Yellow tank problem cant seem to fix

tendar · 03-12-2003, 10:46 PM

My buddy has a LFS and his display tank a 140 gall has had yellow water for a couple of months now. All the corals do fine in it but any fish put in there dies in less than a day usally a few hours. This has been going on for a few months.
We have run carbon by the bucket load, did 50% water changes only to have the water back to yellow in a hour. Going to try some of the poly sheets next. If those dont work might have to take the whole thing down bleach out the tank and use all new sand and rock.

Any ideas on what it might be and how to get rid of it. Looks like some has pissed in the tank it so yellow.

Thanks
Gregg

stang69 · 03-13-2003, 01:00 AM

Proly a crazy question but has he put any yellow dyed corals in it? I dont know bout the fish death but with the color that was the first thing that came to mind.

Fish deaths maybe to lack of o2???? Shrug just a thought

Jeff

tendar · 03-13-2003, 01:37 AM

He has had some colts with colors that are very suppocious but none yellow more pinks and purples.
The oxygen he tested for and seemed fine. There are no fish what ever in the tank. There was a single yellow fang blenny that was fine in there till jumped out but anything just dies almost instantly. Very wierd have no idea.

stang69 · 03-13-2003, 01:50 AM

This is the only tank that does that in the whole shop? Tap water clear????

Hmmm

Jeff

tendar · 03-13-2003, 01:59 AM

Yes this system is on its own its his coral tank for selling out of and he uses RO/DI water.
I did forget to mention that there where 5 fish in it at one time like 3 months ago and it crashed over night for some unknown reason killing all the fish except for the canary blenny and like 2 corals and has not been able to keep fish in there ever since and the water has been yellow since about 2 weeks after ward.
Slight thing I forgot to mention.

stang69 · 03-13-2003, 02:06 AM

Im lost!!!! I hope someone can help more than I.

Sorry

Jeff

tendar · 03-13-2003, 02:12 AM

I am the same way been tring to figure this out for 2 months now with no luck.
About ready to just redo the whole tank with new rock and sand after bleaching out the tank.

Wrassman · 03-13-2003, 01:29 PM

Hey tendar,

Do you know if he had a cuke in there or not? It sounds to me like a "cuke nuke."

Some cucumbers, when they die, give off powerful toxins that poisons the enitre tank. This poison can get into the rockwork and the DSB so that the tank is pretty much unusable after that. It has to be broken down, washed clean, and set back up using new sand and new live rock.

If you allow the poisoned live rock to dry completely, you might be able to use it as base rock in the future. But, in its present state, it is unusable. You might as well pitch the sand; I don't see how you could ever use it again.

If there wasn't a cucumber in the tank, there are crab species that will do this, as well as certain fish (lionfish, etc.). But, from everything you've said, IME, the tank is poisoned.

HTH

tendar · 03-13-2003, 02:02 PM

There where no cucumers or anything like that. The fish that died where a sail fin tang, 4 green chromis, 2 royal grammas, fairy wrasse, and a yellow tang.
There are plenty of snails and hermits and some brittle and serpent start that all do well in the tank.

03-12-2003, 10:46 PM	#1
tendar Governor Join Date: May 2000 Location: tempe,AZ Posts: 1,114	Yellow tank problem cant seem to fix My buddy has a LFS and his display tank a 140 gall has had yellow water for a couple of months now. All the corals do fine in it but any fish put in there dies in less than a day usally a few hours. This has been going on for a few months. We have run carbon by the bucket load, did 50% water changes only to have the water back to yellow in a hour. Going to try some of the poly sheets next. If those dont work might have to take the whole thing down bleach out the tank and use all new sand and rock. Any ideas on what it might be and how to get rid of it. Looks like some has pissed in the tank it so yellow. Thanks Gregg

03-13-2003, 01:00 AM	#2
stang69 Mayor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Bremerton, WA; 98310 Posts: 952	Proly a crazy question but has he put any yellow dyed corals in it? I dont know bout the fish death but with the color that was the first thing that came to mind. Fish deaths maybe to lack of o2???? Shrug just a thought Jeff __________________ Hmmmmm what to put here???

03-13-2003, 01:50 AM	#4
stang69 Mayor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Bremerton, WA; 98310 Posts: 952	This is the only tank that does that in the whole shop? Tap water clear???? Hmmm Jeff __________________ Hmmmmm what to put here???

03-13-2003, 02:06 AM	#6
stang69 Mayor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Bremerton, WA; 98310 Posts: 952	Im lost!!!! I hope someone can help more than I. Sorry Jeff __________________ Hmmmmm what to put here???

03-13-2003, 01:29 PM	#8
Wrassman Just Moved In Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Stockbridge, GA Posts: 25	Hey tendar, Do you know if he had a cuke in there or not? It sounds to me like a "cuke nuke." Some cucumbers, when they die, give off powerful toxins that poisons the enitre tank. This poison can get into the rockwork and the DSB so that the tank is pretty much unusable after that. It has to be broken down, washed clean, and set back up using new sand and new live rock. If you allow the poisoned live rock to dry completely, you might be able to use it as base rock in the future. But, in its present state, it is unusable. You might as well pitch the sand; I don't see how you could ever use it again. If there wasn't a cucumber in the tank, there are crab species that will do this, as well as certain fish (lionfish, etc.). But, from everything you've said, IME, the tank is poisoned. HTH __________________ 58g Reef Tank, 20g Sump/Refugium, 85lbs LR, 4" DSB, AquaMedic Turbofloater 1000 multi, Eheim 2213 Wrassman www.threestepstoareefaquarium.com

03-13-2003, 01:37 AM	#3
tendar Governor Join Date: May 2000 Location: tempe,AZ Posts: 1,114	He has had some colts with colors that are very suppocious but none yellow more pinks and purples. The oxygen he tested for and seemed fine. There are no fish what ever in the tank. There was a single yellow fang blenny that was fine in there till jumped out but anything just dies almost instantly. Very wierd have no idea.

03-13-2003, 01:59 AM	#5
tendar Governor Join Date: May 2000 Location: tempe,AZ Posts: 1,114	Yes this system is on its own its his coral tank for selling out of and he uses RO/DI water. I did forget to mention that there where 5 fish in it at one time like 3 months ago and it crashed over night for some unknown reason killing all the fish except for the canary blenny and like 2 corals and has not been able to keep fish in there ever since and the water has been yellow since about 2 weeks after ward. Slight thing I forgot to mention.

03-13-2003, 02:12 AM	#7
tendar Governor Join Date: May 2000 Location: tempe,AZ Posts: 1,114	I am the same way been tring to figure this out for 2 months now with no luck. About ready to just redo the whole tank with new rock and sand after bleaching out the tank.

03-13-2003, 02:02 PM	#9
tendar Governor Join Date: May 2000 Location: tempe,AZ Posts: 1,114	There where no cucumers or anything like that. The fish that died where a sail fin tang, 4 green chromis, 2 royal grammas, fairy wrasse, and a yellow tang. There are plenty of snails and hermits and some brittle and serpent start that all do well in the tank.

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