Sad day, can you help?

[fhazie]

Hello everyone,
This morning I awoke to find my tank in dismay. My breaker flipped, a few gallons of water were on my floor and all of my new pretty fish have passed. I check for leaks which came up dry, ammonia was under .25. The water was murky to the point where I couldn't find all my fish, I also noticed a large amount of copepods that had died as well. I've had tanks for the past four years and never has anything like this happened. There is a canopy on the top of the tank so nothing got into the tank.

Please if anyone has any ideas on what happened or if this has happened to you post. I would really like to figure out what happened before I do something drastic.

Thanks everyone
Ryan

 

[zombiereef]

holy cow! i am so sorry. you can reset your breaker and plug each item in until it trips again. the last thing you plug in SHOULD be the cause. is this not the reefer's worst nightmare? good luck. if you need anything let us know.

 

[Frankenpora]

First I'm sorry for your troubles.
What type of overflow do you have?
Did the water come from the refugium or the tank?
I would get the Live Rock into a new batch of water A.S.A.P

 

[fhazie]

The water came out of the display as the tank has just a simple hang on the back filter along with a bakpak skimmer.
As for the electrical problems, this tank along with everything else on the plug have been running since I moved into the house a few months ago so I'm not thinking it was anything with my electricity from my tank that flipped it.
Any ideas as to why everything would die? I'm thinking about switching tanks to another but I don't want this to happen in that tank as well.

Thanks guys.
Ryan

 

[jasonh]

With just a HOB skimmer and filter, I'm curious how the water came out of the display. Sounds like one of those sprung a leak, causing water to spill on the floor, which probably hit an outlet which caused your breaker to trip.

But I don't see how everything could die like that overnight. Maybe your heater stuck on, which cooked all your fish, then it overheated and tripped the breaker? Just grasping at straws here...

Also, just because everything's been running on that same plug for a couple months doesn't mean it wasn't your equipment that caused the breaker to trip. I've had pumps suddenly stop working and trip breakers before.

Bummer to hear about the loss though. Sucks when things like that happen.

 

[fhazie]

Thanks Jason. This thing with the water disappearing has happened once before, just about the same amount of water too. The water was still around eighty when I found it this morning.

I'm not sure at all how all the fish died overnight. The only thing I can think that would cause all my fish to die would be poisoning of some sort. Even the copepods and some of the small snails have died as well, and now the bristleworms are starting their fest. At least something is working for me now.

Sorry I couldn't help you with your sale Frankenpora, this was the tank all those beautiful corals were gonna go into.

 

[Zooid]

Sorry to hear about your losses
With the water being murky, I suspect a bacteria bloom that used up all the oxygen in the water. With no water movement to get oxygen from the surface the pH probably dropped big time and with no oxygen your fish may have asphixiated. Just making guesses though.
Do you dose sugar or vodka?

 

[fhazie]

No I don't sugar or vodka dose. However I did add some new fish to the tanks almost a week ago, I was waiting for the new fish algae bloom. It would make sense that the bacteria was in full bloom.

I've never heard of bacteria using all of the oxygen from a tank before. Has this happened to you Zooid?

 

[Zooid]

What kind of heater do you use? If it is glass, check it for cracks. A cracked heater can cause your breaker to trip and could kill all your fish.

 

[Zooid]

No it hasn't happened to me but I do know that some people who have had bacterial blooms lost everything. I've just been lucky.

 

[jasonh]

I guess along those lines, check your Ph?

 

[Zooid]

Here's a quote from http://www.algone.com/cloudywater.php

"Bacteria need oxygen. A few grams of bacteria consume about the same amount as an adult human, again posing a threat of de-oxygenation in the aquarium. Immediate action is required if the problem is severe, or persists."

This is why vodka dosing or sugar dosing is dangerous. I like to roll the dice though hehe.

 

[fhazie]

Haven't checked my ph yet. That'll be the next thing I try. You say it would of dropped?

 

[jasonh]

An increase in CO2 in the water would cause the Ph to drop, yes.

 

[Zooid]

Yeah, if there isn't enough oxygen you'll have excess CO2 and the pH should be lower.

 

[fhazie]

Thanks guys. I'm gonna go check that now. I'll post when I find the results

Thanks again for all your help
Ryan

 

[Zooid]

btw, the only way I know to decrease the bacteria, if that's what it is, is to do some water changes unless you have a REALLY good skimmer.

 

[Zooid]

No problem......good luck.

 

[Frankenpora]

Don't worry about me bro.
Let me know when you get everything back up.
I am puzzled about the water thing with the HOB...
The above ideas are as good as it gets IMO.

 

[fhazie]

I just checked my ph and it was right at 8.2.

I think it's time for some major water changes, maybe even a new tank.