Tank Crash/neglect

[drdude05]

Ok as the title suggests I'm going through a bit of a tank crash at the moment. I have hesitated to post my status as it is mainly my fault due to tank neglect that has gotten me to this point. I am ready to take my beatings as deserved, especially given that I knew better. My only defense is I run my own business and things have really been hard since the economy slowed down at the end of last year. The past few months, with the banks becomming ever more squirrelly by the day regarding lending practices, led me to focus on the busniess survival (I am the main source of income for the family). Hence, the tank got majorally neglected. Of course, the drunk creaming the transformer pole that supplies power to our subdivison and the resulting 5 hour power outage with a generater that would not start didn't help either.

Anyway, clean up efforts began about two weeks ago with the first of what has now been several 30 gallon water changes. I will post some pics of the tank status before clean up started as you couldn't see into the tank due to the thick hair algae growing on the glass. This has been rectified somewhat at this point. My perameters were:

Ca: 290 - 300
Mg: 800
Alk: 1.50 meq/L
pH: 7.8
NO3, PO4 ... well lets just not go there!

Coral wise I lost a green Milli, green tabling acropora, A. gemmifera, M. digitata, Porites sp. and had two purple Monti caps, one green monti cap, and a green gemmifera that looked like they were on their way out. Over the past two weeks they look like they have been making a recovery.

Fish wise I lost a purple tang, naso tang, two ocellaris clowns, and magnificent foxface. These losses occurred after the power outage I mentioned above when I couldn't get my generator running and thus the O2 levels in the tank dropped.

Like I said, I'm not really looking for sympathy as I did this to myself and the poor anamals that were depending on me. The point in posting is to chronicle my screw up to newbies out there (don't let this happen to you) and document the tank recovery.

[EndlessSummer]

I think the first thing to ask is do you have the time now, and in the future to actually keep the tank up and running?

[drdude05]

I think the first thing to ask is do you have the time now, and in the future to actually keep the tank up and running?

Yes, I believe I do. This was the first question that I asked myself as I came very close to tearing the tank completely down and selling it off. My first thought was "well I could convert to a FOWLR" that might be eaiser to take care of. Then I realized that if I was looking for what was "eaiser to take care of" then maybe I shouldn't be taking care of anything.

My wife was the one that talked me into keeping the tank and reminded me that I can't work 24/7 and need to take time for myself. I wouldn't be good to anyone completely stressed out all the time. Besides she said I was eaiser to live with when I would disappear for a few hours to "tend to the tank" and told me I needed to start doing that again. That conversation was 3 weeks ago.

[Elegance Coral]

Sounds like you have a very wise and understanding wife.

Don't feel to bad about the whole thing. It's happened to many of us. (myself included)

It sounds like you're well on your way to having things back in great shape. Just remember, baby steps. There's no need to pressure yourself into having everything back the way it was by tomorrow. The hobby should be enjoyable. Not another sourse of stress. Especially in this economy. (I run my own business too )

Good luck, and I'm looking foward to pic's. Don't make me pull out the squirrel

[EndlessSummer]

I agree with your wife. Having something to take your mind off the stress for awhile is good. A lot of people find cleaning the tank and upkeep a pain in the butt, i take pleasure out of it. It sounds like the power outage was the straw that broke the camels back. Just get yourself a backup power supply and things shouldnt get as bad as they did.

[drdude05]

Sounds like you have a very wise and understanding wife.

Yes, I do ... but don't tell her I said that

It sounds like you're well on your way to having things back in great shape. Just remember, baby steps. There's no need to pressure yourself into having everything back the way it was by tomorrow

I know ... you're right. I have been taking my time correcting the Mg, Alk, and Ca levels. The pH has already started correcting itself as I have been slowly dosing and rebalancing the tanks buffer via a two part Ca/Alk suppliment (Kent TechCB). Will post updated numbers in a little while.

Don't make me pull out the squirrel

Pics are coming, I promise.

A lot of people find cleaning the tank and upkeep a pain in the butt, i take pleasure out of it.

I was this way prior to all the crap that started at the end of last year. And I'm back to that place again ... finally. The good news is it looks like the Monti Caps and the rest of the coral I had are doing better now. I've noticed the Caps have started to color up again.

[drdude05]

Here are the tank numbers as of tonight.

Ca: 345 ppm
Alk: 2.63 meq/L or 7.4 dKH
Mg: 1020 ppm
NO3: 5 ppm
PO4: .02

I'm in the process of using a reef chemistry calculator to figure out the right amount s of suppliment and will continue correcting the numbers.

[drdude05]

Here are some pics as promised.

[drdude05]

It took me about 3 hours to get all the hair algae out that I could. I have since been correcting my water levels as I mentioned before. As of today my tank levels are:

Ca: 385 ppm
Mg: 1120 ppm
Alk: 2.63 meq/L
PO4: 0
NO3: 0

My turbo snails have stepped up and nearly grazed all the hair algea off of my two tunze stream pumps and are starting on my Korrela. Alot of the hair algea has already started disappearing from the rocks, and I got a cyano bloom under control relatively quickly as it has been receding in size for the last couple of days.

[YLChik]

you are a brave man to admit that some times this hobby is not so pretty or so easy! Thanks for being honest! I know I have looked at my tank several times this year and though - you know... I could part that out..... and then my hubby tells me no, don't do it ( Don't buy anything for it either, but don't do it )

Have you considered running phosban or the like to handle additional phosphates for awhile. Maybe not permanently, but for a month or so to eat up some extra?

Just a thought.

Continue to enjoy your tank - you will have it back to normal in no time!

[zero186]

you could "rent" a seahare and see if he will keep all the HA and stuff clean then return when the tank is clean

[drdude05]

you are a brave man to admit that some times this hobby is not so pretty or so easy! Thanks for being honest! I know I have looked at my tank several times this year and though - you know... I could part that out..... and then my hubby tells me no, don't do it ( Don't buy anything for it either, but don't do it )

thanks Amy. I thought alot about weather to even post or not. Ultimately I decided it would be good for the soul to go to confession, if you will, about my lack of diligent husbantry practices. I can say, TRT environment is very conducive to this, as you don't get flamed for being human. You also get comments like the ones in this thread, supportive ... encouraging ... constructive.

Have you considered running phosban or the like to handle additional phosphates for awhile. Maybe not permanently, but for a month or so to eat up some extra?

Yes I have. I have a reactor and I fired it up a few days ago. That's the main reason my PO4 is zero now. I turned it off yesterday though. I don't like running it for long periods. I'm afraid of the Fe leaching out and causing issues with the SPS. Thus, when I use it ... I use it in controlled bursts.

[Fat Tony]

Hey man, no worries, we all go through this stage once or twice... I myself went through it just recently as well... I too need to stop and take some time with the tank, but work and a restoration project that has to be done sooner than later is taking up most of my "spare" time... You'll get it back to being pretty again, it just will take some good hard effort to do so.

[Geoff]

hmm lets see. i have been in the hobby for almost 20 years. only the last 8 i have been here on TRT where i have actually learned what goes on in a reef tank. so lets just say your tank pics look very familiar. i would say i would crash my tank once a year in those early years. darn Caleurpa. luckily for me i would move a lot during those early years so the tank was not setup for a year very often, so the number for total crashes was only around 5 or so.

GOTTA LOVE PHOSPHATES!!

once you know why it happens it really is not that big of a deal to correct and get the tank back up and looking good.

G~

[gouch]

Originally Posted by Geoff

hmm lets see. i have been in the hobby for almost 20 years. only the last 8 i have been here on TRT where i have actually learned what goes on in a reef tank. so lets just say your tank pics look very familiar. i would say i would crash my tank once a year in those early years. darn Caleurpa. luckily for me i would move a lot during those early years so the tank was not setup for a year very often, so the number for total crashes was only around 5 or so.

GOTTA LOVE PHOSPHATES!!

once you know why it happens it really is not that big of a deal to correct and get the tank back up and looking good.

G~

geoff did you by chance used to run caleurpa in a fuge????