What's Your Worst Disaster?

[MayorOfWhoVille]

Hey guys, I was just thinking that there has to be some good stories out there (and probably a lot to learn) when it comes to tank disasters. The worst one for me was back in MI a few years ago. My SeaClone protein skimmer had a finicky (leaky) joint at the bottom. The slightest movement of the skimmer could cause it to start a very slow drip. Knowing this I would always check after any kind of tank maintenance. Well one time the drip was so slow I didn't even notice it. Less than one drop every few minutes. Silly me but I had a power strip directly beneath the skimmer and sure enough I'm at work and I get a call from my wife that the apartment almost burned down! :furious: Luckily she was home and smelled something cooking. Our neighbor was a fellow reefer and she enlisted his help in 'handling' the situation (all kinds of snap-crackle-and-poppin' and some burning plastic and carpet). Fortunately the flames were small and no one was electrocuted. Close call, and all from about a tablespoon of water. Anyhow, some Teflon tape in the joint sealed the deal. I guess the lesson is...don't be lazy?

 

[funman1]

uhh the lesson on that would be.... GET A GFCI!!!

My only regret in this hobby is ever adding calurpa to my fuge, it spread to my main display and destoryed my VERY nice rare zoo collection.

 

[buttons buster]

Hey funman, how exactly did it destroy your zoas?

I have some zoas, and calurpa, and I bet you can guess which one I would be willing to get rid of first


Worst think that happened:

Temp was kinds low, so my dad turned up the heater a little bit, to warm it up.
Some how he forgot to turn it off, we went on vacation, came back, and practically the whole tank was fried
lost some good stuff

 

[funman1]

That sucks!!

I did kinda the exact same thing once.
Threw in a 500W heater to heat up the tank for just 3-4 mins and then got a call and ran out the door, came back to a tank that was 95 degs.. Lost a lot of corals.. Amazingly ALL fish survived!!

The calurpa is impossible to get rid of and will grow right over the top of your zoos and bury them so they can not get any light.
Sad

I now have a personal vendetta against that stuff, If I can stop just one person from adding it to their tank I feel I will have done some good

 

[matttaylor]

Hey Steve, if you need help getting some of the caulerpa out of the tank feel free to bring the rocks over here. I have 5 tangs that love the stuff. I gaurantee the rocks will be clean before you can finish one drink.

Matt

 

[funman1]

Thanks Matt I may take you up on that offer.
I just pulled TONS off my rocks and I can see my zoas for the first time in months.

 

[MayorOfWhoVille]

Haha, yes a GFCI is not a bad idea. So, beware the calurpa? Good to know. Yeah, those tangs are awesome.

 

[funman1]

I have a yellow tang that loves the stuff, just no room in that tank to add the tainted rock..

 

[JAnwyl]

I got a fuge and temporarily set it up till I could get it plumbed properly. I had it above the tank on a piece of furniture gravity draining back into the tank.

I lost the power, and twice, had a few of the top inches of the fuge drain into and over the edge of my tank. (Inlet tube siphoned water back) Testing would have been smart.......but the same problem twice was a moment of glory.

Lost maybe 5 gallons and 10 another time. Second time, I think I lost 10 gallons that time, It caused the power jack and surge to burn out. I almost caught the place on fire and lost a bunch of water on a tile kitchen floor. Also partly flooded the neighboring apartment.

 

[Fragmented]

My worst disasters:

One week power outage. Lost almost everything.


Unplugged chiller and forgot to plug it back in. Lost more than 1/2.

 

[funman1]

1 week power outage!?!?!?
Man brorrow a generator, or inverter or something....
That's crazy!!

 

[Reef n' Madness]

Besides the disaster Austin mentioned above (which I am really glad I happened to call off work that day!!) I think the worst disaster my tank went through was the move! Lets just say I will be shipping my corals that I don't sell if I have to move a large distance again!

 

[Justin74]

Adding approximately 3lb of beautifull uncurred live rock.

Wiped out my whole 2 year established 50g FOWLR of anything that moved. Watched my beautifull Sailfin, tomatoe, skunk, wrasse, algae blenny, and shrimp goby die a horrible death. Slowly, one by one till there were none. Traumatic experience.

-Justin

 

[buttons buster]

how does that even happen justin?
It must have been something else.
3 lbs won't sway a 50 that much

 

[Justin74]

Somewhere around there, definately not more than 4lb. Ya, it definately happens and was warned but like you thought because it was so small, shouldnt be a big deal..The coraline, sponge, seen and unseen critters were dead, not only that but soaking in a bath of about 500lb of more uncured rock. Though in appearance it was colorfull and super diverse, it was in a state of decay. The amonia spike brought into my tank was too much for my already full biolode. The sailfin and clown were pretty big along with the others, and at the time only had about 30lbs of live rock, just enough to hold the biolode.
Fins deteriorated, breathing became sporatic and all the fish died within a 48 hr period of adding 2 peices, a 2lb'r and a 1lb rock.

-Justin

 

[danorth]

I could tell of the many 'worst disasters' I've had, but it would only depress me.

But, in short....

velvet=death
oysters=death
hurried/rash decisions=death
faulty timer=death

 

[Auntbeez]

Went on vacation in July and didn't think to tell my fish sitter to add fresh water to top off for evaporation. 2 weeks later water was 1/3 down and everything but the Blue Damsel and one hermit crab were dead.

 

[matttaylor]

Not my disaster directly, but i set up a reef for my father in law about 3 years back, and since i worked for him i took care of it. After about 4 months the tank was going well and thriving. (all livestock and rock came from my tank at the time so no cycle) Well one weekend during the summer he forgot to turn on the AC in his office. We arrived monday morning to the worst smell i've even smelled, the tank was at almost 100 degrees and everything was dead. I lost a lot of rare corals and fish, and he was out all the money. It took almost a week to get the smell out of the office.