Help. Lost 3 fish in 6 days.

[xhaust50]

Well after not losing a fish for over two years, I lost three in the last 6 days. I cleaned my 45G a week ago and added my 4" Green Spotted Puffer from the 55g to it. Everything seemed great, and the tank had never looked better. 2 days in I find a clown in the powerhead. Thought it might have been stress from the new addition. 2 days later I find the other clown in the same powerhead. Definitely suspicious, but I thought it might have been because they were a pair. Today, I found my puffer in the same powerhead. I've had my puffer for 4 years, it was my first fish. I converted him from freshwater, and he has survived numerous lionfish stings, and also about 4 hours of carpet surfing. I feel awful because I can't figure out what is wrong.

45G
78 Degrees
1.024 Salinity
8.2 PH
0 Ammonia
0 Nitritites
0 Nitrates

I also have some mushrooms and some zoa's in the tank and they look fine. I did use bleach to soak the skimmer/filter, but I rinsed it thoroughly. Was that my mistake? Anyway to test for it? Seems weird that I am losing them one day at a time. Also, I left the powerhead out of the tank because at this point I'm regretting having to check it anymore.

 

[Aerowen]

when i use bleach i always let it sit in the sun for a bit, also did you disturb the sandbed?

 

[MIKE NY]

sounds like possibly some toxins still in there.....water changes, run carbon( one cup per 100 gals) should help......

 

[EllieSuz]

I think bleach is the culprit. You have to completely air dry anything that has been washed with bleach. It evaporates. Just rinsing it is not sufficient because just a little bit is lethal. On the other hand, a tiny bit of white vinegar won't harm the tank and it's actually much better at cleaning the insides of pumps and other equipment.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Bleach

Bleach

A HOT water soak will clear up 99% of bleach on whatever you clean. Then use Genisis ( or any other good chlorine remover).
Up the dosage significantly to be safe.
Soaking again for 15 minutes and you should be OK. This is how most fish stores bleach back their dead coral.

 

[xhaust50]

Damn, so this was definitely my fault. Yes I did disturb the sandbed, but like I said I tested for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates and there was nothing. Well, my errors killed 3 fish (so far). I guess I'll just have to learn from it.

 

[DgenR8]

Water changes can only help.