMP
1 - BANDED CORAL REEF

* my lighting is done by 8 - 60" bulbs
- 4 - actinic03
- 4 - 10,000 k

THANK YOU GUYS.

 

[Anonymous]

What happens if you don't do a water change for awhile? Maybe vacuuming the gravel is disturbing the deeper layers of your DSB? Could a giant clam be biting your fish?

po

 

[Reeffan1]

If I dont do a water change nothing happens.......I have gone 18 weeks with out doing a water change....Tested water everything perfect....I just have to add top off water.....I have no algae blooms or anything...I just do the water change becuase everywhere I read it says to do one......The fish that is stressing is right now...is my TRUE PERC Hopefully He will make. He has been fine for the last 9 months :roll: stupid water changes.......Im just thinking of doing a yearly water change.....DOes any one have any clues????????

THANKS

 

[Anonymous]

Reeffan wrote:

All my water tests are perfect...

what tests do you perform?and have you compared the tests of the new water, with the tank water?what s.g.are you keeping the tank at?do you have a PO4 reading for the tank and the new water?please let us know exactly what all your parameters are :wink:

also, i know it's a simple one,and i'm not trying to insult your level of intelligence, but you didn't mention it so i'll ask, anyway-is the temperature matched between the new and old water?(i'm pulling at straws,abit-but the easiest place to start is with the obvious, it's what's most often overlooked. :wink:


how high is the tank from the floor?(yes, this may be relevant)

hth

 

[fishpoo]

if the water is the same salinity and temperature as the tank water, i would check for ammonia right after a water change. How much of the sand bed do you disturb? if only the top 1/2" it's not a concern. how long have you had the fish that died?

 

[Reeffan1]

Here is what was requested:

Salinity 1.23 ( Captive Purity Refractometer )
Amonia - 0.0 pp
Nitrite - -0.0 pp
Nitrate - 0.0 p.p
Alkalinity - 8.3
Calcium - 420 pp
Phosphate - none
Copper - none
Temp - 78 Degrees all day
* I have other tests as needed.....like strot; Iodine;Odide;Iron;Magnesium;Boron;Silicate and Oxygen. I have diffrent brands also to make sure test are accurate.

The water that goes in the tank test:
Salinity 1.23 (Captive Purity Refractometer )
Amonia - 0.0 pp
Nitrite - -0.0 pp
Nitrate - 0.0 p.p
Alkalinity - 8.4
Calcium - 420 pp
Phosphate - none
Copper - none
Temp - 78 Degrees

The tank sits on a stand that is 3 feet High....So the bootom of the tank is 3'FT 4"in from the ground hope this helps. My Opinion I think its just to stressful.......I Just lost the Biclor An gel......He was fine until the water change......I also use gloves to stick my hand in the tank....I clean them very good after each use ( of course no soap ). Hopefully this will HELP.

THANKS

 

[Anonymous]

Do you yourself do these changes? Or does someone (like a once a week helper :wink: ) else do them?

po

 

[Reeffan1]

I actually disturb about 1 1/2 - 2 inches ...... But I have done the water changes with out vacuuming the gravel... Same result... My bicolor was about 7 months old.... My true perc is still streesed....lower corner of tank breathing about 75 times per min. My other fish are doiing better now.....But everytime I do a water change...they streessed out for about 3 days....all my fish are veterans last time I purchased a fish was last year in Dec. 2001......THANKS for your HELP & SuPPORT :lol: WHat would happen If I wouldnt change the water like for 6 month never done that? OR should I just keep changing the water...????

 

[Anonymous]

do all the fish come from the same supplier, and what is the length of time between purchase and mortality-does it seem to be approximately the same interval for each fish?and what else have you lost so far?(also your pH-it should be o.k., from your alk posting -but just in case?)

fwiw- my height question would possibly have been relevant if the tank was alot closer to the floor-so never mind...

 

[Anonymous]

sorry-i was writing while you were posting.

any post mortem stuff, like gill discoloration?

 

[Reeffan1]

HEllo EVERYBODY :roll:


I change the water monthly and do tests biweekly or monthly depends.......I enjoy dooing the water changes, cleaning the skimmers and filters.......its part of the hobby I HATE loosing fish........

THANKS

 

[Anonymous]

hmmm.... I don't know then. With 300LBS of LR, maybe you could get by with not doing as many water changes? It is Figi live rock isn't it?

po

 

[Reeffan1]

Hello

I checked The bicolor no red gills....EXCELLENT color.......perfect fins....The only thing the looks diffrent is his eyes poping out.....poor little guy......The fish only die when I do a water change.....I only loose one usally but 1 is 1 to many for me. my flame has been with me for 2 Years the damsels 18 months, the pink skunk about 10 months, Tomato clown about 14 months .......The yellow tang & yellow pearly head about 12 months ago...the true perc was the last fish I bought....Diffrent suppliers......My clean up crew was ordered 2 years ago from reeftopia.com.....fished purchased at diffrent LFS ( No PETCO I have a boycott )

I have lost :

6- CHROMIS Damsels ( Not same time )
2 - True perc
1 - Blonde Naso
1 - Copperband Butt
1 - Neon Dotty Back
1 - Bicolor AngelToday
THANKS

 

[Reeffan1]

Yes Figi and Tonga live rock

 

[Anonymous]

fwiw-gills should be an an even red color-if they are pink/grey-may indicate a different problem-though it doesn't sound like you have a disease issue, given the time frame.

there are many people who recommend not doing water changes, and don't do them- some are here on the board, and hopefully they'll chime in.

you may have nothing to lose by stopping the changes, for now, if that really seems to be the causative variable-adopt a 'wait and see' attitude.
worse case scenario-problem continues, and you look for other cause,best case scenario-problem solved(just 'cause you're 'supposed to' do something, doesn't mean you have to :wink: )

please keep us posted.

(p.s.-if you can preserve the fish-there may be someone here who can direct you how to send it somewhere for post mortem exam, for parasites or flukes,just in case :wink: )

best of luck!

 

[Gatortailale1]

I was under the belief and impression that you never vacuum the gravel or sand bed or what ever your DSB is made up of.

I would think you are sucking out all the beneficial pods and other critters in the top area of the DSB. If you have a sump connected to your system, just the pump off and suck the water out of it and pump it back into the sump.

There should be no need to vacuum the DSB, this is not a fresh water tank. Unless you are using gravel similar to what is used in a fresh water system. If so they you have the wrong material for a DSB. However, you say you have 250 lbs of sand so just leave it alone and let it do its job.

C

 

[ReefLion]

I agree with Gator. The likely problem is not the water changes, but vacuuming the gravel. Stop both for now if you like, but if you resume start with small water changes without disturbing the gravel. If everything's ok ramp up the volume of water change but do not disturb the gravel.

If you have any questions about the sand bed, do some searches on the board for "DSB" and "deep sand bed" for tons of info.

Tim

 

[reefland]

Where is your source water from that feeds the RO unit? A well or public water supply? If it is a city supplied service, they add all kinds of nasty stuff like chloramine. Chloramine does not leave the water by just bubbling it for a few days like Chlorine does. The carbon filter of your RO unit *should* be able to remove it.

How often are you replacing your carbon filters?

And I assume your salinity reading was a typo? (you missed typed it twice though). 1.23 is crazy. I assume you mean 1.023

 

[skimmerscum]

Why do you vacuum? You have over 236 hermits plus snails whose sole existence is to clean the sand.

 

[reefland]

.....fished purchased at diffrent LFS ( No PETCO I have a boycott )

I have lost :

6- CHROMIS Damsels ( Not same time )
2 - True perc
1 - Blonde Naso
1 - Copperband Butt
1 - Neon Dotty Back
1 - Bicolor AngelToday

Ouch. I haven't lost that many fish in over 10 years I've been in this hobby. I think you're catching upto Petco.

Hope we can help you figure out what is going on.