Coral Beauty & 6 line died suddenly

That sucks, those are two very cool fish and also generally very hardy. I can't think of anything. Usually if it is just one fish, you can contribute it to a combination of natural factors and tank factors, but with two fish die within a very short time, it usually means something in the tank caused it. I know this isn't very helpful

 

Used my API test kit, and it didn't even register on the chart (only goes to 12 drops, takes me 18 to make the color change). I figured there was something wrong with the kit, and took the water down to the LFS and they used a Hagen kit and it equates to roughly 300 ppm. German KH (carbonate hardness).

 

Unfortunately I don't have the kit for mg yet - getting a kit ordered this week.

 

API Test Kit

I have the API KH test and I don't have any chart to measure against. It just starts turning from blue to green to yellow by 7th or the 8th drop. (You say it only goes to 12 drops?) No fishing harassing them?
Adam

 

Do you have a grounding probe? How are the anemone's. The only other thing I can think of is that you were really pushing your limits there with all those in a 30 gallon; even if the params weren't off, they may have run out of oxygen

 

I have a huge anemone in my tank and it eventuly go so big I couldn't keep anything in the tank except clowns. But my hypothisis to you is maybe your anemone stung your fish and then they died. I know they don't always have to get eaten

 

Wow, your alk is monstrous high! Are you sure you mesured it correctly? There is carbonate and bicarbonate readings and you have to subract the two to get total hardness.
Your calcium is a bit low for reef standard, but nothing that would kill off fish, unless you are lacking in some other vital element. What type of salts are you using? I have heard that low iodine will cause sickness in fish too.

 

You then have to get the bicarbonate hardness too, subtract the two numbers to get total hardness, KH. Normal range will be 7-11 depending on the type of tank you have. Mine is high at 15, but my Mg is in the 1500 range and Ca is in the 480 range as well, so mine seems stable even with a higher dKH. It's a tough balancing act with this hobby. :-/

 

My alk is finally dropping to acceptable levels. My calcium is now at 380, and dkh is now at 16. MG is around 1280 as well, still dosing to raise. I unfortunately do not have a grounding probe - looking into getting one soon. All other inhabitants of the tank are still doing good, as well as the anemones.

 

did you add a new fish in your tank recently?