Help with tank...please

[CompNut]

I've had my 125 salt water tank for about 1.5 years. loaded with LIVE rock.
It has been very stable with no major outbreaks or problems at all.
It was stocked with 2 tangs, a few damsels and various other items except corals.
Around January 1st we had a cold snap that cut power for over a week. After numerous nights of trying to keep my tank powered with genertator and other endless nights we had to give up. My tank went to about 55 degrees and lost everything.
It has been dormat ever since, no circulation, no pump going, not anything.
Now question: We want to get back going.. What steps do i need to take.
tHANKS A GREAT DEAL

 

[j0tca]

Hmm.

The first question is the Live rock. I'm afraid with no circulation it might all be dead rock now. The first step is start circulating water and to get a skimmer working. Get a pump pushing water around right now. If you have hydrogen peroxide hanging around it wouldn't be a bad idea to dump half a bottle in the tank. With no circulation, you have no oxygen in the water. This must be quickley solved if you're going to salvage anything.

The next step is to start doing water changes. Try and do a 50%-60% one immediatley, then do a few 25% ones (3-4). You will have massive die-off from the LR, if it isn't already a stench of rot, once you add O2 to the water it will be.

Keep running the skimmer and doing water changes for the next few days then start testing our water. Amonia and nitrate are what your first concern is. Once those levels are low or unmeasurable, the water should be clear and it's time to start looking for livestock. (A crab and a damsel or such, not a powder blue)

Post ome pictures up here too. Let's take a look at the LR and see what it looks like. If the coraline is still deeply colored you might have saved some of it. If it's pale or white, you're probably going to want to get at least a few more rich pieces to seed the tank.

HTH,

Good luck,
Will

 

[CompNut]

Thanks for the info... If I want to start completely over because the tank really looks bad...what do I need to do? Do I have to lose all of my substrate (sand)? What do I cleand the rock with and so on??
Thanks again

 

[reefshadow]

Do a search on "cooking" live rock. I think that's where you will end up. It will help rid the rock of detritus and po4 while salvaging any organisms left alive.

You should ditch the substrate. It is now probably loaded with po4, detritus and hydrogen sulfide.

 

[j0tca]

Actually, I think my advice above is the most applicable. With no other livestock in your tank you are essentially "cooking" the rock if you just turn your lights off. Really, get some water flow first then go from there. There is no reason to assume your tank is irreperable.

I have been through several total crashes and have some experience here.

 

[reefshadow]

Yup, he would be "Cooking " the live rock in the tank. Nothing wrong with that. Good advice about the lights. Turning them on will probably lead to some very nasty algae problems.

I would definately ditch the substrate though. After 55 degrees and almost a month with no circulation it will be chock full of nasty and keeping it could lead to some very big long term problems.

 

[CompNut]

Just to give more information. There is alot of BROWN algae located on everything. Very ugly.