Is My Water OK - I killed 3 fish during acclamation.

[schabiazabi]

I'm new to this hobby, and I'm having tons of problems, which I believe are due to my water being poisoned.

Long story short: In the beginning I did not have a RODI system, so I used tab water with Amquel Plus. I bought a Queen Angel and set her up using that very water. The fish is still alive. Since then, I bought a RODI system and purchased 3 fish from 2 different sources. They all died after acclamation. From 5 to 10 hours after.

During the last acclamation I wanted to perform a fresh water dip, but I could not adjust the PH up using Baking Soda (as suggested in the sticky post). Someone suggested my API test kit is wrong. This made me purchase a digital tester for multiple parameters. After testing PH in my tap water and my RODI water I found something very weird (at least to me, maybe it is normal). My RODI PH is much lower than my tab water PH. Here are the results of my water:

PH – Tab Water – 7.5
PH – RODI Water – 6.5 (or it changes around that range)

TDS – Tab Water – 260
TDS – RODI Water – 0

CON – Tab Water – 378
CON – RODI Water – 16

SAL – Tab Water – 190 ppm
SAL – RODI Water – 0 ppm

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0

Is there a way to figure out if my water is correct based on the above parameters? The drop in PH and the dead fish worry me.
Is my RODI doing something to the water. I was suppose to flush it for 2 hours, which I did?

Also, if the above data is not enough to render a valid diagnosis, can you guys recommend a place where I can send my water for this kind of (fish related) testing.

Thanks in advance.

[Matities23]

m.... how your temp? check it first thing in the morning.. before lights go on and after they go off.
How did you acclimate your fishes?
When you got the fish at your LFS.. were they eating? what fishes did you get?
whats pH in you tank?
Did you see any marks in fishes? bite marks?
Do you clean around the tank? Bleach? any chemical with fumes? any candles,perfumes,spray around tank or same room? Do you have a central AC unit? if you do, do you spray anything around it?

Sorry for you lost... man I feel like CSI hahah !

[schabiazabi]

0. Fish: Yellow Tang, Threadfin Butterfly, Majestic Angel
1. Temp is 78F
2. Drip Acclaim (almost 4 hours this time)
3. Fish from my LFS was eating. The last 2 I bought online. They did not eat after acclamation.
4. PH in my tank was 8.2 according to my API test kit.
5. No marks on Fish. The fish from my local store was perfect.
6. I did not clean around the tank. The first fish died on floor 4, and the last 2 fish died on floor 1. That rules out lots of environmental problems.
7. No chemicals, perfumes or anything like that.
8. I have a central AC, but I try not to run it in the winter up here in New York. You should not spray anything around your AC, so I did not.

Since I bought my RODI filter no fish was able to acclaim. I only have my fish from the tab water acclamation time (in the beginning). What throws me off the most is that my Queen Angel is in the same water (75%) now as the fish that died.

Can someone please comment on the PH drop after RODI. Is this normal. Why would the removal of metals increase the acidity? Is my RODI filter adding something to the water. When I was showing off my drinking water from the RODI my mother said "it feels something" when drinking.

The crual retest would be do buy two Butterflies again and acclaim one in the tab water with Amquel Plus and the other in plain RODI system water. I just do not want to do it.

For sure I'm not buying anything anymore until I understand what happens to my PH after RO.

[Original Fin]

Does your RODI have a TDS meter? Did you get it new or used?

[Parrothead]

How long has the tank been set up?
What size is the tank?
What kind of filtration?
Substrate?
etc? other words tank specs

Also, you state no amm. or nitrites, lets take a look at Nitrates, test and post the nitrates.

[schabiazabi]

The RODI is new. The TDS is shown above to be 0.
My RODI does not have a TDS meter. I have a separate meter for that.

After doing some research I realized the RODI filter is performing correctly. PH should drop after the water goes through the RODI filter. So that is correct and my worry there was not necessary.

The only thing that everyone tells me is wrong is the acclamation time. I took way to long to acclaim the fish.

[Parrothead]

Let me ask again, what is your test kit saying the nitrates are at?????

[Matities23]

Yea you took way took long.. next time.. when you buy fishes only.. test ammonia and pH... add some amquel or something to take out ammonia... pH should be slightly under 8.0 and ammonia at 0. When you reach those levels then you start the drip acclim. I have a store down in Miami.. I get all my fishes from California. After some research,questions and few hundred dollars later... I learned your ammonia should be at 0 before you start the drip.. if not it makes some weird reaction and NH3 will spike burning and stressing you fish..

[schabiazabi]

Let me ask again, what is your test kit saying the nitrates are at

- It is at 0 or a little north of that.

After some research,questions and few hundred dollars later... I learned your ammonia should be at 0 before you start the drip.. if not it makes some weird reaction and NH3 will spike burning and stressing you fish..

- interesting. One thing I have not done is test the water in the bag, this time I will.

[gregony]

Wow, and to think all I do is put the bag in the water for 10 minutes, cut bag open, net fish out of bag, and place fish in tank (never pour the water into the tank). Four hours? That just can't be good. I think most fish stores do about a half hour. I'm with Matities23, too long.