Solve my problem and earn 100$ im at a loss

[Stephenmsteiner]

Okay here's a rundown of what I have

1)150 gal tall tank
1) 6 stage to/di filter
1)8bulb t-5 tek light
1)Eshopps protein skimmer
1) marineland emperor 400
1) marineland magnum 350
1) marineland magnum 350 pro
1) grounding probe
2) powerheads "high flow rate"
100lbs of live sand
50 lbs of live rock
A ton of cerith snails
Lots of zoanthids
A purple haze monti
One coco worm
One feather duster
Bunch of blue leg hermits
10 turbo snails
NO FISH!!!! "That's the problem! They die fast!

I use seachem products















Both trays in my emperor 400 I use phosgaurd I have never replaced it or removed it because I'm at a zero reading on phosphates and silicates

I also use the rite size e carbon filters in the 400.

In my magnum 350 I use the micron filter
In my magnum 350 pro I use 1 bag of seachem purigen and activated carbon and de-nitrate

I dose with dts phytoplankton twice a week at 20 Mls

Dose the iodide one a week at 15 Mls
Prime once a week at 15mls
Reef buffer, stontonium, as directed once a week
Calcium, alkalinity as directed one a week (not within 24 hours of each other)
Purple up once every two weeks in place of calcium as directed
Biozyme I've only ever used twice as I am unsure if I feel it nessacerry last used over 2 months ago
I have magnesium although I've never used it.. Never had poor mg levels

tank has been set up and established for well over two years

HAVING SAID ALL THIS, I ran into a problem.. All fish died within like 24 hours of each other about 2 months ago, I attributed it to velvet.. Although I didn't check to be sure that's what it was.. And all zoas are closed.. Seem healthy and plump "no signs of any zoa disease" also no zoa nudis or spiders.. Coco worm shot its "tentacles" and since regrown them but with very little feathers on it.. Doesn't look nearly as healthy or full as once did..
Feather duster seems to be stressed coming out of tube rarely...
Purple haze monti is turning white
all snails seem fine..
Had two cleaner shrimp, they died with the fish death. Had an arrow crab, died bout a week before fish death..

And now every time I add a fish twice in the past 2 weeks it does fine for almost 24 hours and then breathing goes to crap and dies..

All parameters are perfect... And I have tested for stray voltage which there is none!
Ph: 8.3
Salinity: 1.026
Phosphates: 0
Nitrates: 0
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia:0
Kh: 160-170
Calcium: 400-420
Iron: 0

So please help me figure out what is wrong, if you do and help me fix it, I'll send you 100$ I am very frustrated and just want to tap out and sell it all.. But would rather it fixed and problem solved because I love the hobbie! Thx in advance .... Stephen

 

[Stephenmsteiner]

Also, I'd like to add, after last two fish died, we tested water and fish "skin scrapings" under a microscope for disease and got nothing... So it's not ich or velvet... That's for sure..

 

[Beengirl]

Sorry to hear about your troubles. It seems as though some kind of chemical had to have been accidentally introduced into the tank for a tank up that long to suddenly have everything die in that short of a period. Something had to have been on someone's skin or on a piece of equipment or something.
So for the last 2 months, there's only been a few snails and corals in the tank? Is that right? If that is the case, have you been ghost feeding the tank to keep the ammonia-eating bacteria alive? I don't think that a small number of snails and some corals would produce enough ammonia to keep a tank cycled for 2 months. Do you test for ammo, nitrites and nitrates daily after you add a fish? You probably do, given your problems, but just checking.
I really hope you're able to figure this out. Don't give up yet, though! There are some really experienced people who know a lot on this forum (I'm not rarely one of them), so hopefully some of them will chime in.

 

[Phish]

I don't believe your nitrate and nitrites should be 0 if you have bio load there should be a small amount. I'm pretty sure it's the same for ammonia. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong). My unprofessional opinion is that your test kit is bad and maybe your readings are different than what they are showing. If not I'd have to agree that somehow a chemical was introduced without you knowing. Possibly something that isn't water soluble therefore it's unable to make its way out of the tank without a complete tear down. If those 2 check out then maybe a coral was stressed or died and releases toxins (I know it's possible although I'm unsure which types can)

 

[Stephenmsteiner]

The zero readings on nitrate and nitrite and ammonia are correct... I've had water tested at 3 diff shops and myself.. It's due in part to the RO/DI I use.. And no I don't test daily but have tested like 3 times a week the past 3 weeks.. Nobody puts there hands in the tank or anything to do with the tank besides me.. And the only new thing I added prior to this entire problem is the ceramic yoda and chewaka flasks.. But I wouldn't think they would be the problem even though they are painted, they have been glazed and fired.. So I didn't think they would be a problem... Other than those all is the same.. Also seems my purple sea whip is deteriating as well as my Christmas favia coral... Please keep the replys and questions coming because I'm at a loss... I'm not new to the hobby but I've always been able to fix the problem but this has me dumb!

 

[Phish]

Well if the ornaments are the only thing different then I would at least take them out, perform a water change or 2, wait a few days and try adding a small cheaper fish to see what happens. If the problem repeats itself then I have no idea and will be following along until someone can help solve this

 

[Beengirl]

This is gonna sound totally stupid, but just throwing it out there.
In regards to the glazed ornaments: I remember years and years ago I was watching an Oprah episode and they were testing dinner plates that had been glazed and were selling in stores an a lot of the plates that they tested were actually leaching lead through the glaze. They wiped the plates with this swab tester and it would be positive for lead. Not saying that is the problem for sure, but I wouldn't trust it just because it has been fired and glazed. I was really surprised by that, and that's why I remember it still.

 

[ccCapt]

First off I would stop dosing everything. Looking at your tank, you have nothing it there that would deplete the elements your are dosing. I see you are dosing calcium and alk, yet your levels aren't above normal, which isn't normal. If you are dosing and nothing is using it (I don't see a hard corals which would use it up or I don't see coralline algae which would use it), the levels should be much higher.
Why are you dosing iodine and what is it testing at?
What is your strontium level since you are also dosing that?
How often are you changing out the carbon?

I would take all those fake decorations out and start doing 20% water changes every few days. What brand salt do you use?

 

[Ausfish]

Also, could it be that your sand bed crashed? There's been articles by experienced reefers and marine biologists where deep sand beds crash after 3-4 years due to hydrogen sulfite release. This will usually wipe out an entire tank overnight.

 

[Stephenmsteiner]

I think it's the yoda and chewaka flasks.. After I removed them I noticed tiny cracks all over the flasks... I'm guessing since its made in china that they where prob painted with lead paint.. Sooo ima run to Home Depot to get a lead testing kit ... In the meantime.. What's an effective way to remove the lead from the water "providing its in there" the flasks have been out of the water about 24 hours now

 

[MahiMahi]

So who gets the 100$ lol

 

[Beengirl]

So who gets the 100$ lol

I say....No one. We help for free around here!!

 

[Stephenmsteiner]

Problem is not yet solved! I tested for lead... There is none... So now onto the water change

 

[manbeast]

yeah, alot of glazes contain heavy metals of different kinds not just lead hence that nice deep blue being called "cobalt blue" so although the lead test came back negative there could be any mix of metals/chemicals to achieve the desired coloration so I have to agree on the advice already given just bump up the water changes and cut back dosing until you normalize and re-establish new baselines on your levels

 

[Phish]

Water changes. I think the "glaze" is more than likely just clear coat. ^ true, red would be iron I believe on chewbavca

 

[Stephenmsteiner]

Sooo, here's the outcome idk what exactly it is as in "specific" but I do know for a fact that it was the flasks. I've done a little experiment.. And I have filled a large bowl with RO/DI water and tested it with my tds gauge.. It was a solid 000 reading.. Then after I rinsed off and completely dried the flasks, I put them in the bowl.. Over the course of a few hours the tds reading was at about 20, now 5-6 hours later.. The tds is around 135... So I know for a fact the flasks are leaching something.. Just not sure what.. Nor do I care.. I'm just happy I narrowed it down and removed them.. I do know it was a hard metal of some sort. I turned off the skimmer and I dosed with kordon rid-metals and within 20 minutes, my zoas started to poke out.. And now they are all fully open and stretching for light! my coco worm is ALOT more active also.. So after a few hours, I turned back on the skimmer and it went nuts with bubbles.. Overflowed and all.. So I turned it off.. Should I wait a few days to skimm again?? Thanks for all of your help on here!

 

[Beengirl]

I'm so glad that you've figured out the source!! I would leave the skimmer off for 2-3 days. Good luck!