Tank crash

[spleify]

Well yesterday was awesome at Reefstock, but I came home to this. It is a complete loss, every fish and every coral. My frag tank was plumbed into this tank too, and lost everything in there. There are maybe a couple of crabs left but that is it, everything else died.

I can't even to explain the smell, OMG it is absolutely disgusting. The whole house stinks.

I did a small water change yesterday, with what little water I had made up, I changed out the carbon, adjusted the skimmer, and changed the filter socks.
I made up 25 gallons of new water and changed that today and changed the filter socks again. Not much improvement yet, but I have another 25 gallons of fresh water mixing to do another water change tomorrow.

The smell is absolutely overwhelming.

I have no idea what happened, nothing changed, my params on this tank are always spot on, and the tank has been set up for about 6 years, most of the fish in there were 6 years old.

 

[spleify]

 

[jaw969]

Sorry to hear buddy.............

We have plenty of water if you need more we also have a stable 40 gallon if you need a holding tank until you figure out what is going on.

Let us know if there is anything we can help with. There is nothing like the smell of death in a fish tank!

 

[hawkfish21]

Sorry to hear that.

 

[Kieth71]

I am sorry to hear that man.Let me know if you need any help-Kieth

 

[spleify]

Thanks guys.

Thanks for the offer to hold stuff Jon, but unfortunately there is nothing left.

What do you do with this now? Just keep doing water changes until the water clears up? Is the LR comprimised now? Is it any good still? I have never had to go through this, so I don't really know what to do next.

Did I mention the smell...........................OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[zombiereef]

sorry to hear that Leif. i cant imagine. i hope you find out what caused it.

 

[Kieth71]

I wonder if cooking the rock would be a good idea..that way anything unwanted could be removed.You could also take the time to clean out the tank really well before you start again.

 

[jaw969]

Tons of water changes.........once the death smell on the rock is gone you should be in good shape.........although most of the rock has gone through a major die off.

It should come back eventually.........for the smell open up as many windows as you can and use fans. It should help.

 

[spleify]

Yeah we had ALL the windows opened in the house all day today, and the second we closed them the smell was there.

Cooking the rock is what I was thinking too. should I tak it all out of the tank, and put it in a garbage can witha heater and pump, or just leave it in the tank with the lights out and continue to do water changes?

 

[Kieth71]

I would take it all out with a heater and a powerhead and start all over.That way you can get the smell out of your house and maybe in your garage.Then you can clean your tank out really well.I would change the water in the trash can with live rock like every 4 or 5 days until it seems most of the die off has diminished .Maybe a bit more often at first.

 

[Heffe01]

Over what kind of a time period did this all take place. I have never had a tank crash before. Is it that drastic that it can happen in a matter of hours this bad?

 

[katyttt]

Leif, So sorry to hear, If we can help in any way please don't hesitate to call, night or day. If any of that stuff is alive, (mushrooms or polyps maybe?) I can offer up holding space. I have tons of salt and extra tanks ready.
It proves that bad things happen to good people,
Try to keep your chin up, we can frag any of my stuff when you are ready, Let me knw.
Chris

 

[spleify]

Thanks Keith. I know thats the way to go, but man I just hate the idea of tearing it down. I wish this was a free standing tank I would just tear it down and be done with it, but this is my In-Wall, and there would be so much more to it then just tearing the tank down.

Heffe01, When I woke up yesterday things were looking very bad, but I hoped for the best. When I got home from Reefstock that is what I saw. Those pics were from last night, while I was doing the water change I had my wife take some pics.

 

[goslugsgo]

I've got a Brute can you can use if you don't have one. I would be concerned, however, that although the cooking would eliminate the organic mater it may not address any toxins that were the true cause. Nothing to back that up other than paranoia, though.
Christie and I wish you the best and will keep the corals as long as you need us to, though she's really getting attached to the green and blue one so you better be back up to full speed soon.
Take care.

 

[spleify]

Thanks so much Chris!! Like always you are a super guy. I would be afraid to put anything in someone elses tank without knowing what happened or what could be transferred. Thanks very much for the offer though. I have a couple of other tanks I could set up and try and transfer and save some stuff.

 

[spleify]

Thanks slugs. I do have an extra 32 gallon brute.

I guess what I am hoping is that some of the shrooms or polyps will come back if I keep doing water changes in the tank.

Man I am just so torn still, I don't know what to do.

 

[Kieth71]

You said you had a frag tank?Can you isolate it and put all of what you hope to save in there and still cook the rock?It may make it easier to do water changes since less volume and you could get the live rock into the brutes.Then you could switch back and forth betweent he two brutes when you do water changes on the rock and swish them good before putting in the next trash can.Let me know if any help is needed-Kieth

 

[Off The Deep End]

Lief im sorry for your loss, bad things do happen to good people. I know im a ways away but if you need anything let me know!

 

[jpc763]

Leif,

That really sucks man! Sorry about your loss.

I can offer up any and as many of the small frags I have on my little rack. They are mostly palys and zoas, but I have a little birdsnest and another SPS. Let me know. I don't actively frag, but glue up whatever I break off while cleaning.

John