This is what reef neglect looks like

[Joe Pusdesris]

4 months ago I had 2 softcoral dominated reefs. Since then, I was away on work and my dad was taking care of the tanks. This is what I got back to after 5 months of literally nothing but water top offs and the occasional flake food. Note that half of the bulbs burnt out, the skimmer was never cleaned, glass was never cleaned, nothing like that. I thought it would be cool to do a diary of the recovery process. So I'll start it with this.

Here is a picture to give you an idea of the 'before:'

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/p-_VHps4kTSS-odsoROUOtMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-904tIVy1fRU/TXF7ZS4BJvI/AAAAAAAABOY/ZqCkPjLYfgA/s640/IMG_0875.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/110191504718179578856/60g?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">60g</a></td></tr></table>

Here is what I came home to.

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/v2OqWT_5O_IKPIACo4V9YtMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Jfixcspv1tk/UCgUHZIgpHI/AAAAAAAAAGs/vCoiYi7seqI/s640/IMG_1109.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/104384727186653047787/Neglect?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Neglect</a></td></tr></table>

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I find it bizzare that all the sand is somehow missing from my fluidized bed filter I setup shortly before leaving. It was 50% sand 50% crushed coral, seems to be entirely crushed coral now.

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-lV3f5SYsFzs8oPMCUzgS9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-wB9zGGCcNy4/UCgUFcsm9hI/AAAAAAAAAGA/SKwQvtLPnqU/s640/IMG_1104.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/104384727186653047787/Neglect?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Neglect</a></td></tr></table>

Thick mat of some turf algae over the entire surface.

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/OxZYSXerDIadhV7oeXPU19MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-h21c1rCo3zA/UCgUGNlnHUI/AAAAAAAAAGI/xTwKbCJQh_0/s640/IMG_1105.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/104384727186653047787/Neglect?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Neglect</a></td></tr></table>

This sump looks ok:

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/J4FfZMo_mR0JTa5nKwd8kdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--uEbg7ZAuLU/UCgUIguFEJI/AAAAAAAAAHI/UJPlQZyGDMM/s640/IMG_1113.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/104384727186653047787/Neglect?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Neglect</a></td></tr></table>

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After I clean the glass, here is what I see. Interesting that no fish died.
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/uck5pWW4p_7vn_HlKzklKNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-bHb9JgagqDI/UCgUK5mcI0I/AAAAAAAAAJU/6GstC5AimsA/s640/IMG_1117.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/104384727186653047787/Neglect?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Neglect</a></td></tr></table>

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[Joe Pusdesris]

I removed this much stuff:

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/e3cP6JlAqd5w2x3a8deU69MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-WFeFe3P3uIk/UCgUN2UpA9I/AAAAAAAAAIo/WmwVRHHZKW4/s640/IMG_1126.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/104384727186653047787/Neglect?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Neglect</a></td></tr></table>


I built a new light fixture quick-and-dirty-style to keep things going until I get a chance to build something proper. I will probably keep these bulbs. Costco has a 6 pack for $3. How could I go wrong?

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/jHXRfTqpw-5g0SFFtUNS1NMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-gXnrj8axGUw/UCgUSm9pXQI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/52MQQ6KkoQM/s640/IMG_1134.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/104384727186653047787/Neglect?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Neglect</a></td></tr></table>

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[Joe Pusdesris]

Here's a closeup:

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/85-EpEpDO-jq64qbQN6C69MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-LCZU24I79lo/UCgUPrmrsRI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/aWglhwU4eeE/s640/IMG_1130.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/104384727186653047787/Neglect?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Neglect</a></td></tr></table>

I am done working on the tanks for today, but I will post pictures as I make more progress.

 

[planedoc]

You are really good at growing algae.
There is s bright side to everything.

 

[trinidiver]

Wow, thats amazing that no fish died

 

[Joe Pusdesris]

Yeah, 2 ocellaris in each tank. A sailfin, bristletooth, flame angle, and watchman goby in the cube one. Even the linkia star is still alive,though a bit smaller than when I left. That thing is almost 2 years old now.

 

[Yedgy]

Hooray for soft corals! If this had been an SPS or LPS tank, you would have come home to 60 gallons of death soup. Good luck with the cleanup! Please post your water parameters before you begin water changes so we can get a better sense of the damage to your water chemistry.

BTW, what are the red/green things on the glass in the 7th photo? And how yellow did your water get?

 

[Joe Pusdesris]

I typically don't do water changes or buy test kits. Too expensive. We'll see if it is necessary after a few weeks.

I am not sure what picture you are referring to, but the 7th one is flatworms, and the 8th is coralline.

The water is a little bit yellow in the long tank, not very bad though.

 

[llewella]

wow sooo many flat worms Id be just sick if I came home to that. Surprising that anything lived!

 

[Joe Pusdesris]

It seems like all of the problems in the cube tank were a result of the bulbs burning out. Everything from the coralline EVERYWHERE to losing much of the coral can be attributed to low light. I still need to fix the lighting on that one.

The 70 has a larger variety of problems. Starting with the huge amount of urchin poop that built up. The sump needed to be cleaned a lot, the lights needed rebuilding, the flatworms need exterminating, and we'll see what else. I am moving this tank to my new house with me in about a month, so that will be fun... The 60 cube is staying at my parent's house for the foreseeable future, but that one might make the journey eventually.

 

[Joe Pusdesris]

To get an idea of how much brighter picture 13 is than picture 10, picture 13 was taken with an ISO of 200, exposure of 1/30s, and aperture of 2.8. Picture 10 was 400, 1/20s, and 2.8.

Picture 12, which is just looking directly at the lights is 160, 1/1250s, and 5.0.

 

[Joe Pusdesris]

Added some sand, and buried a lot of flatworms in the process. I don't know if they are capable of digging themselves out or not. Going to get a yellow wrasse or something soon, maybe a melanurus. Those things will appreciate the sand, and it should help hide some of the urchin poop.

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LHkxAO-7J5UW6oa17WuiqtMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-i_nojXxlQn4/UCj_fEKD75I/AAAAAAAAAKY/A5Zq2IDr9kA/s640/IMG_1136.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/104384727186653047787/Neglect?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Neglect</a></td></tr></table>

 

[Fatmike92]

Ha very nice recovery. That couldn't of been easy scraping all that stuff off!

 

[jcw]

What was the spec grav when you got back?

 

[Joe Pusdesris]

What was the spec grav when you got back?

1.025 in both. Measured with a refractometer.

 

[jcw]

1.025 in both. Measured with a refractometer.

wow 5months...

 

[Joe Pusdesris]

They both have about 90 gallons of water including the sump and there isn't much spray. Nothing to cause the salinity to change very much.

 

[planedoc]

That was a benefit of skimmer not being emptied. It's looking much better all ready.

 

[Joe Pusdesris]

I added new sand to the fluidized bed filter. I think this is pretty cool how you can see the distinct line to where the old sand is. Shows how powerful this type of filter's ability to culture bacteria is.

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/TWErtb23NJORbvDF-O3EMtMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-m-WNagOHmdQ/UCkspIJkBtI/AAAAAAAAALQ/nartva3wRFw/s640/IMG_1142.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/104384727186653047787/Neglect?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">Neglect</a></td></tr></table>

 

[Joe Pusdesris]

I ordered some mylar reflective film today as a component of the new hood. Not sure what I will make the frame out of yet.