tank crashed!

GoinSalt · 01-06-2005, 04:15 AM

Just got back from Florida vacation tonight to find out my 100 gal. completely crashed!

It wasn't a total surprise. I lost my flame angel about two weeks ago and found that my ammonia and nitrites shot off the charts for no reason I can find.

Anyway, I'm starting over, with a skimmer at the top of the list. Can I reuse my LR/sand? they're both covered with nasty brown algae. The tank has been up for about nine months so I don't think it diatoms. I know its not diatoms on the rock, just "furry" brown algae.

Do I need to do anything to special to the rest of the tank? Clean off the walls? Empty the whole thing and scrub it out?

Any help with restarting a crashed tank would be appreciated.

Nate

Samper · 01-06-2005, 09:45 AM

Sounds to me like you might want to completely start over. You can boil and scrub your LR, wash your sand, scrub your system down completely and do it all over again. Very sorry to hear about your loss. For your parameters to jump like that I can't think of a reason other than the addition or death of something that wasn't removed.

Can you not think of any cause for the spike?

GoinSalt · 01-06-2005, 11:32 AM

No I can't. The only thing I can think of would be the death of a couple of chromis and a goby. But they've been missing months and i never went about trying to find the carcasses. I assumed my shrimp or the other fish in the tank would have taken care of the bodies because I know my shrimp were eaten as well. Do you think it would take months (like four or five) for the carcasses to finally decompose to the point it fouled the tank?

Nate

Samper · 01-06-2005, 02:41 PM

I'd say that's your problem right there but I don't see it taking 4-5 months. IMO unless you have a very large system dead livestock should be removed immediately. I had a cardinal die in my 20 gallon while I was on leave and I didn't find the carcass either but my system is pretty well established now. I did have some Nitrates when I returned but they were still under 10. After the 5 gallon water change and vacuuming of the bare bottom that I did last night I'm sure they are very close to 0 once again.

Why did you have the die off in the first place? Chromis are very hardy as are most goby species.

GoinSalt · 01-07-2005, 12:44 AM

I think the orchid dottyback was responsible for the goby. He tormented the goby whenever he came out of hiding. I think the goby may have just starved.

I'm not sure what happened to the chromis. I just noticed one day that one (or two, I can't remember if I started with 6 or 7) was missing.

01-06-2005, 04:15 AM	#1
GoinSalt Citizen Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NorCal Posts: 190	tank crashed! Just got back from Florida vacation tonight to find out my 100 gal. completely crashed! It wasn't a total surprise. I lost my flame angel about two weeks ago and found that my ammonia and nitrites shot off the charts for no reason I can find. Anyway, I'm starting over, with a skimmer at the top of the list. Can I reuse my LR/sand? they're both covered with nasty brown algae. The tank has been up for about nine months so I don't think it diatoms. I know its not diatoms on the rock, just "furry" brown algae. Do I need to do anything to special to the rest of the tank? Clean off the walls? Empty the whole thing and scrub it out? Any help with restarting a crashed tank would be appreciated. Nate

01-06-2005, 09:45 AM	#2
Samper Contributing Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,774	Sounds to me like you might want to completely start over. You can boil and scrub your LR, wash your sand, scrub your system down completely and do it all over again. Very sorry to hear about your loss. For your parameters to jump like that I can't think of a reason other than the addition or death of something that wasn't removed. Can you not think of any cause for the spike? __________________ Keep your heart pure conceive your own dreams Respect your fellow man the earth and the trees.

01-06-2005, 02:41 PM	#4
Samper Contributing Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,774	I'd say that's your problem right there but I don't see it taking 4-5 months. IMO unless you have a very large system dead livestock should be removed immediately. I had a cardinal die in my 20 gallon while I was on leave and I didn't find the carcass either but my system is pretty well established now. I did have some Nitrates when I returned but they were still under 10. After the 5 gallon water change and vacuuming of the bare bottom that I did last night I'm sure they are very close to 0 once again. Why did you have the die off in the first place? Chromis are very hardy as are most goby species. __________________ Keep your heart pure conceive your own dreams Respect your fellow man the earth and the trees.

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01-06-2005, 11:32 AM	#3
GoinSalt Citizen Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NorCal Posts: 190	No I can't. The only thing I can think of would be the death of a couple of chromis and a goby. But they've been missing months and i never went about trying to find the carcasses. I assumed my shrimp or the other fish in the tank would have taken care of the bodies because I know my shrimp were eaten as well. Do you think it would take months (like four or five) for the carcasses to finally decompose to the point it fouled the tank? Nate

01-07-2005, 12:44 AM	#5
GoinSalt Citizen Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NorCal Posts: 190	I think the orchid dottyback was responsible for the goby. He tormented the goby whenever he came out of hiding. I think the goby may have just starved. I'm not sure what happened to the chromis. I just noticed one day that one (or two, I can't remember if I started with 6 or 7) was missing.

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