Harmful to Corals but Not to Fish?

[kellyp1]

I recently set up a 120 tech tank and I love it except for one problem. Every coarl that I seem to put in there dies!!! The odd thing is that the fish survive and are doing wonderful. Is that any ideas anyone has as to why this is happening or what is wrong, or what I am doing wrong?

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

What about snails, crabs, etc?

 

[kellyp1]

yes it kills the snails and crabs also

 

[temec_luver]

are you using copper pipes??? has the tank ever been used with copper?

 

[reefman77]

Are you using Revers osmosis/deionized water? if not, copper is most likely the problem. copper kills corals and inverts but not fish. I found this out the hard way

also some more information on the tank would be helpfull

 

[wrott]

Could be low SG. What do you use to measure SG?

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Sounds like copper. Many medications contain copper. If it has ever been used in the tank sometimes it can get into the rock and sand and leech back out. It could also be in your incoming tap water if you are not using RODI.

 

[kellyp1]

I am using RODI water and there is no copper that I know of where would that come from?

 

[wrott]

Check your specific gravity--really.

 

[Frick-n-Frags]

this thread is screaming C O P P E R ! (or some other poisoning of heavy metals/insecticide/whathaveyou<-snails+coral are "bugs" fish are not and they go down to different forms of poisoning.


So, have you actually tested for copper?

check your sump for a couple pennies that your brat nephew left after sis' last visit etc etc etc etc...

seriously, think poison.

 

[zotzer]

No one has asked what kind of lighting you have.
tracy

 

[m2434]

Snails and crabs don't really care about light... Get a copper test kit.

 

[zotzer]

Oh...somehow I missed the part about the dead snails.

Did the OP get this tank new?

Doesn't sound good.

Tracy

 

[theredben]

remember that any brass fittings you have on your rodi will leach copper into your tank.

 

[kellyp1]

so I got two different copper test kits and both came back totally clear I am so frustrated right now

 

[kellyp1]

I also used my refractometer to test my sg and it came back at 1.02 which is a little low but I dont think low enough to kill everything overnight

 

[masonicman]

What about very high nitrates?

 

[kellyp1]

I ran the nitrate and amonia tests and everything came back okay is this going to end up being a fish only tank

 

[opiumpipez]

hmm maybe post all of your parameters?

temp, ammonia, nitrites etc.

also, is your refractometer properly calibrated?

 

[AquaReeferMan]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11119797#post11119797 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kellyp1
I also used my refractometer to test my sg and it came back at 1.02 which is a little low but I dont think low enough to kill everything overnight

I keep mine at 1.027, yours is pretty low for any coral in general. Im sure it wasent low enough to kill everything overnight unless it was a sudden drop. How long have the corals been in the tank? How long have the snails been in? What for lighting are you running? How long has the tank been set-up? List all your water params? Ammonia, Trites, Trates, Phosphates, Copper, Calcium, Alk, PH, Mag and so forth. Has anything changed in the tank lately?