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View Full Version : AFTER Tank Crash - How to get it back up fast?


justinky
11/19/2014, 09:17 AM
My tank crashed last weekend I believe due to some chemical in my new carbon reactor, you can read about that here if you want, http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2458257. I have since done a 60g water change and I have been doing 10g water changes every night and afterwards dosing Seachem Prime and Seachem Stability.

All of my anemones lived due to getting them out fast, all 13 of my clownfish lived and my Eibli Angelfish. They are sitting at my LFS due to the owner being very generous and helping me out, regardless I don't want to put him out of space too long as I'm sure you all can understand and due to how tough my anemones are to keep the longer they sit there, something may happen anyways as he doesn't have the proper environment for them.

If you can give me ANY tips on speeding up the process or when it might be safe to bring my livestock back I would greatly appreciate it. I am thinking about ordering a big block of Marine Pure tonight.

F4talreeefer
11/19/2014, 09:27 AM
Are your parameters back in check? To be honest I'd grab some carbon (I know thats what you think caused the issue, but I'd grab a bag from another company) do a 50% water change let it run 24hrs then do a near 100% water change.
I feel you are probably okay to reintroduce things already, albeit slowly over the course of a week your two would be my move. The carbon will help insure the removal of anything left just to be safe.

justinky
11/19/2014, 09:37 AM
Are your parameters back in check? To be honest I'd grab some carbon (I know thats what you think caused the issue, but I'd grab a bag from another company) do a 50% water change let it run 24hrs then do a near 100% water change.
I feel you are probably okay to reintroduce things already, albeit slowly over the course of a week your two would be my move. The carbon will help insure the removal of anything left just to be safe.

I washed the carbon reactor with a 3:1 ratio RODI:Vinegar for 2 hours and rinsed in RODI for 2 hours and dumped all their media that came with the reactor. I've been running carbon since Saturday. My ammonia is out of whack right now, last night reading 0.12ppm. I can do a near 100% water change either Friday or Saturday. The problem with moving slowly is I have a harem of clownfish, most really small but 13. I'm scared that if they are split up they will not work together anymore.

cambo123
11/19/2014, 09:40 AM
I had a mj1200 fail when hooking up a media reactor and basically destroy my tank. It wansnt the media, might want to get a new pump and run carbon. I have some threads when I was dealing with it if you are interested. I was never able to add coral back in successfully. Fish did fine more or less. I ultimately had to restart the tank.

justinky
11/19/2014, 09:42 AM
I had a mj1200 fail when hooking up a media reactor and basically destroy my tank. It wansnt the media, might want to get a new pump and run carbon. I have some threads when I was dealing with it if you are interested. I was never able to add coral back in successfully. Fish did fine more or less. I ultimately had to restart the tank.

Was it stray voltage? I lost 2 fish to the initial crash. Also how long after you hooked it up did you have problems? Mine took 4 hours.

justinky
11/19/2014, 11:28 AM
I will add the clowns back first I guess, then space out the rest of the livestock as much as possible. I'm going to get a test fish first and use my small BTA that I don't care much for to see if there are any signs of the chemical still being present.

Anymore tips for getting my tank up would be greatly appreciated!

F4talreeefer
11/19/2014, 11:42 AM
If your ammonia is out of wack are you sure something didn't die and is decaying. Unless he crash killed your bacteria I would be expecting it to be able process it rather quickly. Assuming it's an established tank.

justinky
11/19/2014, 11:49 AM
If your ammonia is out of wack are you sure something didn't die and is decaying. Unless he crash killed your bacteria I would be expecting it to be able process it rather quickly. Assuming it's an established tank.

I think the crashed killed, some if not all of my bacteria. If it really was due to a chemical which I firmly believe it was, then it's not surprising.

edit: I will note all my pods, mini brittle stars, bristleworms I've seen floating around in my tank during water changes when I put my pumps on high so there is definitely decay.

DasCamel
11/19/2014, 12:10 PM
Do you have an ammonia badge? That'll let you know real quick when the new cycle completes and stays that way. Sucks though, hang in there.

justinky
11/19/2014, 12:23 PM
Do you have an ammonia badge? That'll let you know real quick when the new cycle completes and stays that way. Sucks though, hang in there.

I do not. I've been testing nightly. I'll pick one up. I'm trying to hang in, but if I add my test dummies in and they die or I think the chemical is still lingering I may throw in the towel and just sell off my livestock as I can't keep pouring $$$ into this hobby at the rate I am as I am trying to start college soon.

cambo123
11/20/2014, 12:32 AM
Was it stray voltage? I lost 2 fish to the initial crash. Also how long after you hooked it up did you have problems? Mine took 4 hours.

I think it was a combo of stray voltage and heavy metal leaching. The pump stopped pumping after 15 minutes and when I pulled it out it actually shorted preceding the wire melting off. Net negative effect was immediate...ie less than 1 hour. Corals began to either STN or RTN the next day.