Finally found out the problem with my tank :(

jenstaley · 01-09-2006, 12:31 PM

Okay, I have had a terrible month with my tank.... first of all every single fish I had except for 3 yellow damsels, a snowflake eel, and a starfish either died or dissapeared over a couple of weeks. I tried hard to figure out what went wrong, but all my water tests were perfect, I even bought a second test kit in case mine wasn't working. I finally decided that The puffer (the only body I ever found) had died, but the rest were probably eaten by the eel.... so I bought a big tomato clown and a squirrel fish, with the intention of catching and selling the eel back to my supplier. The both died in days. Finally I had the lady I get my fish from come over and check things out, everything was perfect, I have great water movement, filtration, uv steralizer, water tests were great, etc.... she brought in her own hydrometer and it turns out that when mine was testing at 1.024 hers showed 1.015... almost no salt! I have used that one since I set up the tank, and it has always been the same, so my hydrometer was deffective!!!!! I got a new one and am VERY SLOWLY raising the salt content. Wish me luck, I am starting over!
thanks for everything!
jen

icemark · 01-09-2006, 12:38 PM

see, I could see the invertbrates (like the Starfish) dieing way before anything else with the low salt levels, but I doubt any fish would die in only a couple of days for the salt being off that little bit.

I'd keep looking... there has to be something else.

***Reefland*** · 01-09-2006, 12:54 PM

I don't know is the osmotic shock of going from 1.024 to 1.015 instantly would have that affect but...

That is just proof that a refractometer is the best way to go. For $40, it is well worth the investment.

rayjay · 01-09-2006, 03:31 PM

Based on my experiences, going down is ok, but going up is best to be done gradually.
I have dropped fish from 1.026 into a hypo tank at 1.0075 and kept them there for six weeks or more before returning the s.g. to 1.026 gradually.

icemark · 01-09-2006, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reefland

I don't know is the osmotic shock of going from 1.024 to 1.015 instantly would have that affect but...

That is just proof that a refractometer is the best way to go. For $40, it is well worth the investment.

Yeah, but the star fish should have died instantly when it got down to 1.016

01-09-2006, 12:31 PM	#1
jenstaley Just Moved In Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Show Low, AZ Posts: 22	Finally found out the problem with my tank :( Okay, I have had a terrible month with my tank.... first of all every single fish I had except for 3 yellow damsels, a snowflake eel, and a starfish either died or dissapeared over a couple of weeks. I tried hard to figure out what went wrong, but all my water tests were perfect, I even bought a second test kit in case mine wasn't working. I finally decided that The puffer (the only body I ever found) had died, but the rest were probably eaten by the eel.... so I bought a big tomato clown and a squirrel fish, with the intention of catching and selling the eel back to my supplier. The both died in days. Finally I had the lady I get my fish from come over and check things out, everything was perfect, I have great water movement, filtration, uv steralizer, water tests were great, etc.... she brought in her own hydrometer and it turns out that when mine was testing at 1.024 hers showed 1.015... almost no salt! I have used that one since I set up the tank, and it has always been the same, so my hydrometer was deffective!!!!! I got a new one and am VERY SLOWLY raising the salt content. Wish me luck, I am starting over! thanks for everything! jen

01-09-2006, 12:54 PM	#3
*Reefland* Owner Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Bardstown, KY Posts: 12,998	I don't know is the osmotic shock of going from 1.024 to 1.015 instantly would have that affect but... That is just proof that a refractometer is the best way to go. For $40, it is well worth the investment. __________________ Scott Z. 75 Gallon Reef Log Powered by Reefland's Personal Online Aquarium Log

01-09-2006, 03:31 PM	#4
rayjay Citizen Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 154	Based on my experiences, going down is ok, but going up is best to be done gradually. I have dropped fish from 1.026 into a hypo tank at 1.0075 and kept them there for six weeks or more before returning the s.g. to 1.026 gradually. __________________ *RAY'S REEF*

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01-09-2006, 12:38 PM	#2
icemark Governor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Rohnert Park, CA, USA Posts: 1,102	see, I could see the invertbrates (like the Starfish) dieing way before anything else with the low salt levels, but I doubt any fish would die in only a couple of days for the salt being off that little bit. I'd keep looking... there has to be something else.

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