# tank of dead fish & critters



## FoxFire110 (Sep 18, 2010)

two of my teenagers upgraded from a 37 to a 55 gallon sw
They bought new sand with the bio in it as they wanted to replace the old sand because it was crushed shell sand and they were afraid that it would injure their critters. They filled the tank up, transfereing 1/2 the water from 37 into the 55, they used the fuval filter from the 37. salintiy was same in both tanks, temp the same. They used water conditioner Amquel plus and due to some misunderstanding the entire bottles was used (mistake was not caught till later). The fish were put into the 55
An hour later and 17 saltwater fish and critters are dead.

The 55: - 37
PH - 8.6 - 8.0
Alk - 3.6 - 2.8
GH 180 - 120
KH 240 - 180
nitrate 0 - 0
nitrite 0 - 0
ammonia 0 - 0


yes, I know and they know they should have tested their waters parameters first, they were eager to see them in the new tank and assumed the water would be the same as it was from the same source. 

they can't undo it and are heart broken over their pets deaths.

wondering if the big difference in parameters due to the excess AmQuel Plus
or ?

what would be the best way for them to fix the tank?

Any advice or ideas would be great 

Thanks Lynn


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

One of two possible things happened. The simple way to test it would be to put in one more fish, like a damsel.

If it also keels over, then the tank has a nasty toxin in it and should be totally re-done.

If it lives just fine ( which I think it will ) then the problem was simple suffocation. The new water in the new tank simply hadn't become saturated with enough oxygen to support 17 critters before they were added. You just can't plop that much bioload into that new a tank all at once.

As for the AmQuel... I don't think it should have done all that much harm, even if it didn't exactly help.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Prime reduces oxygen in the water, I bet Amquel+ does too. If TOS is right, then that could have made it worse.


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## FoxFire110 (Sep 18, 2010)

thanks for the ideas of what it could be, and the susgesstions.
We had before I read your responses emptied the tank and refilled it several times.
The kids purchased 40 pounds of new live rock, conditioner and a liquid bacteria.
They have the filter medium from the 37 running in the 55.
Anything else they need to do before they add a fish or two?


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Just wait two weeks to see if anything does wrong. The new rock will go through a crash & cycle for a couple of weeks, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to keep all fish out of for awhile.
Check the water every 3 days to get an idea of what might be happening in it.

While you're waiting, set the 37 up as a quarantine tank for new fish. There's no sense in going to all this trouble to set up the 55 only to have it wrecked by disease the first time you add a bad fish. You really can't hope to be successful at saltwater until you learn to quarantine your new fish, because every single one of them is carrying SOMETHING, guaranteed.


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## FoxFire110 (Sep 18, 2010)

that is a really good idea, and probably save lots of sorrow down the road.

thanks for all of your help


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