Fish are all dead!!

[enervate7]

I currently have a biocube 14 gallons and two of my clown fish are dead!!! Please help! I did water changes recently. Idk what happen they are all dead! ;(

[fishybuisness]

Did you test the water? What kind of water did you do the water change with? What's your salinity?

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[Darylb]

And what fish did you have?

[dingusplease]

What fish do you have?

[cnaugh]

How old is your tank? Was it cycled? Was there any cleaning around (not in) the tank recently using chemicals? Your recent water change, what was the source of the water? Could the change have caused a mini cycle with an ammonia spike? What are your parameters showing?

[enervate7]

I did a 25% w changer. I use ro water to top it off withinf two my nitrate levels boost up to a n02- 10 n n03 200 the water I put must have killed them. I don't even know what to do so heart broken. My ph is 7.5

[dingusplease]

Could you please provide some of the details we requested. We cannot provide any help or explanation if you don't tell us about the tank.

However, if you mean that your tank had a nitrate reading of over 200 for any length of time, then that is definitely the killer, in addition to the ph being extremely low, it needs to be 8.0-8.3.

Once again, how many fish did you have in there? Two clownfish is already very overstocked, and if there are any other fish then the reason your clowns died is that you were so overstocked that the tank could not cope with the amount of bioload you subjected it to.

[enervate7]

My apologies . I had my tank running for about three months now. I had two clown fish and emerald crabs. Everything is stock on my tank. The only thinf that is different is the filtration system I have a intank 3 stage filtration. I'm using chemi-pure carbon and seachem purigen and poly foam for filters. The levels where in a good reading but I did a 25% water change and the salinity level was at at high at 1.026-1.028 After the water change . I had to drop the salinity so I top it off with ro water . After a day the levels went up and the fish where slowing dying . They eventually all died

[Breakthecycle2]

Did you have an anemone in there?

[enervate7]

In the past but It died due to the clowns attacking it

[dingusplease]

Apologies if I came off as rude, just trying to figure out what the source of the problem could be.

If your tank is 3 months, and you do regular WCs, I don't think a bit of overstocking could be the source of the deaths. Could you specify, where did the nitrates come from that gave you the high reading? That is prob what killed them.

Also, how is the tank doing now?

May I ask what salt mix you're using? Do you know the alkalinity of your tank? If it went for a long time without a wc, the dropping alkalinity is probably what caused your significant ph drop.

[cnaugh]

How long ago did the nem die? If it was recent that could be the culprit. They are poison (literally) to a tank especially a small on when they kick the bucket.

[enervate7]

I would do a wc 1-2 a week (25%). I believe there was uneaten food. The clown fish seem fine. It may have been due to be topping off the water salinity being so high and me topping with ro water. In currently using nutri water premise ocean water. I don't have an ro/ system and honestly prefer this water to be no mixing needed at all. The anemone died about a month ago it can't be that. What do I guys suggest I do . I want to recycle and start fresh. I have to replace the whole water and possibly the filters z but that will entail me starting the whole process again. I wish to clean the live rocks bc I have purple coraline growing and also green hair algae( how to I go about cleaning the rocks can I use tap water or the tabks water?!!) The sand is absolutely disgusting. I may toss it and use crush corals or reef crystals . What's a good and effective water test kit.Because I use the api $20 test kit. I need something that has accurate reading. Since it's a small tank it's hard to detect something wrong or if I do I literary have no window of oppurtintiy to adjust it?!?!

[enervate7]

Sorry for the typo and grammar my phone has a tendency to autocorrect on it's own lol

[Redwolf91]

Were you to topping off with fresh or salt water?

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[enervate7]

I use ro water... To top off

[54seaweed]

when you say topping off

are you using fresh water ro or is it mixed meaning salt

topping with salt is a no no

unless its a full fledged water change

[54seaweed]

red your on the same trail lol

[enervate7]

When I do a wc I add nutri ocean water. The water is already mixed with salt with and prepare . So I dont have to mix n process saltwater . The hydrometer salinity level was really high so I had to put ro water.. ( not mixed just water in the tank).

[BigRedsReefs10]

Kinda sounds like the frequent salinity swings may of stressed them.