Mass die off

[AGWL]

Nothing with copper that I am aware of. I use distilled water.

 

[slingfox]

If you have little livestock left then starting over doesn't seem like a bad idea. Given your setup you should probably avoid getting nems.

For a 60 gallon tank you should really consider getting an RODI system. It should pay for itself over time.

 

[zheka757]

Start over might be one thing to do, but you havent learned or got to the bottom of your current issue of what's going on. Just so you can learn and prevent it in the future, for some reason I'm thinking your tank don't have enough aeration. Those fluval filters are sealed units so water is not getting much oxygen, and is there a lid over the tank?
Can you post some pictures of your tank, filter setup? It might help going forward,
Also can you take sample of you water to your trusted store for water to be tested. Just incase one of your test kits is giving you false readings

 

[AGWL]

I have been doing 10-20% water changes weekly, even after the crash. I use bottled distilled water and Red Sea Coral Pro salt. I'm running carbon and poly filters. I took out most of the rock a couple of months ago, scrubbed it and dried it in the sun. I've not put it back in yet as I'm going to rebuild the structures at some point.

Random thought, could the rust off a stainless steel tool cause something like this?

I had had several smaller die-offs in the month or so before the big crash. I am completely at a loss here.

Picture is of my tank today.

I'm going to take a water sample to my favorite reef store and have them test it this weekend.

 

[OrionN]

I just now see this thread.
Sorry. I think you are making the correct decision. Start over. Consider acid wash the rocks. This will dissolve the top layer of the rock and remove any toxin bind to the calcium surface of the rock. Often toxin like copper can bind to the rock and leach out at night when the pH go low.

 

[zheka757]

I have been doing 10-20% water changes weekly, even after the crash. I use bottled distilled water and Red Sea Coral Pro salt. I'm running carbon and poly filters. I took out most of the rock a couple of months ago, scrubbed it and dried it in the sun. I've not put it back in yet as I'm going to rebuild the structures at some point.

you also mentioned one time that within hour of putting newly shipped live stock died. most online store ship live fish in lower salinity, sometime even as low as 1.017 if your tank was higher salinity and drop fish in such salinity change would kill them also.
on a same note, do you add fresh water for evaporation loss? or just doing water changes and keep adding more salt in tank doing so.

 

[AGWL]

you also mentioned one time that within hour of putting newly shipped live stock died. most online store ship live fish in lower salinity, sometime even as low as 1.017 if your tank was higher salinity and drop fish in such salinity change would kill them also.
on a same note, do you add fresh water for evaporation loss? or just doing water changes and keep adding more salt in tank doing so.

I acclimated the new stock per the vendor's instructions, with gradually switching out shipping water for tank water.

For evaporation loss, I check the salinity. If it's high, I use fresh water. If it's low, I replace with salt water. Should I be doing something different?

 

[zheka757]

I acclimated the new stock per the vendor's instructions, with gradually switching out shipping water for tank water.

For evaporation loss, I check the salinity. If it's high, I use fresh water. If it's low, I replace with salt water. Should I be doing something different?

I was just checking to make sure you where on top of checking salinity, the store you going to have them check your water for salinity also, just so you can compare numbers with yours(what ever tool you use to check salinity of your water)

 

[zheka757]

For evaporation loss, I check the salinity. If it's high, I use fresh water. If it's low, I replace with salt water. Should I be doing something different?

Based on this, you say it would change from time to time? How high is high? And how low is low? Live stock can't handle big swings in salinity.

 

[OrionN]

I don't think salinity is a problem, but how do you test your salinity? Don't use the swing arm IO contraption. Accurate hydrometer is OK but cumbersome. A refractomer is best but you want to calibrate it with RO water occasionally. since salt does not elaborate, you should never have to replace with salt water, unless you measured it wrong, or somehow loose water other ways, not evaporation. Loosing significant amount water without knowing it is fairly impossible. Your floor will let you know every time.
Sand bed accumulate a huge amount of nutrients, once crashed it need to be removed or else it keeps on releasing nutrient continuedly, especially worst when the pH is low like in the night.

When you set up the new tank, consider change it to a drilled tank so you have a sump. that is where you can place all the equipment, out of sight.

I am glad your little kiddo is doing fine.

 

[Cell]

If water is deadly, how is there snail and or hermit crab living in it?

 

[Aquavaj]

I too would recommend restarting over since you have already removed the majority of the rocks. This may have contributed to the start the downhill path of the tank as the rocks are where most of the beneficial bacteria live.

 

[AGWL]

I too would recommend restarting over since you have already removed the majority of the rocks. This may have contributed to the start the downhill path of the tank as the rocks are where most of the beneficial bacteria live.

Thanks. I didn't take the rocks out until well after the crash.