Can't keep anything alive

[rica5tully]

My setup:

Ten gallon quarantine tank
Ph = 8.3
Amonia = 0
Nitrites = 0
SG = 1.0020
Temp = 77-78

55-gallon:
all parameters are the same


Ever since I moved to this new town, I can't keep anything alive. Two days ago I bought a tank-raised Clarkii Clown that seemed fine, was eating hungrily at the story, etc. I brought him home and put him in the tank. He seemed o.k.

Then next morning he was gasping for air and basically laying on the bottom. In the afternoon he was dead.

I've also lost a damselfish, several other fish, and 3 hermits and 3 snails. (= Everything) This was over a period of several months. In between I let the tanks sit empty for 7-8 weeks to let any parasites die. I thought that was the problem at first.

Now I think I have a bad water problem. I'm using tap water and Instant Ocean Salt.

Is is possible that my tap water is so bad that it's killing my fish that quickly? What else could it be?

I'd appreciate any suggestions. Right now the only thing I can think of is emptying my tanks, using RO water, and re-cycling.

Thanks

[HomerJay]

Is that a typo, or is your SG really that low? It should be around 1.023-1.025. Also, how did you acclimate the new fish?

[Guy W]

I'm confused, are you using Tap or RO water? If it's unfiltered, non-declorinated tap water than ya thats probably the problem.

you may have had well water before and now you have city/manicuple water with chlorine in it.

Guy

[rica5tully]

Thanks for your replies.

Yeah, that is a typo. My SG is 1.020

Right now I'm using tap water. Before I was using tap water from a big city (and things were fine). Now I'm using tap water from a small town (and everything is dying). I use a dechlorinator and aerate my water for 24 hours.

As far as acclimation: I float the bag for 20 minutes. Then I slowly add in tank water with a measuring cup and discard water from the bag over a period of time. Then I pour the fish into a net and put him/her in the tank.

When I mentioned RO...I meant that I was thinking I would need to go to RO.

Do you think this sounds like I have bad water?

[OrionGirl]

Get the utility test for your water and see what all is in there.

SG of 1.020 is low--1.023 to 1.025 is closer to the range you should be shooting for. This may explain the fatalities of inverts, but fish should be okay.

[rica5tully]

What kinds of things am I looking for on the water test?

When my inverts died, my SG was in the 23-25 range. I has to be something else...

[mogurnda]

Once again, I'm stumped. I hate mysterious deaths.
The fish should certainly have been fine at 1.020, as long as it was acclimatized well. Have you checked with the LFS to see that the others were OK?

Are you using a municipal system or well water? Well water can be contaminated with all sorts of stuff like heavy metals and farm runoff.

Has the tank ever been exposed to copper? Although the test kits aren't all that good, it might be worth checking.

[HomerJay]

I am unsure of what could be causing it either. Everything you are doing sounds like it should work. I use tap water that I let sit overnight and I have never had a problem. It also sounds like you are acclimating carefully enough. Do you have another store you can try purchasing fish from? I have a store that I use for supplies only, because their livestock never seems to make it more than a month. I have had fish and inverts from other stores in the same tank that have been there for over two years.

[tricksterpup]

Rica,
I believe the best thing for you to do is probably go to the local grocery store and get some R0 water or invest in a system. I believe it was you who had problems with snails dying when you would get them.
Try the RO and see what happens here. I actually had the same problem you had and finally got tired of having dead fish (fresh and salt) in my tanks and moved out of that City location. I have much better luck now and fish are actually breeding for me.


jim

[rica5tully]

Thanks Tricksterpup,

But as long as I use RO water I should be fine, right? What RO system do you recommend?

I live in an apartment and I need one I can hook up to the sink every two weeks.

I'm interested in the compact unit at Air Water Ice (which is still pretty big).