Opinion on tank????

[jrockssvt]

My mom lost 5 fish during our move last week due to leaching from the pastic tubs that we stored them in. I finished setting up the tank last night and all that survived is the feather duster, half of the snails/hermits and the (3) corals are questionable. I dumped all of the water that we originally saved because of the plastic tubs. After setting up the tank and adding 40 gallons of new saltwater when will I know the tank is ready to add new fish. Should I run carbon? All of the rock and sand were exposed to the leached water, is the water still "poisoned"? I have a tank of my own and I was thinking of adding a green chromis, I was thinking of adding it to her tank and see how it does and it will also be a QT period for me, before adding it to my tank. Also, if we lose the fish we are only risking $5 versus $50-$100. Thanks for any input.

PS I will also continue to test the water, but I feel even "perfect" water conditions does not mean the water is ready considering the leaching.

 

[chaderic26]

What kind of leeching? Start running carbon now!

 

[jrockssvt]

Not sure ont he leeching but it had something to do with tubs we stored everything in. I will start running carbon tomorrow. Thanks

 

[csb]

I'm curious ... what were the tubs you used? (brand name, age, size, etc.) Had they previously been used for other purposes? Did you wash them before using? (if so, what type of detergent did you use?)

This information could be important for your fellow hobbyists.

 

[jrockssvt]

csb I defiantly agree I will get the brand name before I toss them. But, I know they were 19gallon blue round tubs with rope handles from Ace hardware I will get the brand name when I go to my mom's tomorrow. No I did not wash them out before using just rinsed them out and yes they were brand new.

 

[Mykel Obvious]

Run carbon, skimmer, poly (if you have it), etc. Do some water changes as well... expect a small cycle at least.

IMO, ALWAYS use food-safe containers to help prevent leaching... if you wouldn't store food in it, then I don't recommend that you store live creatures in it

How long were the fish/corals in the tubs? Did you run powerheads and heaters, etc? FWIW, It MIGHT not be a leaching issue, depending on how the critters were treated during the move

 

[Mykel Obvious]

Oh, and FYI, someone else also complained that they had a pretty major die off using 19 gallon rope handled blue tubs... so maybe it IS the tubs.... hmmm

 

[jrockssvt]

Mykel,

I posted something a week when it initially happened so you might have seen my previous post. I have moved these fish before and never had any problems (different tubs) and your right about using food safe tubs, I will make sure to double check next time. I will run the carbon starting tomorrow and I do not run a skimmer on my mom's tank. As far as the water changes, all the water that is currently in the tank is freshly made (yesterday) do you think I should continue with the water changes anyway? What do you think about adding a blue/green chromis as a tester fish this week? I will be placing the chromis in my tank if it makes the test run....


PS Two out of the three corals are begining to open up and the feather duster made it so not all is lost.

 

[Mykel Obvious]

Glad to hear that some things are opening up... I'd do the water changes to help export anything else that may be in the tank that the carbon misses and to speed up the removal of whatever it was in the tubs...

I'm not one for killing fish, but as the corals are looking better, one chromis might not be a bad way to start... make sure you test all the normal parameters before you add it, just in case there has been a cycle

Good Luck and let us know what happens

 

[Aquabucket]

The tubs may have been sprayed with a mold retardant @ the factory.

 

[jrockssvt]

Water tested fine and I added a chromis to the tank and I moved the coral to my tank, 15g reef tank with 70w MH, to see if I can save them and also with losing all of her fish we are gonna go the FOWLR tank. The coral so far looks pretty bad. 4 out of the 25 poylps are opened on the paly colony and the toadstool leather is 1/4 of the size as it once was but it is extending its poylps and the third coral, looks like a finger leather, I am not so sure about I am not sure what a healthy one looks like so I guess I will just give it time and see if I can save them.

 

[chaderic26]

Hope it works out.