I totally blew it

goslugsgo

goslugsgo

New member
I received part 1 yesterday and I think I killed just about everything on it. Before I put it in I poured in a bag of sugarfine oolitic sand to get complete coverage of in the tank. The bag didn't say anything about rinsing it just something about "minimal rinsing". I read that bag expressly for the purpose of gleaning introduction instructions and found none, so in it went with the rest of the sand and rocks, per TBS instructions. Thinking being one sandstorm while the folks were getting settled is better than several. A cucumber and snail started up the glass and stopped 45 minutes later. After five hours and visibility remaining at, literally, one inch I knew something was wrong. Fears confirmed when the cuke and snail dropped off the glass and remained motionless, folowed by snot on the cuke. They got dumped into a tub of sludge. They had no chance. Initially, I was disappointed that I couldn't watch my new tank come to life due to the poor visibility. Now, after a 50% water change this morning that saw a two inch improvement in vis I'm...well, I don't know how to describe it. I pulled a rock and a starfish was dangling from it lifelessly. I have no idea how many water changes I am going to have to do to even see the rocks. No snapping or any signs of life. I started planning this tank three years ago with the intent of watching TBS rock come to life and yesterday was the culmination of all of that work. Now I just want to sit in a corner and cry.
I pulled the empty bag of sand out of the trash this morning. On the very bottom just above the seam are the rinsing instructions.
 
Last edited:
Bummer

Bummer

Well...you learned the hard way....


I would make massive water changes...and hang on.....
I sent you plenty of sand.....and covering it with dead sand, will kill the live sand......not a good idea.....

Best to follow the directions, and you will have a happy tank..

Sea ya
Richard TBS
 
Sorry to hear about what happened :( however I doubt that EVERYTHING on the rock is dead and I would agree that you should do some large water changes and run carbon and a good skimmer while also monitoring your ammonia level and see what happens in the next several days. Keep in mind that inverts are more sensitive then much of the life on the rocks and will be the first to go.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13116303#post13116303 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by HowardW
Sorry to hear about what happened :( however I doubt that EVERYTHING on the rock is dead and I would agree that you should do some large water changes and run carbon and a good skimmer while also monitoring your ammonia level and see what happens in the next several days. Keep in mind that inverts are more sensitive then much of the life on the rocks and will be the first to go.
Click to expand...

seconded on that.... give it time, do water chnages etc.... as Howard says...

if this helps:
A while back I tried to get rid of flatworms to fast with flatworm exit, I did not realize how bad they were in my old 55 gallon tank, I killed off a *LOT* of stuff with that mistake.
I am now much more cautious about how to manage them.

that was almost 3 years ago.

today is the first new TBS rock in my 90 gallon tank in 2 years.
 
Still cloudy, but another waterchange should improve the situation. Ammonia is undetectible, but I have a large water volume relative to the rock, so that's not a very good indicator. During the waterchange in a couple of hours I'll do a sniff test and see who made it. The only inverts I saw during the introduction were one hermit, a cuke and two whelks, and I know where all except the hermit is. I've seen two whelks since, so that's good news. Never thought I'd say that.
Thanks to Howard and Denny.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13114542#post13114542 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by liverock
Well...you learned the hard way....


I would make massive water changes...and hang on.....
I sent you plenty of sand.....and covering it with dead sand, will kill the live sand......not a good idea.....

Best to follow the directions, and you will have a happy tank..

Sea ya
Richard TBS
Click to expand...

The live sand was placed over the dead, as stated in the first post. And, no, there was not plenty of live sand, but I knew that you would not send enough in the quantity I ordered to cover the bottom so I had to supplement. My understanding is that it's a fairly common practice to seed dead sand by placing live on top of it. There was nothing in the directions to address this. The only items that I found that did were in the testimonials and no problems were indicated there. During introduction I printed out the web instructions and followed them along with those sent with the rock during introduction. My wife and I followed them to the letter, and erred to the conservative when they deviated from each other.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13121004#post13121004 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by goslugsgo
Still cloudy, but another waterchange should improve the situation. Ammonia is undetectible, but I have a large water volume relative to the rock, so that's not a very good indicator. During the waterchange in a couple of hours I'll do a sniff test and see who made it. The only inverts I saw during the introduction were one hermit, a cuke and two whelks, and I know where all except the hermit is. I've seen two whelks since, so that's good news. Never thought I'd say that.
Thanks to Howard and Denny.



The live sand was placed over the dead, as stated in the first post. And, no, there was not plenty of live sand, but I knew that you would not send enough in the quantity I ordered to cover the bottom so I had to supplement. My understanding is that it's a fairly common practice to seed dead sand by placing live on top of it. There was nothing in the directions to address this. The only items that I found that did were in the testimonials and no problems were indicated there. During introduction I printed out the web instructions and followed them along with those sent with the rock during introduction. My wife and I followed them to the letter, and erred to the conservative when they deviated from each other.
Click to expand...

Well I am glad it is working out for you....BTW....one pound per gallon gives you about 1.5 inches of sand....which is the correct depth to allow for the critters to maintain the sand.....

If you have it deeper, sometimes the sand on the bottom will start to die.....which is a bad thing....thus the one pound per gallon amount.

I would get as much of the silt off the rocks as possible....

Sea ya
Richard TBS
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13121040#post13121040 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by liverock
Well I am glad it is working out for you....BTW....one pound per gallon gives you about 1.5 inches of sand....which is the correct depth to allow for the critters to maintain the sand.....

If you have it deeper, sometimes the sand on the bottom will start to die.....which is a bad thing....thus the one pound per gallon amount.

I would get as much of the silt off the rocks as possible....

Sea ya
Richard TBS
Click to expand...

Yes, but this is a wide format tank with more top and bottom surface area. Looks like 1.5" to me, but I'll measure when I can smooth it out. A little goop on the rocks, but nothing rank.
 
ok

ok

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13121307#post13121307 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by goslugsgo
Yes, but this is a wide format tank with more top and bottom surface area. Looks like 1.5" to me, but I'll measure when I can smooth it out. A little goop on the rocks, but nothing rank.
Click to expand...

Use a turkey baster to blow the rocks off......or remove them and swish in saltwater....the goo will impede the animals filtering....

From your order I took it as a regular sized tank/Package order....next time, give me an idea what you are up too! I could have added extra sand for you....for the tanks format...

sea ya
Richard TBS
 
Re: ok

Re: ok

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13121478#post13121478 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by liverock
Use a turkey baster to blow the rocks off......or remove them and swish in saltwater....the goo will impede the animals filtering....

From your order I took it as a regular sized tank/Package order....next time, give me an idea what you are up too! I could have added extra sand for you....for the tanks format...

sea ya
Richard TBS
Click to expand...

Y-know, some LFS and online could start selling them as "reef cleaners" I have one I used to clean rocks till the rubber squeze bulb cracked open.
 
Re: Re: ok

Re: Re: ok

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13121659#post13121659 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by figuerres
Y-know, some LFS and online could start selling them as "reef cleaners" I have one I used to clean rocks till the rubber squeze bulb cracked open.
Click to expand...

If they did that I probably couldn't afford them anymore.
 
A few sponges made it, as well as some stars, macro, two hermits and a couple of gorilla crabs...and every whelk formerly residing North of Key West.
I'm ready for pt.2 but haven't heard from Richard.
 
Email

Email

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13285623#post13285623 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by goslugsgo
A few sponges made it, as well as some stars, macro, two hermits and a couple of gorilla crabs...and every whelk formerly residing North of Key West.
I'm ready for pt.2 but haven't heard from Richard.
Click to expand...

Emal me when you are ready!

Richard TBS


:rollface: :rollface: :rollface:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
Is it aiptasia or maybe hydroids?
Replies
3
Views
611
griss
griss
S
Cycling question
Replies
5
Views
886
griss
griss
hrdneglcry
Why can't I grow coral?
Replies
3
Views
488
Reefing102
Reefing102
Brian60077
Be patient, wait, and do not rush to add things ???
Replies
11
Views
994
Brian60077
Brian60077
psness
DIY Refugium in a Penguin 375
Replies
3
Views
512
Reefing102
Reefing102
Back
Top