Heater malfunction! Help!

salt creepette · 10-16-2006, 01:39 PM

I lost my sixline, a chromis, and my first ever fish in the hobby (3 yrs old) a blue assessor!

the water temp is at 90, the fish are breathing heavily. it is a 30 gallon with crushed coral and live rock, with a couple corals. the anthelia looks pulled in and white at the polyps. the remaining fish are 2 clowns, a baby foxface (who of course is doing fine) and the three or so chromis (ive seen two but not the third. the snails are pulled in but still responsive. so far I have done a tiny water change with all the water I have left (half a bucket) which was cold (70) and have the powerhead agitating the surface and the skimmer and filter is running. I took a half a bag of ice and some frozen veggies from my freezer and am floating them in the tank. i removed the heater (which was stuck in the on position). Should I do anything else, like change the carbon in the filter? I will start making RO water so I can do a water change. Should I wait the full 24 hours and let it mix, or just let it mix for a couple hours and do another water change?

tashier · 10-16-2006, 02:10 PM

Huge water change might not be that necessary if you don't have a lot of dead animals, just get the temp down to normal and don't let it go too low. Wait to do a water change if you don't have any water ready. Dumping freshly mixed SW in could do more harm then good.

jenajet · 10-16-2006, 02:10 PM

Do you have a canopy? I would turn the lights out and get a fan to blow over water surface this will help drop the temp. I know it is not good to change temp rapidly but that may be better than running it hot hope someone more knowledable will chime in. Good luck.

salt creepette · 10-16-2006, 02:27 PM

i just had the glass top with the pcs sitting on top. they really dont generate much heat. but I did remove both. the temp is down to 86 and dropping. I am going to start using two underrated heaters, that way this doesnt happen again (if one fails, then I am not totally screwed), in other words, instead of one 100 watt, use two 50 watt.

the ammonia measures less than .50 using two different kits. the ph is 7.8, so the ammonia will be less toxic than if the ph were higher, thank God for small mercies. The fish are looking more normal and I think they should make it and I will add some ammolock just to bind some of the ammonia. I will do a water change of probably 5 or 10 gallons tomorrow after the water mixes. Just so I feel like Ive done something! Arg, this hobby. Its a true love/hate relationship! It drives you crazy sometimes, but you just cant flush 'em!

Any other words of wisdom are welcome. And pray this doesnt lead to an all out ich outbreak!

Twitterbait · 10-16-2006, 03:13 PM

get a digital thermometer with an alarm.

pyron88 · 10-16-2006, 03:35 PM

Might put an air stone in. Hot water has less OX.

jenajet · 10-16-2006, 04:56 PM

Good luck. I have never needed a heater do to the climate here. At night the temp may drop to about 77-78 but never any lower. I have heater's just in case but they have never been plugged in.

notatallhappygolucky · 10-16-2006, 08:12 PM

The RK2 has outlets that can be programmed to control a heater; it turns off the power to the port(s) when the temp reaches a user-set temp.

Good Luck

notatallhappygolucky · 10-16-2006, 08:13 PM

Oh yeah, sorry about the loss.

dobejazz · 10-16-2006, 09:06 PM

That sucks about the heater I hope everything pulls through OK

salt creepette · 10-16-2006, 09:17 PM

added the airstone, it looks like a snow blizzard in there due to the plethora of tiny bubbles everywhere (i read it was the best way to saturate the water with oxygen, is to put the airstone under the powerhead intake). But the foxface is no longer breathing as rapidly, but it looks more labored and he is just lying on his side. the other fish are behaving normally. Dont know what to make of it. Since noone said not to, I changed the filter cartridge for one with new carbon. Doing a water change tomorrow of 1/3 tank volume. God I hope my foxface makes it. Y'all pray.

ChrisPrusha · 10-16-2006, 09:49 PM

I'm sorry for your losses, and I am sending the very best thoughts to your remaining fishies.

salt creepette · 10-17-2006, 10:20 AM

The foxface died 2 hrs after my last post.

I am toying with the idea of scrapping the tank and going to a nano with the remaining clowns (getting rid of the chromis) like this one. If its as little maintenance as he says, they why not.

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/inde...pic=75821&st=0

Rob_Reef_Keeper · 10-17-2006, 10:42 AM

I had this happen back in the day.

What I did was, I got a Ranco dual stage controller. The heat side is connected to ta WON titanium heater in the sump and a 6in clip on fan in the hood plugged into the cooling side.

I trust the real controller over the cheap thermostat in the heater.

jenajet · 10-17-2006, 11:09 AM

Don't give in! A few waterchanges and a good heatercontrol will work great. You know we always want bigger. Sorry about the latest loss how are the other fish? Good luck no matter what you do and you know were here.