inverts dying

[CadetMKultra]

24 gallon nano. Inverts have been dying off slowly. Lasting about three weeks. A couple of Turbos, almost all of my hermits crabs. Last night, my banded coral shrimp died while we were sitting right next to the tank. He just walked down to the sand and dropped dead, never to move again. The hermit crabs lie upside down for up to a week twitching. ***!

[Kmiec123]

What are you water perams? Cal. level, ETC?

[Reefynewby]

have you been using tap water? Do u have copper in your water? Copper is a sure way to eliminate and prevent corals/inverts from ever succeeding.

[GrowDammit]

Check your parameters: Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite, Calcium, Alkalinity, Salinity, Temperature . . .

I had a maintenance account that had a bunch of issues after a VOC toxicity (from the client having the floors redone without proper ventilation). A bunch of inverts died off as a result of the toxins, but then later on more petered off due to high nitrates. It took over a year to get the tank back to its previous health. I still don't think it will ever ben 100% . . .

Let us know what you find out!

[GrowDammit]

ReefNewby also made a good point . . . what type of water do you use in your saltwater mix up?

[gunslingerone9]

has to be copper, have you ever put water from a sellers tank into yours, and if there was only fish in that tank it very well could of had copper in it. and make sure your mom doesnt top off the tank with vodka in a water bottle, if anyone wants to here that story just ask, its a hoot.

[GrowDammit]

I would disagree that it "has to be copper". There are many things that we can test for that cen be detrimental to the survival of invertebrates. However, there are many things that we cannot test for that may also contribute to invertebrates not being able to survive in a system.

For example, (and I am NOT saying this is what happened) if somehow Milbemycin Oxime had gotten into the system. It would be responsible for killing off shrimp and crabs.

Without knowing what the parameters of many of the substances that MOST of us routinely monitor, there is no way to say what is or is not causing the invertebrates to die off in his system.

I have had many people tell me "all of my parameters are fine" when I ask this question. If you dig further, you find out that they are only testing their pH (with a reagent test kit, which is NOT accurate) and their salinity.
One must be able to see as much of the chemical profile of the system before they can even begin to trouble shoot a problem like this. And I don't know a single person out there who knows everything about the animals we keep. Which it why it is so great that there are forums like this out there . . . so we may all share information and learn from each other. And by learning I mean both learning from each others successes and failures. . .

Just my $0.02

[CadetMKultra]

I've since brought my h2o into to good lfs. Checked everything with several kits. Amonia, nitrate, nitrite, copper, ph. Nothing. I think it might just be the temp of the water. What's the best way to regulate your nano reef's temp?

[GrowDammit]

Cadet,
do you know what your temps are running? If possible, if you don't already have one, get a thermometer that floats in the tank. They are more accurate than the ones that stick to the side of the aquarium.
Try and get a good idea of your average temps with the lights on and off.
You are right, temps may be a problem. Lets see if we can get this figured out . . . ok?
I know they make small chillers that do not have a heat exchanger coil, but I have never used one or priced one out.

What kind of heater are you using? Is it in the tank or do you have it in a sump?