Tank Crashing

Bozad · 01/14/2018, 02:09 PM

I have a 160 gal tank that has begun to crash. Phosphate are elevated but I don't think this is it. I noticed two days ago my skimmer started over skimming with no adjustments made. Any help?

Daddi0 · 01/14/2018, 02:13 PM

Bummer! Gonna need your parameters and what is dying?
Cheers! Mark

Bozad · 01/14/2018, 02:31 PM

I just found a broken heater in my sump. I'm wondering if the heater materials that have corroded are causing this crash. Phosphates are .16, I just started up my phosphate reactor. Temp is 77. Hammers, Frog Sporn, Fuzzie mushrooms. The tank is cloudy. The skimmer has been going crazy the last couple days.

Bozad · 01/14/2018, 04:13 PM

Hi Everyone, My tank appears to be crashing all my corals are closed up and might be dying. I found one of my sump heaters had broke in half. Don't know when it happened but it was quite corroded. My tank is very cloudy and my skimmer has been going crazy. Any suggestions on what I should do?

Pslreefer · 01/14/2018, 04:14 PM

Run carbon do big water change

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mcgyvr · 01/14/2018, 04:16 PM

Run a Polyfilter too..

bertoni · 01/14/2018, 05:29 PM

A broken heater definitely can kill a lot of animals if the metal parts came in contact with the water. I'd try a few large water changes (maybe 20%) and Amquel or Prime, in case the ammonia level starts to spike. Have you tested for ammonia? If the ammonia level is zero and the animals are doing well, a few smaller changes (10-15%) probably would be enough.

Some fresh carbon and some CupriSorb would help remove toxic metals from the water column.

bertoni · 01/14/2018, 05:34 PM

I merged two threads together to keep the discussion in one place.

Bozad · 01/15/2018, 12:51 PM

The heater materials did come in contact with the water. The corals look at a little better now that I have my temp back up. I'm doing 25% WC. I did see a slight increase in ammonia. I'll update later today. Thanks for your help.

bertoni · 01/15/2018, 05:17 PM

You're welcome.

That sounds like a bit of progress!

I'd keep watching the ammonia level carefully.

Bozad · 01/25/2018, 05:29 PM

Update, most of my corals have rebounded. Only lost one fish (blue Throat Trigger). The only coral that still looks bad is my Sinularia. Prior to the heater breakage this coral had 4" round bases attached to my LR. They are now 1" if I'm lucky. No polyp extension at all. Any chance that this will make a come back?

Optionman · 01/25/2018, 06:09 PM

Sorry for your loss. From my limited experience sinularia are hardy and can look bad for an extended period and then rebound. Give it time. Good luck.

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bertoni · 01/25/2018, 06:16 PM

The Sinularia might make a comeback. I think that they can be sensitive to chemical warfare and toxins in the water, based on my experience with a system with mixed soft corals. I'd give it some time. Have you tried some fresh carbon?

Sk8r · 01/26/2018, 12:39 PM

Second the carbon. It will not 'tell' you it's saturated. If things are going wrong and pollution is suspected, fresh carbon.

bertoni · 01/26/2018, 05:57 PM

That is one of the issues when using activated carbon. We have no practical way to know whether it's saturated.

Drix · 01/26/2018, 10:54 PM

What kind of heater were you using?

Bozad · 01/27/2018, 11:24 AM

I'm running a Ferric Oxide and Carbon reactor. I've also placed a carbon bag in the sump near the return pump intake. The heater was a 300W Aquatop. I replaced with a Titanium heater. Any idea on how long the corals can receed before a possible comeback? Even though the coral is receded, it still has great color.

bertoni · 01/27/2018, 07:24 PM

I have no idea how long it'll take for the coral to recover from the recession. You could ask in one of the coral forums.

01/14/2018, 02:09 PM	#1
Bozad Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Michigan Posts: 223	Tank Crashing I have a 160 gal tank that has begun to crash. Phosphate are elevated but I don't think this is it. I noticed two days ago my skimmer started over skimming with no adjustments made. Any help? __________________ Don Current Tank Info: 160g BF Acrylic Custom LED Lighting

01/14/2018, 02:13 PM	#2
Daddi0 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Redwood City Posts: 1,354	Bummer! Gonna need your parameters and what is dying? Cheers! Mark __________________ 2x 65g displays with a 30g cryptic refugium and 30g sump - 55g reef 30g Bio-cube reef - I.M. 30g reef - 45g freshwater

01/14/2018, 02:31 PM	#3
Bozad Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Michigan Posts: 223	I just found a broken heater in my sump. I'm wondering if the heater materials that have corroded are causing this crash. Phosphates are .16, I just started up my phosphate reactor. Temp is 77. Hammers, Frog Sporn, Fuzzie mushrooms. The tank is cloudy. The skimmer has been going crazy the last couple days. __________________ Don Current Tank Info: 160g BF Acrylic Custom LED Lighting

01/14/2018, 04:13 PM	#4
Bozad Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Michigan Posts: 223	Broken Heater in Sump Hi Everyone, My tank appears to be crashing all my corals are closed up and might be dying. I found one of my sump heaters had broke in half. Don't know when it happened but it was quite corroded. My tank is very cloudy and my skimmer has been going crazy. Any suggestions on what I should do? __________________ Don Current Tank Info: 160g BF Acrylic Custom LED Lighting

01/14/2018, 04:16 PM	#6
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Run a Polyfilter too.. __________________ Who me?

01/14/2018, 04:14 PM	#5
Pslreefer In Memoriam Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Port St Lucie, FL Posts: 597	Run carbon do big water change Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

01/14/2018, 05:29 PM	#7
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	A broken heater definitely can kill a lot of animals if the metal parts came in contact with the water. I'd try a few large water changes (maybe 20%) and Amquel or Prime, in case the ammonia level starts to spike. Have you tested for ammonia? If the ammonia level is zero and the animals are doing well, a few smaller changes (10-15%) probably would be enough. Some fresh carbon and some CupriSorb would help remove toxic metals from the water column. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

01/14/2018, 05:34 PM	#8
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I merged two threads together to keep the discussion in one place. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

01/15/2018, 12:51 PM	#9
Bozad Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Michigan Posts: 223	The heater materials did come in contact with the water. The corals look at a little better now that I have my temp back up. I'm doing 25% WC. I did see a slight increase in ammonia. I'll update later today. Thanks for your help. __________________ Don Current Tank Info: 160g BF Acrylic Custom LED Lighting

01/15/2018, 05:17 PM	#10
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	You're welcome. That sounds like a bit of progress! I'd keep watching the ammonia level carefully. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

01/25/2018, 05:29 PM	#11
Bozad Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Michigan Posts: 223	Update, most of my corals have rebounded. Only lost one fish (blue Throat Trigger). The only coral that still looks bad is my Sinularia. Prior to the heater breakage this coral had 4" round bases attached to my LR. They are now 1" if I'm lucky. No polyp extension at all. Any chance that this will make a come back? __________________ Don Current Tank Info: 160g BF Acrylic Custom LED Lighting

01/25/2018, 06:09 PM	#12
Optionman Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: NJ Posts: 774	Sorry for your loss. From my limited experience sinularia are hardy and can look bad for an extended period and then rebound. Give it time. Good luck. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

01/25/2018, 06:16 PM	#13
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The Sinularia might make a comeback. I think that they can be sensitive to chemical warfare and toxins in the water, based on my experience with a system with mixed soft corals. I'd give it some time. Have you tried some fresh carbon? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

01/26/2018, 12:39 PM	#14
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Second the carbon. It will not 'tell' you it's saturated. If things are going wrong and pollution is suspected, fresh carbon. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

01/26/2018, 05:57 PM	#15
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	That is one of the issues when using activated carbon. We have no practical way to know whether it's saturated. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

01/26/2018, 10:54 PM	#16
Drix Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 590	What kind of heater were you using?

01/27/2018, 11:24 AM	#17
Bozad Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Michigan Posts: 223	I'm running a Ferric Oxide and Carbon reactor. I've also placed a carbon bag in the sump near the return pump intake. The heater was a 300W Aquatop. I replaced with a Titanium heater. Any idea on how long the corals can receed before a possible comeback? Even though the coral is receded, it still has great color. __________________ Don Current Tank Info: 160g BF Acrylic Custom LED Lighting

01/27/2018, 07:24 PM	#18
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I have no idea how long it'll take for the coral to recover from the recession. You could ask in one of the coral forums. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni