Help...

[jcopp24]

20 gallon high nano... fish only, well and a clean up crew...

I came into work this morning and turned on the lights in my tank and the water was very foggy... I had just done a water change with RODI salt water. My flame hawkfish that I have had for like 5 years isnt red today he is faded down to no color and is breathing heavily, while the other two fish seem to be fine.

I tested my water and I need an idea where to go now... ph 8.0-8.2 Nitrates are 0 Ammonia is 0 and Nitrites are right around .05- or 0. The water seems to be foggy to me.

Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated!

 

[stewie24]

Temp?
ALk?
Something die in your tank?
I'd check those 3 things first.
Stewie

 

[jcopp24]

Checking the Alk right now... and its right in between low and normal. Temp is same as before about 78-79 degrees... like it has been from a year and a half...

Something is dying my hawkfish...

 

[stewie24]

do you have another tank setup you can move the hawkfish into?
Perhaps since its an office maybe cleaning chemicals or somethign in the air got into the tank.
Just some ideas.
Stewie

 

[jcopp24]

unfortunatly the other tank houses a Undulated trigger... so that cant happen. I had added a water jet the other day... I took that out... I took my Fluval apart and cleaned everything in that.

 

[jcopp24]

I had a med size coral die... hmmmm like a week ago

 

[stewie24]

Well unfortunately I can't think of anything else other than perhaps some stray electricity getting into the tank. Perhaps someone else can give you ideas (maybe adding an airstone for a little while to help reoxygenate the water would be a good idea).
Good luck w/ the problem and be sure to let us know what happens/happened.
Stewie

 

[theop]

1. Do a large water change., I'd do 50% if it were me. Maybe the salt was bad... Use a different container of salt if possible.

2. Increase oxygenation (airstone or via powerhead venturi) and don't worry about microbubbles for now.

3. Run some carbon.

4. Try to find out what is causing your clouded water. Does your water smell ok? If it were from a death in the tank then you should see an ammonia or nitrite spike.

 

[Sk8r]

Agree with theop. Your fish may be pale because he needs oxygen. It may be a condition that happens with lights off. It may be something in the tank. Getting some poly-filter for a tank exposed to passers-by is a good thing: you can chop it up to nano-sized pieces and run it if things don't look right.

Also I'd recommend at least having the Salifert Alkalinity test. That one, plus having some buffer at hand, is really helpful in trying to solve problems. You may have to do some fractional math to figure out dosage, but it is one key to ph.

 

[jcopp24]

Thank you guys for the advice... I have found the problem... probably going to be called an idiot on this one but... here is the deal cause I still need help.

Two years ago I started having a "professional" come to my work and take care or the tank I have at work, as I am busy enough for the ones at my house... After about a year everything was up and running to were I was happy enough with thing as they are... I asked him to still bring me water for water changes... as he cleans a large tank accross the street, which was fine, RODI water with salt for 75 cents a gallon delivered. I used this water on my 20 gallon at my house and then my nano here at work. About two months ago everything in my tank at home died... same sort of deal no spikes in anything bad... but cloudy water and death... I never tested salinity because I just figured... well that is what the deal here is at work... I tested the salinity and my hydrometer didnt even read it... I tested with another hydrometer... same thing... then I tested water left in the buckets from the fish guy... fresh water...

I called the fish guy... left a msg telling him that I thought this last batch of water must have been a mistake... in which he called back and left a msg saying... Jeremy there must have been a miscommunition I have been bring you fresh water for the past three months... I thought you knew that... sorry...

So I am out two 20 gallon tanks... one full of coral, fish and everything else required... the other my favorite fish passed from friends for over 5 years...

I never had a freshwater tank... never asked for freshwater... but at the same time never had anything in writing saying he was to bring salt water not fresh...

The way I look at it is... I sell Porsche and Audi cars... you bring you car to my service department for 2 years for oil changes every 5000 miles... I do it right for the first year and a half... then you car starts acting funny... you ask me what is up with your car and I said oh its nothing, just a miscommuncation I switched from oil to vegetable oil three months ago... sorry...

This fishguy is on this site... I hope he does not take this as slander rather than a true heartfelt loss to not only my favorite fish, but I would say atleast a 1000.00 dollars if you just want to call it money...

 

[theop]

Very sad to hear. If he just switched over to FW instead of SW one day without telling you or you asking, then he is responsible for your losses. He should compensate you.

That being said, there is no substitute for regular monitoring of your tanks, including salinity.