HELP!!!

What can you test for? Salinity, nitrates, calcium, alk? Ph?

 

Purigan is better than carbon, plus you can regen it. The fact that things went downhill right after the water change... When you did the water change did you have premixed salt water to keep salinity steady through the water change?

 

Water changes are definitely the way to bring those down. Should be doing them regularly because if things start to go south, they can crash really fast. Hopefully someone closer can come take a peak and see what is going on for you.

 

Mind filling us in a little more?
Rock: color, growth on rock? amount of rock? This is bacteria source
substrate: crushed coral, sand, growth and color? thickness? another bacteria source
All dead inhabitants: removed immediately? dead creatures will upset balance of bacteria. (those that breakdown the creature into ammonia vs those that breakdown the ammonia.)
Feeding habits: food left after fish/ inverts have fed? too much too fast will take upset balance of bacteria
Rate you added inhabitants: How many added at timeframe. Ammonia is produced by each inhabitant as it breaks down nutrients. too much too fast and there wont be enough bacteria to handle the spike.
Filter units: have you replaced your charcoal? this absorbs chemicals that could cause good bacteria to die.
cleaning hand prior to diving in: how do you clean hands - this could be a large source of chemical contaminants.
Cleaning materials: any chemical products used near tank including fragrances?

It sounds like the bacterial processes in the tank are out of balance or in peril.

A note on chemicals: bleach is great at decontaminating but as with most alkaline cleaners they don't rinse out very well. if you get bleach on your hands it creates a slimy consistency; wash your hands 10 times and they still feel slimy (not to mention the odor). Neutralize the alkaline cleaner (dish soap is alkaline) with vinegar. Leave the vinegar on your hands for 30 seconds or so and follow up with a 30 second rinse with warm water. Final check, smell your hands. If you can smell even a trace of something its too much. Test this with food, rub some fresh shrimp on your hand and rinse till you cant smell the shrimp. Introduce your hand to the tank and most likely will find your inhabitants in a fury to find the food they detect.

 

Are you using rodi water? The skimmer foaming is suspicious, but could be multiple " normal" causes and even soap, bleach etc, doesnt really affect a reef that much in small doses... Bacterial "balance" is not an issue, in a cycled tank w adequate bacterial substrate, these can handle wild fluctuations without issue.

Any Ammonia is a very bad thing.

How long had the corals been in the tank before dying?

 

Use an ammonia remover for marine tanks like Prime. Try to get your hands on some bacteria asap. If possible, Dr Tim's, especially his "One & Only". All the above is great info for you. Way to go guys!! Set the skimmer at it's lowest setting and hopefully it won't overflow but keep running the skimmer!! It will add oxygen to the tank which will help everything...bacteria, fish, corals etc........... Good luck!

 

If it isn't getting any better I would also consider relocating all you inhabitants. If you can get them out and into a clean tank and limit your losses that would be best.

 

Best to get pouches of carbon. Over the top filters are numerous and Petco can accommodate the exact size you need. Canister filters can be more flexible. Replace charcole pouch every 2 days for a week. Once the next week and then see if your tank is stable to use normal carbon replacement schedule. I do mine once a month. Also replace your filter floss every 6-12 month and rinse with normal maintenance schedule (when you change your carbon).

Remember the bit about hand cleaning. Never use soap before diving in without using something like vinegar to remove the soap and never perfumed items

 

Meant to comment on the skimmer. I get surges after I feed and so forth. I try to ignore this as its doing its job. I do have to adjust my skimmer from day to day as its a hang over the back and I loose about 1/4 to 3/8" water height per day that I typically replace every 2-3 days. This height seems to effect the skimmer that when full it runs wet and dry when water level is low. the adjustment on my skimmer is very sensitive in that 1 degree twist on the outlet is sufficient.

 

I have a phosban reactor you could borrow for charcoal.