Tank Disaster or I'm an Idiot

[Tie]

Well my 72 gal bow front w/120 lbs of live rock that was just finishing it's cycle is now sitting on 2 chairs in my kitchen with nothing in it but 40lbs of wet sand.

I'm SO stupid!

I decided to make my tank quieter a few nights ago by getting rid of this annoying gurgling sound that was coming from a small hole on an elbow on the return flow. I had no idea what that was for. I thought it was just a shoty piece of plumbing or something. It never occurred to me that it was to stop back siphon when the pump was powered down. It makes perfect sense NOW!

This afternoon the power went out and I got a panic call from my wife saying the tank was drowning the living room. I Hurried home and found it probably dumped 8 to 12gal before the wonderful "MEGA OVERFLOW" quite overflowing.

Needless to say the carpet was soaked. My stand has a wooden bottom and I knew it would be soaked under there.... it was.

All of my LR is in 3 plastic tubs. and the left over water that did not go with the LR is in a 36gal plastic trash can. I have power heads in all to keep it circulated.

What I've learned from this.

1) Reef water makes one heck of a mess.
2) Gurgling noise is annoying but swimming to the kitchen to get a drink is more annoying.
3) ASK QUESTIONS NO MATTER HOW STUPID!!!! I was going to post here and ask about that stupid thing before I plugged it up but I thought "that's a stupid question".
--------------------------------

Now some stupid questions.

I noticed when I pulled the LR out some pieces had major Stank butt puke smell going on. I remember reading that "fully cured" LR should not Smell like rotten eggs and there was a few pieces that smelled just like that. I'm guessing I had a fair amount of death on that rock when it spent 14 hours shipped in wet newspaper a couple weeks ago.

My Ammonia and N03 levels all spiked and fell like they should have. My reading last night (before the disaster) led me to believe my main cycle was more or less finished.
PH 8.0 (little low I know but I was "going" to do a water change and start dosing Kalkwasser as well as add 2 power heads)
Amonia: 0
N02: 0
N03: 10

I guess my question is would that Stank be normal? Or is the LR more or less curing all over again? What do I need to different here? And lastly will my LR be OK for a couple days in those tubs while the carpet dries out? Any other suggestions related to my LR, the Stank (with a capitol S) or a way to better handle this mess?

Stupidly yours,
Tie

[Reefland]

Oh man Tie, that is horrible to hear!

For the "stank", it sounds like you have some rock that is still not cured out. Seems to me though that after this long in your tank, it should be cured and not smelling bad. Kind of stumped there. Anyhow, as long as you can keep the tubs the liverock is in heated and water circulation, it will be just fine.

As for the mess you have, wet vacuum all of it up that you can and get it aired out fast, I don't think the misses would appreciate the living room smelling like musty ocean.

Good luck,
Scott Z.

[Leddy]

BUMMER! im sorry to hear that Tie.


Leddy

[Poseidon]

We all do silly things, just be glad your wife was there to tell you....

[Stagefright13]

My live rock smells like the ocean. Not too stinky. It's been in my tank a year. The rock that has cured already may be eating the nitrites and ammonia from the rock that has not fully cured yet. That may be the reason for the test results. Some people throw uncured rock into an established tank and never get an ammonia spike. (I was one of those people)

Sorry to hear about the mess but it good to find out now rather than with a bunch of livestock. The rock will be just fine as you described.

[acropora]

I'm sorry to hear that,but we all have similar stories.How big is your sump? I noticed that you said this is a new set up and that you have sand in your tank. I would recommend holding off on having sand in your tank until it fully cycles and is mature.You will have tons of detritus coming off this new rock,and it will be piling up in your sand bed.If you decide to add a DSb, It is much better to add sand at the six month mark.