Fish dieing

Question
QUESTION: Hello,
We spoke the other day about a cyano problem tank. I'm sure you still remember me. I have another problem that I'm assuming is closely related to the cyano. I remember telling you that when I got home from the pet store yesterday to pick up a power head, my scooter blenny died. Since then I had cleaned my tank as best as I can with a 20% water change (I didn't have R/O water available so I'm just going to use tap water until I can find some), siphoned up most of the coral/live rock, washed and rinsed it (obviously not using any cleaners or solutions), and cleaned the sides of the tank from any algae remains. This morning I woke up and one of my blue damsels was dead. So I have had 2 fish deaths within the past 24 hours. My second damsel is acting really strange. It has been staying in one section of the tank, floating in the same spot and won't eat. My clown fish is being more sluggish than usual and ate less than half of what it normally eats. I don't want my remaining fish to die. Is there anything I can do to prevent them from dieing? If I had access to a second salt water tank could I put them in there until I figured out the problem? Once again, the water test I had done came out completely normal except for the PH. I really have no clue what the issue could be. I appreciate any help I can get.
Thanks!

ANSWER: I can tell you that you need to be using R/O water.  The cyano will not go away until you do.

I went through every known method of curing it, myself.  The key to curing it was the R/O water.  Also, make 100% sure no charcoal is running on your system.  Unless it's reef-safe charcoal, it's going to contribute to the cyanobacteria issues.  

Cyano is not an algae.  It is a bacteria.  Bacteria is never good when it's not a beneficial bacteria.  

Cyano sucks oxygen from the water, which is why the fish is at the top.

I get mine cheap.  $1.25 a five gallon container.

I go to Food Max, a local store, and I pay $1.25 in the machine that refills people's water and it fills it and it's done.  Costs very little and is worth the efforts.

The PH needs to be lowered.  One thing about R/O water is it lowers ph.  It is softened by natural means, which means it will not go back up once you use it.  Using it to lower PH 5 gallon by 5 gallon is the best way to get the tank's ph in control, and it's going to combat your cyano as well.

It will take about a month to change, but the fish will show immediately less stress.

What kind of filtration are you running?  

Write back. I will do my best to help you. :)

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Okay I will get R/O water as soon as I can. I will start looking around now. I believe I have the Bio-Wheel filter (200gph) has charcoal in it. The other filter (Trio3000) has a foam block, ceramic nodules, and carbon granules. I also added in a Fluval Clearmax filter for nitrites, nitrate, and phosphate.
What percentage of water should I change when I get the R/O water? If I were to put my fish in a separate aquarium for the time being, would that help the fish?

ANSWER: Well, the fish may or may not be affected by the bacteria.  Some seem more sensative.

I'd change the water at 25% immediately to get the main bacteria out of the water, and I'd siphon what I can out.  Then, I'd resume at 10% every four days for about four more cycles til the water is cleaner.  Then it will be much more R/O water than tap.  

I wouldn't remove fish.  Not unless they look extremely stressed.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks again for your advice. Sadly, 3/4 of my fish died in the past 24 hours... My clown fish is still alive and ever since I changed the water it seemed to be doing fine. Hopefully I am on top of the problem. You are very luck to have such cheap R/O water. Where I live it is $18.00 for 5 gallons. I'll look around and maybe I'll find a cheaper source. I used all 5 gallons right off the bat, so hopefully I took a big chunk of the bacteria out. When it comes to adding cycle, should I add any more or less with the water changes I've been making?

Answer
When you use R/O water, you don't need to do anything to it.  Just put the salt in. :)

I'm so sorry you lost your fish.  Check your salinity and readouts.  Make sure everything is okay for them...

Do you have any stores there that have a water fill station?

In ours, we can drive up to any water fill station and put a blue 5 gallon bottle under it, pop in a dollar and 25 cents and voilla, 5 gallons.  Sometimes they are inside so those who don't drink tap water can buy them there.  Alot of times they are in healthfood stores so you can fill your own water.  Those are always R/O water or distilled.  Either way, they are much better for the tank than tap.

Don't add chemicals.  Just add salt :)