all my fish dying

[stickersteve]

I am kind of new to saltwater tanks. I had one many years ago and just got a 29 gallon nano tank a few months ago. I had a local salt water company here in tucson set it up for me. Everything was fine for the first couple months, then all of a sudden, any fish that was in there started dying. First my beautiful powder blue tang, then my clowns and jawfish. The one fish that survived, my yellow angel, finally died a couple days ago. I thought that fish would last through anything. Towards the end he started to develope what looked like bruises before he died. All of my water paramaters check out normal through my own testing and testing at the fish store. The one issue we though was that my water temperature was to cold. I was not paying attention to that. By the time I got a digital thermometer the temp was 71 degrees. I take the blame for that. I know have a heater in and got the tank to around 77 before I put any more fish in. I put a couple clowns in and they lasted two days before they both died. I have been doing monthly water changes, not using RO water but my house filtered/softened water, which I was told was ok, and it was for a while. So now I dont know what to try. I ordered a water conditioner so when I do my next water change in a couple days I will use that to see if it removes anything that might be in my water. The guy at the fish store does not know what else it could be right now. My coral, snails, shrimp are all doing fine.

Steve

[AmazonJoe]

What type of filtration and how did you cycle?

Also take a few pics of the tank so we can see the layout and what not. But all in all very perplexing.

Not a expert with saltwater by any means hope fully someone else who has more exp will chime in.

[iReef]

You have a 29gal tank and do not have a community of fish that are compatible. I have seen videos of Blue Hippo Tangs in the thousands in the wild and one Powder Blue will come along and romp on everyone..... Not suitable ever in a 29gal.

It is likely the water changes also had some things to do with lost. How did you make your saltwater, and how would you top off for evaporation?

Obviously you have a refractometer?

[RiversGirl]

I am sorry for your losses.

[stickersteve]

I mix my water with salt the night before the change. I top off as needed. My salinity is perfect. I have one six line wrasse in there now who for some reason is still alive along with a couple shrimp and crabs/snails. All are alive. One thing I noticed this morning that I have never seen before is there are hundreds of little tiny clear things moving on one side of my glass and back of the tanks. I did not notice these before. Almost like tiny tiny shrimp or something but staying on the glass and back. I have no idea what the heck they are, but they are living.

[Spardas]

What exactly is this house filtered/softened water? Is it still being used? What are you using now as a source of water?

Can I please get the exact parameters of the water, including hardness etc?

Did you call your water company to ask if anything else was done differently? In winter months in some states, the water may be different. Do you have stable pH coming straight out of the tap (if that's what you're using?)

How long did you not have a heater on for and does the air temperature swing a lot where you lived during those months? The accumulation of stress from constant temperature swing can kill a fish. Needless to say, I agree with IReef, that tank is too small for your previous stock.

As for the clowns, how did you acclimate them?

The things you see are probably amphipods/copepods. Picture would help.

[Boundava]

Sorry for your continued losses. Hope you can find your problems with the help of those here that have saltwater tanks.