Tank is crashing!

[jtinoco]

Well my tank seems to be going on a down way spiral. Not sure what is going on really.

Everything had been going fine. The Xenia had been extending really fast. I decided to frag one ofthe heads. So I did and attached the frag to a piece of rubble and placed it on the sand. I left it as is and everything still seemed fine. This was all done on Friday morning. On Saturday morning the Xenia that was fragged, the frag, AND the other Xenia I have in the tank were very shrunken. My zoos never opened. I immediately tested all the parameters. Ammonia, nitrite, phosphate, all 0. Nitrate around 10 ppm.

Temperature had dropped to about 76. Normally it's at 79 or 80. I noticed my heater was broken. Had a crack on the glass not sure how that happened. I bought the smallest heater I could find. But it's permanently set at 78. It's not really cutting it. I'm going to get one with a dial today and see how it goes.

I did do a 10 percent water change yesterday to see if it helped and nothing. I'll be doing another today just in case.

A bit frustrated right now!!

 

[pnavarro170]

im no expert, but the fragged xenia will emit slime and whatever else to help recover its wounds, putting it back in that small of a tank well everyone will feel the effects. i would remove the cut pieces and do like an 80 percent water change.

 

[deehz]

If there was a crack on the glass of the heater. Then there is a good probability that some of the corrosive metals, oils, or acids in the heater leached into your tank. Don't panic, you did a great job by changing out the water.

Add a bag of carbon into the tank so it will absorb out any metals, acids, or pollutants that got into the water. Do a 20-30% water change every other day for the next week and change out the carbon as needed. Keep us updated k. Don't panic.

 

[jtinoco]

I removed the frag. The parent Xenia attached to the rock with the "wound" where it was fragged.

The zoos are now semi open. My only question is, the Xenia seems to be the most affected. Would it's own slime affect it and the other same exact type of Xenia in the tank?

I'm going to run carbon on the tank for today and see if it helps.

My clown and hermits all seem to be Doug well with no ill effects at all.

 

[jtinoco]

If there was a crack on the glass of the heater. Then there is a good probability that some of the corrosive metals, oils, or acids in the heater leached into your tank. Don't panic, you did a great job by changing out the water.

Add a bag of carbon into the tank so it will absorb out any metals, acids, or pollutants that got into the water. Do a 20-30% water change every other day for the next week and change out the carbon as needed. Keep us updated k. Don't panic.

Just noticed your post. Lol

I'm at the store as we speak getting carbon and a new heater.

Only reason I panic is cuz it's such a small tank. Eveything can get wiped out in no time.

Hopefully I'll be able to save the Xenia.

 

[pnavarro170]

yeah the heater probably has lots of things that shouldnt be in a tank, i at one point broke a little glass temp reader, and quickly took out sant where the little metal balls fell, then used a magnet to hopefully pull the rest out.

and dont worry about losing your xenia i got some for you if you need .

 

[jmait769]

Yes sounds like you caught it in time with the water changes! Don't worry those xenias are almost bullet proof! Plus I have more!

Jay

 

[jtinoco]

yeah the heater probably has lots of things that shouldnt be in a tank, i at one point broke a little glass temp reader, and quickly took out sant where the little metal balls fell, then used a magnet to hopefully pull the rest out.

and dont worry about losing your xenia i got some for you if you need .

Yes sounds like you caught it in time with the water changes! Don't worry those xenias are almost bullet proof! Plus I have more!

Jay

Thanks guys. I couldn't find a heater as small as I need with a dial. Went with a Marineland Stealth Pro. It's just a 10 watt. I'm sure it'll do the job. Headed home now to run some carbon.

 

[ryan_paskadi]

dont worry your fine.

Jay is right the xenia is bulletproof and want cause issues with being cut. Zoas can be tempermental even in a steady system. My guess is it was the temperature. Just continue doing what you are doing and it will bounce back.

 

[jtinoco]

I ran carbon yesterday and it is still running today. I did another water change as well.

The Xenia looks terrible and is almost gone now. I think it's beyond repair now. The zoos are semi open and the gsp has been mostly closed as well as the Kenya tree.

I am going to keep running the carbon and see how it does.

Any suggestions?

 

[mistaflicksta]

one question we haven't asked is what type of lighting are you using? If you are beeming the coral with high light they wither down very quickly.

 

[jtinoco]

It's just a spiral bulb. It's a 26w power complact. It's 6700k.

The thing is that I've been using that light since I started the tank a few months ago. All the coral had been doing great until this Friday and Saturday.

Wouldn't the coral have an immediate reaction to high lighting?

 

[jmait769]

It is possible that the heater shorted and voltage was applied to the tank on top of what deehz wrote. With that size tank these events are less forgiving than in a larger tank. Is the water clear? It will probably take a few days with the carbon. What are you running the carbon in? You only need one cell of a xenia to produce another! I forgot to write earlier that when I remove or disturbed the xenia in my tank most of the other xenia would close also. They must sense when other xenia are messed with. Are there fish in the tank?

Jay

 

[jtinoco]

It is possible that the heater shorted and voltage was applied to the tank on top of what deehz wrote. With that size tank these events are less forgiving than in a larger tank. Is the water clear? It will probably take a few days with the carbon. What are you running the carbon in? You only need one cell of a xenia to produce another! I forgot to write earlier that when I remove or disturbed the xenia in my tank most of the other xenia would close also. They must sense when other xenia are messed with. Are there fish in the tank?

Jay

I don't think it shorted out. My baby clown is doing fine along with both hermits.

Both xenias are looking almost dead tho.

I'm running the carbon in the HOB filter in a media pouch. The water has been clear this whole time.

I'm ready to just start over again.

 

[jmait769]

That is good then. I would just give it some time to recover. No need to frag xenia - I have more!

Jay

 

[pnavarro170]

just set it all aside in something and do a full water change, or maybe its time to step up to a 10 or 20 gallon tank. and keep that one on the side. JMO

 

[psuedopimp]

sometimes over-reacting can cause just as much harm. let the carbon do it's thing. and i would hold off on anymore water changes for the the next couple of days. i would get water ready to have on hand and get it's parameters exactly the same as the tank water.

the biggest problem with quick emergency water changes is, i don't think the parameters have time to become stable and then you dump that in and it gets everything off balance. even more so with a small tank.

 

[psuedopimp]

and if there is a positive about tank crashes, it is that everyone will usually give you a frag of something to get you back up and running. so no worries either way.

 

[deehz]

That is good then. I would just give it some time to recover. No need to frag xenia - I have more!
Jay

I agree with Jay. Just give it time. If everyone else in the tank is doing fine and the zoas are starting to open. Then this is a great sign. Just be patient. I am sure in time, the xenia will recover as well. This hobby can drive the sanest person insane. :wildone:

 

[ryan_paskadi]

once the xenia get going there like a weed. I used to just cut them down right to the rock and throw them away. They grow back quickly. I used them for nutrient export.