Need some help

[PrettyBoy]

My girlfriend just called me telling me she was doing a water change in her tank and would call me when she was done. Well I just heard from her and fish are probably dying. Her long nose hawkfish that is always out and about is nowhere to be found and her copper band butterfly is just basically looking like he is about to get sucked into the overflow. This same thing happened 2 weeks ago when doing a water change and 2 green chromis had died. Nothing was added or done to the tank. She uses a Kent Maxxima ro/di, lets the salt mix for a full day with a power head, and uses red sea coral pro salt. So far the fish arent dead, but she said theyre looking like they are on their way out. Hawkfish she has had for almost a year, butterly is about a week or so old. Any ideas what could be causing this? Anything to do for the fish now or are they pretty much dead in the water?

 

[redfishbluefish]

Sure sounds like something funky with the water.

Is she using a hydrometer or refractometer for measuring salinity? Either way, I would see if you could borrow another refractormeter to see if your salinity is in line.

What volume of water is she changing?

Does she also heat up her water to tank temp before adding?

 

[Phyl]

Is the temperature correct when she adds the water in? What percentage is she changing? What's the PH of the new saltwater? PH of the tank? Are the fish breathing heavily? TDS of the RO/DI water?

 

[PrettyBoy]

she is mixing her water at 1.026 uses a hydrometer, doesnt heat the water, lets it go to room temperature over a day or 2. She is changing out approx 7gallons out of a 55gal reef. Not sure of PH or tank or saltwater right now, it is city water and I think she normally test around 8ish. Fish are breathing heavy. Not sure on TDS but I know all filters in the ro unit are less than 6months old