Ohio Reef

Reef Discussion => Corals => Topic started by: MechanicalEngineer on July 16, 2008, 17:02:30

Title: EMERGENCY
Post by: MechanicalEngineer on July 16, 2008, 17:02:30
MY TANK IS CRASHING.  DOES ANYONE HAVE SALTWATER MADE AND READY?????  Please call me if you have the number.

Nikki
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: UDJustin on July 16, 2008, 17:30:06
no saltwater just ro bout ten gallons
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: Joel on July 16, 2008, 17:44:34
I got about 150 gallons ready to go, RO/ DI mixed with Instant Ocean
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: slandis3 on July 16, 2008, 18:26:57
nikki i have 60g on hand  call me if you need it im not sure i can deliver i just had a car accident but your more than welcome to some if needed. 510-1365
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: MechanicalEngineer on July 16, 2008, 19:05:46
Mike, is everyone ok???  How bad is the car?  Boy, we're just both having bad days. 

I can't thank everyone enough for offering up saltwater.  I've managed 2 5g changes so far...and hope is not lost.  I can't thank Dodd from North Dixie Reef enough.  He provided Will with like...80-90 gallons or so...plus the salt we needed ASAP.  We're getting it mixed right now, so hopefully we can do several water changes back to back that will eventually equal 2 100% water changes.

We're pretty sure this was caused by an exterminator we had out on Monday.  The guy told us to cover the tank (which I covered, taped, and completely sealed) for an hour while he sprayed...and to turn off the A/C, which we did.  I guess we didn't leave the tank sealed and the A/C off long enough.  Yesterday things started to look a bit unhappy, but nothing really *wrong*.  I tested everything...all params were on target...figured the tank was just being finicky.  Today...I came home, opened the garage door...and smelled a dying tank.  The tank was cloudy...smelled terrible...and I could see that some corals had already lost tissue.  All other corals were completely retracted and skeleton was showing.  Surprisingly, my other inverts seem fine (minus the clam, who doesn't seem to be ok...the mantle is not looking great.)  A couple of snails have died too.  Params are still ok...although I suspect Ammonia is not zero like the test kit shows. 

Cross your fins...I can't lose my tank.   :'(

And Scott...I know you're worried too...so far, your corals are still hanging in there.   :)
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: slandis3 on July 16, 2008, 19:18:15
If you need to get some of your stuff out of your tank i have some extra space in our tank if needed. As for me nothing major just a new hood and a windshield ( and a new pair of under pants  ;) )
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: quicksilver on July 16, 2008, 19:53:38
If u want I will pull about 20+ gallons out of mine I have no idea how far you are. let me know.
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: MechanicalEngineer on July 16, 2008, 20:10:59
Mike, I'm so glad you're ok.  That's too bad about the car...but at least you have your health.  Underpants are especially cheap and easy to replace.   ;D

Thanks everyone!!  We have almost 50g of water ready to change.  I've done 3x5g water changes so far.  We're going to eat dinner and then keep at it.  I don't think we'll need any more water.  Dodd provided us with more water than we could possibly use (so I'll return what we don't need to you tomorrow, Dodd.  Thank you!!!)  It's pretty funny actually...we have a 50g trashcan in our kitchen surrounded by almost 20x5g water jugs...plus bags of salt lying everywhere.  Quite a humorous scene to someone that isn't in the situation.

I don't think we lost a whole lot...so far it just looks like one coral (one of my favorites nonetheless) and a bunch of snails.  Polyps are coming back out on some of the corals too, so that's a good sign.  The adrenaline is starting to wear off...so I'm getting rather tired.  :)
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: aquavista99 on July 16, 2008, 20:41:45
Sorry to hear about your tank. I can help you stock up again if you lost alot of SPS.
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: MSUJenn on July 16, 2008, 21:44:12
I'm sorry you had such a horrible day. I can come over tomorrow (Thur) evening and help you if you want some help with water changes and stuff. You're also more than welcome to use my QT if you need to house your corals somewhere. Let me know if you need anything.
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: ohioreef on July 16, 2008, 22:19:23
Wow, just not a good week for tanks around here! Sorry to hear about your tank. Unfortunately, I know what you are going through.
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: Riderc82 on July 16, 2008, 22:23:13
If I was in your shoes Nikki and Tim was offering some of his corals I would probably just use tap water for my water changes  ;D      hopefully everything turns out good for you.  I was kind of worried the other night the Fiance brought home a cat someone dumped at her work the whole time the cat was in the house I was thinking geez I hope that cat doesn't have fleas.
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: MechanicalEngineer on July 16, 2008, 23:06:49
Well, we did about 10x5g water changes tonight.  I know I didn't get rid of all the contaminated water, but I figure it's best to get the majority out and then ease the tank back into good water.  I'll do a couple more water changes tomorrow.  Will actually figured out how many water changes it'll take to get a certain percentage of the contaminants out.   ::)

One coral (a deepwater acropora, teal and blue) was lost...and many snails.  No other corals were lost, but most did lose some tissue.  I'm really sad about that coral though.  It was a cheapo frag at the frag swap, but it was one of my favorites...absolutely beautiful.  I'm going to leave the skeleton in the tank until it gets covered in coralline just in case a single polyp survived (which I have seen happen.)  Anyway, you know it's bad when green star polyps won't even come out.   :D

I'm just soooo thankful we caught this when we did.  It could've ended up a LOT worse.  Judging by the smell when I came home...I was prepared for the worst.

Thanks for helping to keep my head up!!

Oh...and Tim...you'd better watch what you're offering.  ;)
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: Joel on July 17, 2008, 08:04:28
Add some good quality activated carbon to your tank too if you have not already. It will help remove any residual contaminants from your water.
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: JoeAyers on July 17, 2008, 10:57:46
Add some good quality activated carbon to your tank too if you have not already. It will help remove any residual contaminants from your water.

I would also skim wet for a while if you are not already.
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: MechanicalEngineer on July 17, 2008, 18:00:36
Everything is looking much better today.  Not great as usual, but better than last night.  I think a week of good care, and we'll be back to normal, minus the losses. 

I'm now looking for this lil guy:
(https://ohioreef.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi258.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh254%2FReef-d_Up%2F5-1-2008%2F100_5841.jpg&hash=a8307535076f87cd8fd5c4639d2ada470c9a017f)

Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: quicksilver on July 17, 2008, 20:44:09
Wish I still had mine lost it when the power went out. Did u check just coral scott might have it.
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: MechanicalEngineer on July 17, 2008, 21:15:55
I doubt anyone local will have it.  I got it at the Cleveland frag swap. 
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: ohioreef on July 17, 2008, 22:27:38
Glad to hear things are looking better. My tank is also looking better other than there are no fish in there.  :(
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: aquavista99 on July 17, 2008, 22:50:05
I doubt anyone local will have it.  I got it at the Cleveland frag swap. 

You could post the picture on the CSEA site and maybe someone can send you a frag?
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: MechanicalEngineer on July 18, 2008, 06:33:17
You're a smart one, my friend!   :laugh:  I'll try that.
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: Secondgen on July 18, 2008, 18:00:02
Glad to hear things are looking better. My tank is also looking better other than there are no fish in there.  :(
What happened to all your fish Gary?
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: xXTheWendigoXx on July 18, 2008, 20:54:54
I'll see if I can find anything like that up north here while I'm still around.
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: ohioreef on July 19, 2008, 08:17:58
What happened to all your fish Gary?

I had a tank crash last week.

http://www.ohioreef.com/forum/index.php?topic=3565.0
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: MechanicalEngineer on July 19, 2008, 08:58:32
My favorite coral, my Crayola, was dead when we got home last night.  I'm going to think it over some more, but I think I'm taking my tank down.  I don't think I can manage to get enough of the pesticide out of the tank.   :'(
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: MSUJenn on July 19, 2008, 20:07:47
Nooo! You can't take your tank down. Let me know if you need anything. I can come over and help you with some stuff. Have you tried the polyfilter brand filters? Those are supposed to be pretty good at removing chemicals and pollutants.
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: MechanicalEngineer on July 20, 2008, 07:30:10
Thanks Jenn.  Will has talked me into keeping the tank.  I think I'm going to cut back on how much stuff I have in there by a lot though. My Crayola still has a couple of polyps on it...so hope isn't lost yet.  This has just been a bad week.

I've been running carbon since all of this happened.  I don't know if it has helped or not.  I haven't tried the polyfilters though.
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: Joel on July 20, 2008, 07:52:48
Jenn is right, poly filters are great at removing metals, meds, chemicals, etc. If you want to try one let me know, I have  both sizes of them.
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: aquavista99 on July 20, 2008, 11:58:32
 I can donate up to 60 gallons of my established reef water ASAP if you don't mind picking it up and transporting the water. My water is super clean as is and would allow you to completely take down your existing tank for a few hours, empty it, and replace your old water with my established, yet clean, water from my SPS reef. My reef is also free from AEFWs, red bugs, nudies, etc.

Just send me a PM, if interested.

Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: MechanicalEngineer on July 20, 2008, 15:14:59
Thanks Tim.  Unfortunately, the night is always darkest before the dawn.  (The Dark Knight reference...awesome movie).  Hehe, sorry, couldn't resist.  Anyway, I think we've done all we can at this point...just have to wait and keep up good parameters.

Thanks to everyone that volunteered time, water, salt, and support.  We've done about 70g worth of water changes over the past week and we're running poly filters and plain carbon.

Instead of taking down the tank...I decided to set up a second tank!  LOL.   ::)  I know, I know.  This will be a frag/rescue/emergency tank.  I don't really need a quarantine tank anymore since I'm pretty much done buying corals.  Anyway, it's a 2x10g system with a 70W MH on the top 10g and an 85W PC on the 10g sump.  The tank has been cycling for several weeks now, so it should be just about ready.
Title: Re: EMERGENCY
Post by: verper on July 20, 2008, 15:42:10

Instead of taking down the tank...I decided to set up a second tank!

That's the spirit!