Die After After Tank Transfer

[Mhay]

Hi Everyone,

I have been in the aquarium hobby for about 7 months but just started the saltwater aspect! I originally had my 60 setup for brackish but transferred that to a 29 I had and turned my 60 into SW. I decided to go FOWLR and used live sand. I let that aquarium cycle added a clean up crew and then over time got a nice onyx clown, 2 Cardinals, and then my boyfriend surprised me with a beautiful Black Ice clown. Everyone was happy and healthy and doing GREAT! Christmas came and my boyfriend got me a 75 gallon and 55 gallon for a sump. Over the weeks since then we have been working on getting that all set up. Drilled it for a BeanAnimal overflow system. Made a custom sized overflow. Siliconed baffels in the sump. As of this past weekend we completed it and it looks awesome! I did research on the best way to transfer and decided to keep my live sand since it wasn't very old at all. Rinsed it and got it in place. Added about 25 pounds of new dry rock to give it grand total of 75+ pounds. Then got the water running. Unfortunately, half way through we ran out of RO/DI water and ended up using just chlorinated water. Got the SG up to spec and the temp up to what they were use to and began the drip process. After that we got them into the tank. Almost immediately I could tell that one of the cardinals wasn't going to make it. By that time it was 11pm and we decided to go to bed. In the morning I woke up to both the cardinals dead but the clowns swimming around checking every out. I was upset but honestly was planning on bringing them back to the LFS. Didn't want to get rid of them in this kind of way tho. Happy with how things were going for the most part I went on with my day. Then around noon my boyfriend broke the news to me that my clowns followed in suite. I can't explain how incredibly upset and distraught I was. I never thought in a million years I would feel this way about fish! I am still incredible upset about it. He did the deed and flushed them. My question to all you here is some insight to what could have gone wrong.
SG matched what they were in previously 1.024. Same sand, rinsed. Same live rock, with some new dry rock. My ammonia was a little up at .5ppm, Nitrites 0ppm, Nitrates .25ppm, pH 8.2, phosphates high at .68. Could it be the phosphates? Fish were drip acclimated along with my inverts. I have lost both my snails but the hermits seem to be trying to hang in there. If anyone has any insight it would be greatly appreciated!
Oh"¦ to add to it I just picked up some purigen and have that in the sump and also some biosipria(which I have yet to add).
So far the only thing we can think of is if the carbon is shot in our RO/DI system and didn't properly(or at all) de-cholirante the water.

Thanks!
Maggie

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

It was the ammonia that killed the fish most likely. You say you rinsed your sand...in fresh water? If so, that killed off the microfauna and could cause a small cycle.

 

[Mhay]

It was the ammonia that killed the fish most likely. You say you rinsed your sand...in fresh water? If so, that killed off the microfauna and could cause a small cycle.

I used RO/DI water to rinse the sand. After seeing the ammonia being high I anticipated a small cycle and picked up the bio spira at lunch.

 

[Gopilosaurus]

There may have also been something in the tap water. I'm assuming you used a dechlorinator for it?

 

[Mhay]

There may have also been something in the tap water. I'm assuming you used a dechlorinator for it?

Used our RO/DI system. Have used it on all our tanks(29 brackish, 10 fresh, 29 reef bio cube) we think that perhaps the carbon is done for on it and it needs a new cartridge so it didn't properly remove contaminates. But hard to say if that is for sure that problem.

 

[shifty51008]

you should also pick up some amquel to add to the tank when you get ammonia readings, the bio spira prob. wasn't enough to lower the ammonia fast enough.

wether you used rodi or tap water when rinsing the sand your still gonna get a small cycle again because you killed all the bacteria that breaks down ammonia.

 

[Mhay]

you should also pick up some amquel to add to the tank when you get ammonia readings, the bio spira prob. wasn't enough to lower the ammonia fast enough.

wether you used rodi or tap water when rinsing the sand your still gonna get a small cycle again because you killed all the bacteria that breaks down ammonia.

Thanks shifty! I'll pick that up after work!

 

[rcmike]

You said you ran out of RO/DI and used chlorinated water. If you used half of the water with chlorine in it that is probably what did it.

 

[snorvich]

You said you ran out of RO/DI and used chlorinated water. If you used half of the water with chlorine in it that is probably what did it.

Exactly. Sorry for your losses.

 

[fishroomlady]

I agree with others, it's most likely the ammonia that killed the fish. So sorry for your losses

 

[julie180]

half way through we ran out of RO/DI water and ended up using just chlorinated water

Dechlorinater?

Also, if you rinsed your sand in RODI water, that probably killed off the good bacteria.

It sounds like several factors contributed to your unfortunate situation.

 

[Mhay]

Thank you everyone for all the responses! Hoping my hermits make it and I'll just wait for the cycle to do its thing.

 

[thegrun]

One other item of concern, did you use a reef safe silicone? GE Silicone 1 window and door 100% silicone, Momentive RTV or GE SCS1200 are all reef safe. Many silicones are called 100% silicone but contain anti-bacteria agents that will kill off your tank. Sorry for your loss!

 

[Mhay]

One other item of concern, did you use a reef safe silicone? GE Silicone 1 window and door 100% silicone, Momentive RTV or GE SCS1200 are all reef safe. Many silicones are called 100% silicone but contain anti-bacteria agents that will kill off your tank. Sorry for your loss!

I have looked into this option and it may be a factor. I went with a GE II and after reading everything it has me concerned. After speaking with a friend that is very experienced in reefing he has me feeling a little bit better. He said he has used the same exact silicone that I used with no issues. I looked at the bottle and it does say 100% silicone, no mention of anti fungal or anything like that. Other than mold resistant. But silicone is naturally mold resistant.
My plan is to let the tank cycle and get some "test" fish to see if there is something else that influenced the die off other than the ammonia and possible chlorine contaminant. Needless to say if the fish die I will have a tough decision to make. Tear down the sump and overflow and get rid of as much of the silicone and possible and re-do with new aquarium safe or just throw in the towel. I am just hoping I don't have to come to that choice.

 

[thegrun]

GE II Does contain anti-bacteria agents. I would remove the silicone and use a reef safe one. The rock will need to be recycled, others can chime in as to if it should be reused at all.

 

[Mhay]

GE II Does contain anti-bacteria agents. I would remove the silicone and use a reef safe one. The rock will need to be recycled, others can chime in as to if it should be reused at all.

Well that sucks. So in theory if I put fish in there after a full cycle and all parameters are fine I should expect them to die. And if they don't I should be okay? And if this is true would my hermits have already died off?

If I decided to attempt fixing this problem could I just cover the GE II silicone with reef safe silicone instead of tearing everything out and be okay?

 

[Mhay]

GE II Does contain anti-bacteria agents. I would remove the silicone and use a reef safe one. The rock will need to be recycled, others can chime in as to if it should be reused at all.

What do you mean recycle the rock? Can I still use it or will it have to be disposed of?

 

[Dozer1one]

You will have to remove the old silicone and replace with ge 1

 

[Mhay]

You will have to remove the old silicone and replace with ge 1

Okay. How about the rock and sand?
Will every single ounce of water have to be drained or can some be left and will those leeched chemicals dilute to a safe level?

....This is turning into a bigger problem than I was hoping. Anyone want to come over and fix my problems for me :lmao:

 

[Reef Frog]

The amount of antibacterial compound absorbed by rock & sand, if any, would be an incredibly small amount. Any tiny residual amounts would be flushed over time. I wouldn't worry too much about it. The proof will be when you do a new cycle after fixing the silicon in the sump. When ammonia & nitrite go up, then down to zero, you know for sure you have a functional bacteria colony.

I would change out a large percentage of water after putting any animals in a QT tank, fix the sump & start a new cycle. RO only - no tap ! You may find the cycle to be much shorter than the your initial cycle. Good luck, sorry to hear of your issue but hang in there. It's worth it!