total tank loss

S

smellfishy

New member
I haven't posted in a while, but I have to vent. I got a call from my old neighbor who has been feeding my fish at my old house. He said that something looked wrong with one of the tanks. He said " It kind of looks cloudy". I went over there tonight after work to find the house smelling like dead fish. Looks like the return pump failed and the lights cooked everything in the tank. The only thing I could save were 7 snails that were in the refugium above the water line. Lost all the fish, inverts, and 12 years of corals. Looks like I have 250gallons worth of dead rock and sand. The worst part of it all is they were all going to go into my new tank that some of you helped me move into my house a while back so now I have to sart all over agian with a bare tank. I don't know if I should be mad at him because I still think I am in shock over the whole thing.
 
So sorry about that.:( I don't understand how he did'nt know when the pump went out, did'nt he notice there was no noise or flow?
 
Unfortunately, that is the problem with people who are not in the hobby. They won't realize something is wrong unless it is really wrong. When I go on vacation for five days, I leave my friend EXACT details on what he should be looking for. For example:

Look under tank in cabinet. Make sure the water is above the pump. Make sure pump is working. Make sure light is on.

I tend to leave him 2-3 pages of notes and then a bunch of phone numbers in case something tragic happens and he can't reach me...then I call every day to make sure my corals and ferrets are still in tact and the house hasn't burnt down. I guess I'm a little paranoid.

I'm so sorry for your loss, but it would be hard to blame a neighbor who was trying to help you out. If there is anything I can do to help(frags, time, labor, whatever), please ask.
 
Wow, that really sucks, ....Thanks, now i will ahve jsut one more nightmare each night...lol. I dread something happening to my tank, that is why i do that smae as Craig, i tell my parents EVERYTHING...and i call each night o have them check while im ont he phone with them, so whether they did earlier or not, i am a wittness. Well, i am one to believe that everything happens for a purpose, if not anythign bigger, just maybe a "lessons learned" thing....
 
i have some frags i could hook you up with as well. i was wondering what kind of pump you had down there and how old it was. just wondering - thanks and sorry for your loss
 
Sorry man, that sucks big time. Maybe a new start will be good in the new tank. How is the new tank coming along. Have you got it in the house yet. I cant wait to see it, that is the nicest tank I have ever seen.
 
Wow that is horrible I am so sorry to hear. That's like ever reefers nightmare :(:(:(

My folks live out in Clermont and I visit them every once in a while, I have some frags I could donate to get your tank started too when you are ready that should grow out enough between now and then.

I just hope you don't get discouraged- it seems like it will be a choice you have to make.

On the bright side if you keep going with the new tank, it should be a breeze to aquascape with blank rock :) A silver lining perhaps

Take care and let us know how everything turns out and if we can help
 
Hey, that's sad sorry to hear that.

Corals and live rock seem to have a remarkable resilience they can die off easy but hopefully with restoration of ideal conditions stuff deep within the rocks and skeletons you might just find a way for some life to come back. I know we've all bought cured live rock and found hitchhikers and a surprising life sprout out from the bare rock.

Good luck with the new tank, keep the faith Bro.
 
Been there, done that.
Mine was a chiller that went out and left me with 220 gallons of soup...
It's everyones worst fear...

Sorry for your loss...
 
Well I really don't think any of the corals made it, the tank looked like it was filled with milk. I turned the circulation pump off to try to get the tank cleaned up some. I hooked up an old pump and did a 100 gal water change there was about an inch layer of slime on the bottom. I had a really nice two foot table top acro that I took out along with all of the other large colonies that I now plan on bleaching and using as home decor for my new tank I am setting up in my new house. The pump that failed was a dolphin brand pump about five years old. I had already planed the new system using two return pumps to safe guard against this type of situation. Thanks for offering to help with some frags. Also I really don't think I could ever get out of reefing it is in my blood. The big tank still resides in my garage. I have to finish welding some of the stand but hopefully it will be done soon.
 
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