Ready to give up-Please Help!

[415reefer]

I upgraded my 29g mixed reef to a 58g tank on July 27, 2010. Unfortunately, I lost all of my
Corals and inverts possibly due to an ammonia spike. When I transferred my tank, I moved the old water and everything else(live rock, coral, clownfish) to the new tank, except for the sand. I used new sand and I added roughly 40 gallons of RO/DI + IO Reef Crystals to the new system. I acclimated everything and made move. Only the tiny clownfish survived. To this day, the clowns are alive but any coral or invert I put into my tank dies within 3 days!!!

Current readings:
Ammonia=0
Nitrate=0
Nitrite=0
phosphates=did not test
Ph=8.22
temp=78.1
kh 9.0
Calc= 390
Magnesium=did not test

Air fresheners removed from room. Two weeks ago. It's an open top
Tank. Currently running a chemipure sack in my sump.

 

[415reefer]

In three days, candy cane test coral is shriveled up. All red scarlet crabs are lethargic( I Added 5 of them 3 days ago) Current running under a maristar fixture 2x250w + 2x39w T5HO.

 

[415reefer]

Sorry here is the candy cane test coral

 

[spamreefnew]

i am no expert but it sounds like copper or something bad is in that water or sand. i have been told to run a "polyfilter" when you think there might be a toxin such as this i the water. good luck

 

[James404]

+1 I would run a polyfilter and see if it changes color, sounds like copper poisoning. Did you use any brass fittings or anything in your plumbing?

 

[415reefer]

Yes! A brass ate valve. I ordered a carbon/phosphate reactor from bulk reef supply. Hope it helps to clear the water.

 

[415reefer]

I bought the brass gate valve from home depot. Damn. Maybe that is the problem! The gate valve may have leeched toxins/metals into the system and caused all corals and inverts to die and produced an ammonia spike!

 

[415reefer]

Terrible. I can't believe it... I just read that brass corrodes easily and can leech copper into the tank almost overnight. I think you found the problem!!

Thanks for the info guys!

 

[lordofthereef]

Glad you found the issue. As a general rule of thumb it is a bad idea to use anything metal in/around the tank where water is getting to it. Even if it is not necessarily going to leach toxins into the tank it will corrode rather rapidly.

 

[415reefer]

Thank you! I'll do a thorough check. James404 saved the day!

Hopefully my tank will be ready by the time I return from Reefapalooza in Southern Cali.

Still hitting myself because of this...I lost a lot of money!

 

[James404]

Thank you! I'll do a thorough check. James404 saved the day!

Hopefully my tank will be ready by the time I return from Reefapalooza in Southern Cali.

Still hitting myself because of this...I lost a lot of money!

Glad to hear that we seemed to have found the problem. What I would do is run either a polyfilter or get some cuprasorb to get the toxins out of the tank. I wouldnt get too down on yourself over it, we all mistakes, the important thing is if you learn from them.