/ Register

  1. Do you have an old account but can't access it?


    See Accessing your GIRS Account or Contact Us - We are here to help!

System failure

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by iaJim, May 21, 2010.

  1. May 21, 2010 #1
    iaJim

    iaJim Inactive User

    775
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    My tank overheated last night because I had unplugged the fan and forgot to plug it back in again. Catastrophic losses. All my fish are gone. Looks like most of the corals are gone. I've removed the stinkiest bits and have been changing water and skimming all day long, but it stinks in here, and I'm about to tear it all down and start fresh. I have some snails and crabs alive, and maybe a couple of corals, not sure, but they have color. I had a torch half the size of a volleyball. It's a colony I got from Cagri.

    Any downside to pulling everything out, cleaning out the tank and putting in all new water?

    I'm looking for a suggestion here.
     
  2. May 21, 2010 #2
    Shaun

    Shaun Inactive User

    711
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    Man I am sorry to hear it. I would try to qt the corals you have left and do water changes and give it time. Watch you parameters close. You may be able to avoid a teardown with water changes and time. Shaun
     
  3. May 21, 2010 #3
    Mary

    Mary Inactive User

    222
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    oh wow. that is just awful.. could it be that your heater 'stuck'.. But yeah do water changes. you might be ok once they recover.
     
  4. May 21, 2010 #4
    iaJim

    iaJim Inactive User

    775
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    The controller would have taken care of a stuck heater. I must not have had the lights programmed to shut down with the heat though.
     
  5. May 21, 2010 #5
    Mary

    Mary Inactive User

    222
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    are you running metal halides? i turn my heater down on my nano to compensate some for theat given off. in the summer i do run a fan.
     
  6. May 21, 2010 #6
    iaJim

    iaJim Inactive User

    775
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    I'm running two 400 watt MH's. Lots of heat.
     
  7. May 21, 2010 #7
    AJ

    AJ Inactive User

    5,011
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    Really sucks man! I would take this opportunity to start fresh. It's not like you have much of anything left. See if someone can take what you have left and hold it or something, cook the rocks, and start over. As hard as it probably is, try to look at this as an opportunity to make some of those changes you've been wanting to make. We all have things we would like to change with our setup. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help (like maybe re-writing some of the AC3 code or something). You can also check this out: http://www.greateriowareefsociety.org/Community/DiscussionForums/tabid/78/aff/4/aft/18411/afv/topic/Default.aspx

    --AJ
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 26, 2015
  8. May 21, 2010 #8
    phishcrazee Riverside

    phishcrazee Experienced Reefkeeper

    1,682
    Riverside
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    Sorry, tank catastrophes are the worst. When my tank has crashed, I just keep doing water changes and see what pulls through- you'd be surprised at what pulls through sometimes! You'll know in a week or two what has bit the bullet for sure and what might make it. I've had just tiny pieces of a coral make it and go on to grow huge, so to me, it's worth saving what you can. Let me know if you need any new frags, I've got a bunch of things you can have for free if you want some of the more common ones.....
     
  9. May 21, 2010 #9
    stew Ankeny, IA

    stew Well-Known ReefKeeper GIRS Member

    519
    Ankeny, IA
    Ratings:
    +72 / 0 / -0
    +1 on giving the tank a chance and doing water changes.  I had a tank crash a few months ago and did major water changes and pitched anything that looked dead.  Could not believe the number of critters, macro algae and other stuff that survived.  Don't think my crash was temp related but it's amazing how much stuff pulled through.
     
  10. May 22, 2010 #10
    iaJim

    iaJim Inactive User

    775
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    Thanks for the encouragement. The water is a bit clearer today. I think getting the meaty things out of there has helped. I'm sure there's a lot left to decompose though. This tank has been set up for over twenty years, so there are pieces that I'm really going to miss, but it's kind of exciting to have the opportunity to build it right this time.
     
  11. May 22, 2010 #11
    bobsfish

    bobsfish Experienced Reefkeeper

    1,132
    Ratings:
    +3 / 0 / -0
    sorry to hear of your losses...totally sucks. Do you know how hot your tank got? I've had peaks of 84 deg before....lost caleurpa, but no fish or corals. Sounds more like a stuck heater than a fan going out....but...at this point, it all sucks either way.

     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Accept Learn More...