HELP SICK FISH

[reefer_guy]

1st of all the powder blue is so prone to cryptocaryon that it ain't even funny. The powder blue is for experts only. Also you have too many fish in your tank (1 inch of fish per 5 gallon max and I stay at 10 gallon just to stay safe). Your tank has not been set up long enough to carry that size bioload. You are overfeeding and that is why your nitrates are so high. Any measurable nitrite or ammonia is not within normal range. Nitrite is a killer and when coupled with high nitrates is super deadly.

If you are not adding anything to your tank to raise your pH, alk, or calcium then you need to check you pH test kit. Also NEVER, NEVER, NEVER medicate your display tank. Especially with a bacteria killer such as furan. This is another reason why you fish are dieing. There is now no bacteria in the tank to break down the ammonia. Take your fish to a friends QT tank or set yourself up one. The only problem is that with the size of your groupers you will need another 125 to do this. You should treat ick (cryptocaryon) with hypo-salanity, not meds.

As for the salt, I don't necessarily agree that Oceanic is for coral systems. If a salt is good for corals then it is great for fish as well. But never the less, you need to start using RO/DI water and a quality salt. IO is okay and I will not go into a salt debate....I use a different brand and have very stable pH, calcium, and alk.

[GaryP]

I have doubts about the 8.6 pH as well Thelma. In a system like that I don't see how your pH could be that high without dripping something like Kalk. Borrow another test kit and re-test or take it to an LFS and have them test it. Something doesn't add up. I'd be willing to bet that your pH is closer to 7.6 then 8.6

[matt]

Ditto on the ph, unless there's something weird that happened when the meds were added to spike the ph, but I doubt that. Anyhow, I hope it's just a wrong test result because any ammonia at that ph is going to be extra toxic to the fish.

[GaryP]

One more thing. While nitrate is considered to be less toxic then ammonia and nitrite, when it gets to a certain level (lets say over 100 ppm) then you are in the realm of toxicity. It may not necessarily kill the fish, but it may stress it to the point that it becomes susspetible to other diseases such as Ich.

[~TG~]

ok im back here is the update:
the groupers died but the tang and eel are still in there
i have done a 35 gal waterchange thurs & sat
I bought a new bigger skimmer...
didnt siphon the bottom for food but will do that today.
took out the filterpad from the filter tray on the sump and i'm using "poly filters" they are supposed to wipe out the meds and all in the water and change colors and work like carbon but i havent noticed a change in the color of the pads so im getting some carbon today.

Gary trust me i retested the Ph three times cause i thought there was a mistake i even used another new Redsea test kit and the Ph was as PURPLE as Barney and i tested before any meds were added... I understand how the ammonia=nitrite-nitrate breakdown happens and i know this is what led to this demise ... :cry If i cant stablize this tank one last time thats it....im OUT for good... i cant take losing any more fish. My passion is the fish way more than the corals.. i have my 58g reef thats blooming right now for some unknown reason cause i do nothing to it just top off and THATS supposed to be harder to maintain BUT i cant keep my darn fish alive???... thats just crazy... :angry

Thelma :(