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Because of power outtage.....Help!

2K views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  JD3 
#1 ·
So because of hurricane sandy I lost power for four days. I was not prepared for such a lengthy outtage and had to resort to using one battery operated pump that is used to aerate one 5 gallon bucket to provide oxygen to my 75 gallon tank. I was also taking water from the tank and pouring it out of a pitcher back in every hour or so. To keep the tank warm I filled about 7 water bottles with hot water and floated them on top of the tank, i did this numerous times. i also did about 20 gallons of water changing mixing the sea salt with hot water. I conditioned the water with API stress coat and mixed a few buckets by adding half new hot water and half current tank water. All water changes were done in 5 gallon buckets 1 bucket at a time. In the tank at the time were 1 lieutenant tang, 1 powder brown tang, 1 yellow Hawaiian tang, 1 regal tang, 2 ocellaris clownfish and 1 sand sifting sea star. The fish are also battling a case of ich, black and white with the powder brown and the lieutenant tang suffering more than the others. The ich was being treated for 2 weeks with kordon ich attack with little to no effect , carbon had been removed from filter ( fluval 406 ). I was not dosing the ich attack during the 4 day outtage.

By the time the power had come back on the powder brown tang had died. The lieutenant tang is covered in blotches which are not to be confused with the ich spots and I'm unsure if this is just from being overstressed due to the situation. The other fish seem to be fine. The lieutenant is the largest fish in the tank probably about 5 to 6 inches in length. As I was waiting for normal heat to return to the tank I tested ph, nitrite, ammonia and nitrate. Ph was coming in at 7.8, ammonia at 0.25 ppm, nitrate at 0.25 ppm and nitrate at 40ppm. I added 7 teaspoons of instant ocean sea buffer to help raise the ph and I put in 75 ml of special blend and nite out to help reduce the ammonia and nitrite spike and bring down nitrates.

I'm currently running a fluval 406 filter, 2 power heads , 4 air stones and a 25 watt green killing machine internal uv sterilizer which I unplugged because of adding the special blend.

So my questions are.....

1. What is wrong with the lieutenant tang? ( I will attach a picture )
2. Why did ammonia and nitrite spike? How can I eliminate them from my tank other than what I have already done?
3. Why did ph drop? And how can I stabilize it back to normal range.
4. Will my tank start the cycle process again? If so what do I do with my fish? I currently have a qt/hospital tank (29 gallon) being set up that is currently cycling so that's out.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, oh I have no corals only live rock.
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Jd3
 

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#3 ·
+1 on trying to keep things stable now. Are they eating. I lost my power for 48 hours. Luckily my fish are OK so far. I'm doubling up on feeding for the time being. I added fresh GFO and carbon. I'm getting ready to do a WC right now.
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the help everyone, I'm going to do a 5 gallon water change tonight and add some more nite out. I'll definitely look into getting some prime. Thanks again and if you come up with anything else please post it.

Also does anyone know what's up with my lieutenant tang? I'm not currently treating the ich since I think it's more important to stabilize the water conditions but he's still blotchy and twitching every now and then.
 
#6 ·
I just checked my qt/hospital tank....I have nothing in there but a few pieces of PVC piping for hiding spots and I have an over the back hanging filter it was a 29 gallon all inclusive set and even that has ammonia and nitrite at 0.25 ppm nitrate at 40 ppm and ph at 7.8. I'm assuming this is do to the normal start up cycle since its only been up for 3 days and ive added API stress cost as well as microbe special blend and nite out II.
 
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