Similar Problem

Question
I saw the following message on experts.about.com  and wondered if a "poisonous" chemical would be produced from using a steel hose clamp in a saltwater aquarium?
I assume that part of the clamp was plated, probably galvanized or nickel of some sort. The plated part quickly rusted.
Snails would die almost immediately.
Starfish 2 days.
Polyps slowly disappeared.
Featherdusters dropped their quills.
Fish seem fine through all of this.
Nitrates were also very high.

Any help would be appreciated.


Question -
HELLO, I HAVE A 55 GAL REEF TANK. SET UP FOR ALMOST 1 YEAR. THINGS WERE DOING GREAT. NOW MUSHROOMS, CORALS AND POLYPS ARE ALL DYING. I HAVE HAD WATER TESTED AND EVERYTHING IS OKAY. I DID HAVE A METAL CLAMP IN THE SUMP AND REMOVED IT AND PUT IN A ACTIVATED CHARCOAL BAG TO ABSORB AND DID A LARGE WATER CHANGE. FISH ARE DOING FINE, ALSO HAVE SHRIMP HERMIT CRABS,SEA CUCUMBER. I DO REGULAR WATER CHANGES. I FEED THE CORALS REFRIGERATED PLANKTON. THEY TELL ME MY LIGHTS ARE OKAY. WATER TEMP IS OKAY. I CAN'T FIND ANY REASON WHY THEY WILL NOT STAY ALIVE. THE POLYPS JUST CLOSE AND NEVER REOPEN. THE MUSHROOMS JUST ROT AWAY. I DO HAVE A MUSHROOM ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK THAT IS DOING FINE. BUT NEXT TO IT IS POLYPS THAT WON'T OPEN AND ARE SLOWLY DISAPPEARING. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT 2 1/2 MONTHS. NOTHING DIES IMMEDIATLY JUST SLOWLY. I WAS TOLD OF MAYBE AN URCHIN MIGHT BE EATING BUT REMOVED IT AND NOTHING HAS CHANGED. I JUST PURCHASED ANOTHER POLYPS TO SEE IF IT WOULD BE OKAY AND IT OPENED UP THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS AND NOW WON'T OPEN. I AM SO FRUSTRATED BECAUSE I LOVE MY TANK BUT I CAN'T KEEP ON LOSING MONEY. I HAVE TALKED WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE AT THE FISH SHOPS AND EVERYONE SUGGESTS SOMETHING ELSE AND IT DON'T WORK. I HOPE YOU GIVE ME SOME POSSIBLE THINGS IT COULD BE.  

Answer
any metal in contact with saltwater, even stainless steel, will cause a chemical reaction that is deadly to animals in a confined ecosystem. Remeber the ocean is vast and can cleanse itself - but our systems are relatively tiny and constantly recirculate. If the water is fouled the creatures will die. They depend on us, totally, to make sure water conditions remain as pristine as possible. Plastic is always better than metal when it comes to aquaria.