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Help!!! 240g Sps Catastrophe!!!!!
- Thread starter zachtos
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zachtos
Active member
that would be awesome to have insurance pay somehow, but in this case it's my fault.
well, the entire house WREAKSSSSSSSss ugggh. smells like cabbage farts. dead coral.
I would say about half the corals are pure white and the rest have minor color. I actually could see polyps on some... now it's all dependant on if the tank cycles.
i'm worried about the fishes most of all. I have decided if I had to choose, I would rather the fish survive then the corals.
well, the entire house WREAKSSSSSSSss ugggh. smells like cabbage farts. dead coral.
I would say about half the corals are pure white and the rest have minor color. I actually could see polyps on some... now it's all dependant on if the tank cycles.
i'm worried about the fishes most of all. I have decided if I had to choose, I would rather the fish survive then the corals.
Meisen
Premium Member
So sorry to hear about this man. What a freaking tragedy.
So yeah, I would definitely plan to lose most of those acros I see....and the bad news is that as they go they will often take others down with them (the bacterial slime that comes off the dying ones hits and starts a new infection on other corals). The montis and other stuff is hardier but could still get taken down by bacteria.
If the fish are still alive this evening then they have a good chance to make it (if you got them out) IMO. Did you find someone to hang onto them for you? I wish I could help, have lots of space but way to far away
The polyps will most likely be 100% fine...its hard to kill them without drying the tank out.
As you see with your urchins echinoderms have little tolerance for salinity swings let alone everything else that happend. Get any echinos out of the tank even if you think they are still alive. They wont be in a day or two and they will contribute to the issues. Especially cukes....they can go nuclear and kill all your surviving fishes.
I didn't see note of it (I skimmed, sorry I am sure someone already said it) but you are running a ton of carbon right now right?
So yeah, I would definitely plan to lose most of those acros I see....and the bad news is that as they go they will often take others down with them (the bacterial slime that comes off the dying ones hits and starts a new infection on other corals). The montis and other stuff is hardier but could still get taken down by bacteria.
If the fish are still alive this evening then they have a good chance to make it (if you got them out) IMO. Did you find someone to hang onto them for you? I wish I could help, have lots of space but way to far away
The polyps will most likely be 100% fine...its hard to kill them without drying the tank out.
As you see with your urchins echinoderms have little tolerance for salinity swings let alone everything else that happend. Get any echinos out of the tank even if you think they are still alive. They wont be in a day or two and they will contribute to the issues. Especially cukes....they can go nuclear and kill all your surviving fishes.
I didn't see note of it (I skimmed, sorry I am sure someone already said it) but you are running a ton of carbon right now right?
melev
Well-known member
It is imperative that you keep testing the water, two or three times a day. That way you know what is going on since the tank is way out of its normal equilibrium. Everything you are used to looking at as indicators will give you false input.
If the tank has a mini-cycle, your livestock (fish and softies) are usually going to be okay. Which is why I told you to dose Seachem's Prime into the tank. If you have an old bottle (more than a year), do your tank a favor and buy a new one. I believe it is one capful per 50g of water, so a bottle will go a long way.
Let's see pictures tomorrow, as by then the water will have cleared. Post your water parameters too:
pH
Alk
Salinity
Calcium
Ammonia
Nitrate
Nitrite
Temperature
We don't need to know about Magnesium or Phosphate at the moment. Since you run ozone, what is the ORP today? What is it normally?
Polyfilter needs to be run to absorb any metals from the tap water, as well as the crap that comes out of a water heater. We never use hot water because of the filth trapped within.
It sounds like you did all you could to resolve the situation the best you could. Keep up the good work.
PEX - ah. Totally different beast. There are compression fittings for PEX, but there is also a specialized wrench and compression ring system the bites down and locks the tubing to the various connections. Construction companies have been switching to PEX (both red and blue tubing) to avoid having thieves steal copper in the walls of new homes. Plus with PEX, you can make bends, using less connections. Neat stuff, but a little tough to work with.
If the tank has a mini-cycle, your livestock (fish and softies) are usually going to be okay. Which is why I told you to dose Seachem's Prime into the tank. If you have an old bottle (more than a year), do your tank a favor and buy a new one. I believe it is one capful per 50g of water, so a bottle will go a long way.
Let's see pictures tomorrow, as by then the water will have cleared. Post your water parameters too:
pH
Alk
Salinity
Calcium
Ammonia
Nitrate
Nitrite
Temperature
We don't need to know about Magnesium or Phosphate at the moment. Since you run ozone, what is the ORP today? What is it normally?
Polyfilter needs to be run to absorb any metals from the tap water, as well as the crap that comes out of a water heater. We never use hot water because of the filth trapped within.
It sounds like you did all you could to resolve the situation the best you could. Keep up the good work.
PEX - ah. Totally different beast. There are compression fittings for PEX, but there is also a specialized wrench and compression ring system the bites down and locks the tubing to the various connections. Construction companies have been switching to PEX (both red and blue tubing) to avoid having thieves steal copper in the walls of new homes. Plus with PEX, you can make bends, using less connections. Neat stuff, but a little tough to work with.
Re lps, at least, I have had a frogspawn come back after it was an algaed-over skeleton: it broke out in 8-10 microheads, some of which are now the size of a quarter. Plate is known for similar resurrections. Monti will recolonize if given a chance, particularly from the base. So sorry to hear. Here's hoping some of these come back.
zachtos
Active member
No good news. total SPS loss. every last SPS is bone white. I removed every one of them tonight and put them into a 5 gallon pail, it's full. All chromis are dead. My tangs are all hiding, and my large foxface is panting and laying on his side. All fish are panting horrendously.
I do not have nitrite/ammonia kits that are less then 3 years old anymore... not like you need them after the tank is established. I have lots of carbon running and the water maker is still atleast another day away from making enough for a measly 20% water change. Water is still quite cloudy. I'm worried all of my fish will die. The old ammonia kit showed deep green (lots of ammonia if it's right).
temp: 80F
sg: 1.025
orp: 220 (normal 280)
no other tests performed... whats' the point honestly?
the water heater in question was only 1 day old, I replaced the old one and hooked this unit up at the same time. It's running now splendidly, oh goodie.
I have no where to take them. I'm an hour from the closest LFS and that guy never heard of that seachem product.
zoanthids are slightly open, and green star polyps have not came out. I'm not sure if anything will live. If everything dies, I'm selling it all. screw it.
I do not have nitrite/ammonia kits that are less then 3 years old anymore... not like you need them after the tank is established. I have lots of carbon running and the water maker is still atleast another day away from making enough for a measly 20% water change. Water is still quite cloudy. I'm worried all of my fish will die. The old ammonia kit showed deep green (lots of ammonia if it's right).
temp: 80F
sg: 1.025
orp: 220 (normal 280)
no other tests performed... whats' the point honestly?
the water heater in question was only 1 day old, I replaced the old one and hooked this unit up at the same time. It's running now splendidly, oh goodie.
I have no where to take them. I'm an hour from the closest LFS and that guy never heard of that seachem product.
zoanthids are slightly open, and green star polyps have not came out. I'm not sure if anything will live. If everything dies, I'm selling it all. screw it.
Squidward5
New member
Zachtos, My condolences to you :sad2: It was an awesome setup. I was in your spot once, it feels like someone slamming you in the gut,,,I have a feeling you will not leave this hobby though. I know I couldn't
zachtos
Active member
I have set up a 20 gallon tank with new ro/di water, a heater, a powerhead, lid, light and airstone. I want to save fishes that will let me catch them. I can not catch the hiders, only the ones on the verge of death, maybe. I'm heating it up.
Ammonia in display = 8ppm, top of the scale
nitrite - 0, nitrate ?
Should I place the fish I can catch that are panting/laying and place them in the other tank? OR leave them be?
How often must I do water changes to protect the 'hostpital' tank. I've never needed one before.
Ammonia in display = 8ppm, top of the scale
nitrite - 0, nitrate ?
Should I place the fish I can catch that are panting/laying and place them in the other tank? OR leave them be?
How often must I do water changes to protect the 'hostpital' tank. I've never needed one before.
I have been following this since yesterday morning... I know you said you didn't want anyone saying sorry.. only words of advice.... but I just can't sit and say nothing anymore... I am heartbroken for you and your fish and corals... I can only imagine how awful this is to sit and watch!!!!!What a sickening feeling!! ...I truely feel pain for you and what all of your reef babies are going through. Please accept my condolences and I wish there was something someone could do to help.
Squidward5
New member
Ammonia in display = 8ppm, top of the scale
I would catch every living thing that I could and get it out of there! They still have a chance even if they are on there sides.
I would catch every living thing that I could and get it out of there! They still have a chance even if they are on there sides.
yes... please put the fish that are still alive into another container and give them a fighting chance... that level of ammonia will kill them whereas even if they were affected by the initial catastrophy, they might make it if they are not subjected to the high level of ammonia.
zachtos
Active member
I'm having a very hard time catching anything, it's not easy with the way I laid my tank out. (lots of hiding places)
no one wants to be caught. I pulled the foxface out with tongs, he looks like he's a gonner, but I put him in the 20G tank w/ new water downstairs anyhow. I almost had the achilles but he's still to hyper. maybe tomorrow when they are closer to death they will be more sluggish.
no one wants to be caught. I pulled the foxface out with tongs, he looks like he's a gonner, but I put him in the 20G tank w/ new water downstairs anyhow. I almost had the achilles but he's still to hyper. maybe tomorrow when they are closer to death they will be more sluggish.
zachtos
Active member
I caught the achilles and foxface last night and placed them into a hosptital tank, they both died. The achilles tang was still in good condition. I think the stress of being chased/netted killed him off?
Other fishes are looking better (of course I had to lose my favorite, the achilles, and most expensive/rare). Ammonia is 4ppm, looks about half of what it was last night. And the tank is cleared up big time. I think the bacterial bloom is switching over to nitrite soon???
What can I expect to happen with the nitrite, more deaths?
Also, my zoas seem to still open, but my huge amounts of GSP do not, do any of these have the potential to make it through the nitrite/ate cycle?
Should I do water changes? or wait until nitrate mode kicks in?
So many questions and so little time, I was not prepared for a situation like this and did very little research to prepare. I do plan to pick up millepora and montipora frags to restock my tank tomorrow at the big michigan annual swap. I will have friends hold frags for me until the tank is safe. I think I will stick strictly to all varieties of monti/mille because I liked them the most and they grew very well under my T5s. The acro/stag types did not color up enough for me IMO.
Other fishes are looking better (of course I had to lose my favorite, the achilles, and most expensive/rare). Ammonia is 4ppm, looks about half of what it was last night. And the tank is cleared up big time. I think the bacterial bloom is switching over to nitrite soon???
What can I expect to happen with the nitrite, more deaths?
Also, my zoas seem to still open, but my huge amounts of GSP do not, do any of these have the potential to make it through the nitrite/ate cycle?
Should I do water changes? or wait until nitrate mode kicks in?
So many questions and so little time, I was not prepared for a situation like this and did very little research to prepare. I do plan to pick up millepora and montipora frags to restock my tank tomorrow at the big michigan annual swap. I will have friends hold frags for me until the tank is safe. I think I will stick strictly to all varieties of monti/mille because I liked them the most and they grew very well under my T5s. The acro/stag types did not color up enough for me IMO.
jkeating2005
New member
i am sorry to hear all of this. i have been following since post one and have also followed your build. good luck with everything.
plyr58
New member
Could you explain exactly what went wrong for our education? I understand that you were using PEX and using the wrong fittings. Was there a fitting right above your sump? How did the leak occur and how did it manage to drain into your sump?
I too have been following your thread since the beginning and I am glad that it appears that at least some of your inhabitants will pull through.
I too have been following your thread since the beginning and I am glad that it appears that at least some of your inhabitants will pull through.
devgru
Premium Member
I agree with others.get a container or something food grade temporary.i dont have any idea on time required to adjust temp/pH.
sorry man,ive followed since the begining and this hurts me
it might be too late but if i were in your shoes i would call a friend with a setup and put them in there,still might be a shock but seems like best idea
sorry man,ive followed since the begining and this hurts me
it might be too late but if i were in your shoes i would call a friend with a setup and put them in there,still might be a shock but seems like best idea
zachtos
Active member
I performed a project to replace my electric heaters with a natural gas version. I achieved this by plumbing a recirculating pump to my water heater that circulated hot water through a 100' coil of PEX in my sump. This pump is controlled by a ranco controller. The heater system works splendidly, and saves money (half the cost of electric and 10X stronger). BUT, I screwed up and had CPVC connect to PEX via a CPVC fitting. This was incorrect, as the fitting failed in the middle of the night and dumped cold fresh water into the tank. All because I used the wrong type of fitting unknowingly.
Well, all surviving fishes seem ok. There are quite a few small fish that dissapeared and i can't find their remains. I think my GSP may be rotting. It's changing color from purple to pale blue.
ammonia 4-8ppm, no change. Water seems more clear than this morning though. I think I will hold off on water changes until ammonia and nitrite read 0. I do not want to prolong the cycle, but rather just remove nitrates and tap water from the system over a few weeks while my new corals are held somewhere else.
Well, all surviving fishes seem ok. There are quite a few small fish that dissapeared and i can't find their remains. I think my GSP may be rotting. It's changing color from purple to pale blue.
ammonia 4-8ppm, no change. Water seems more clear than this morning though. I think I will hold off on water changes until ammonia and nitrite read 0. I do not want to prolong the cycle, but rather just remove nitrates and tap water from the system over a few weeks while my new corals are held somewhere else.
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