DEATH OF A REEF TANK...

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bugiguy

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Great read, thanks for your insight!

I’ve gotta ask, cuz I’m going through a flatworm problem at the moment myself, what happened with your 07 tank crash?
 
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This was a great read!

I’ve gotta ask, cuz I’m going through a flatworm problem myself at the moment, what happened with your 07 flatworm tank crash?


Great question and thanks for the post. The situation sucked, but the timing was good because i was moving the tank that year. I just took it down and started over completely. Been pretty hardcore about pests ever since. This was the tank back then. Still miss that thing . lol I was able to salvage a handful from it fortunately and got a few back from friends as well after rte move.

 

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Word to the wise. Do not suspend any equipment with an electrical plug anywhere above the rim over your sump. I don't care if that MP10 controller is screwed, glued and bungeed to the wall... it will eventually find a way to fall. If it ends up in your sump, this is what you get.

20150717_095610_zps92943be9.jpg
What about lights, a protein skimmer or for some a return pump? Stray voltage too? Am nervous now.
 

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Was your flatworm infestation a direct result to your tank crash?
 
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Was your flatworm infestation a direct result to your tank crash?

Not really actually It was a super crazy busy year. In a 12 month time span, I got married, had a baby, bought a house, and completely gutted and remodeled it. Needless to say, toward the end of that year the tank had been pretty neglected unfortunately, but the opportunity to start over was the best option I had by far to rid myself of flatworms for good so That was the course i chose to go. Sucked at the time, but it was a good lesson to learn early on, before i had anything serious going on for sure.
 

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Your 1st crash may be a right of passage, but it still SUCKS!!! Currently watching my money roll out the window into a trash can. Their is a silver lining, though I would rather have had a cheaper way to get there. I wanted to go sps, now I have that chance. Its just going to take a while longer as I am in the process of doing a partial teardown and reboot. I just hope that 8 Fancies Collectibles is available in mid 19', because that sps pack is awesome!!!
 
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Your 1st crash may be a right of passage, but it still SUCKS!!! Currently watching my money roll out the window into a trash can. Their is a silver lining, though I would rather have had a cheaper way to get there. I wanted to go sps, now I have that chance. Its just going to take a while longer as I am in the process of doing a partial teardown and reboot. I just hope that 8 Fancies Collectibles is available in mid 19', because that sps pack is awesome!!!

Man I hear you. Going through it is one of the most stressful things we endure as reefers for sure. Especially when we don't really know why its happening., That will bring out the inner loony in just about everyone lol
 

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This is truly tasteless and insensitive. Why not call it, "The Sandy Hook Elementary School Collection"? Probably because you'd be banned from this forum immediately.
I sincerely apologize if I offended you. I didn't mean it in the way you took it. My family heritage is Ukranian Jew and I certainly understand the gravity and horror of the event. Again, my apologies
 

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This really touches home as I just had all my sps wipes out by... well not sure yet. I had a ph meter get uncalibrated after 4 years of use and I thought my ph was low so I was dosing ph to raise it. probably raised it to much. I also switched from sodium bicarb to soda ash as it is doesn't take as much to dose so it cost less. I then had an algae outbreak after everything died and it really brought me down. I had thoughts of tearing the tank down and either not setting back up or restarting to make sure I got whatever it was out fo the water. I am currently still running the system with weekly water changes and going back t the basics before I add more sps. water icp test coming today and hopefully figure out what is going on. But this post really made me think.
 

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Great question and thanks for the post. The situation sucked, but the timing was good because i was moving the tank that year. I just took it down and started over completely. Been pretty hardcore about pests ever since. This was the tank back then. Still miss that thing . lol I was able to salvage a handful from it fortunately and got a few back from friends as well after rte move.




I loved that tank.. Perfect dimensions.

What happened to that tank after you moved?


I have only had two partial crashes.

One time it was bad salt. I learned to test every new bucket/bag or box of salt now.

The other time is when a pump fried and put all this black stuff in my tank..
 

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I hope you have the time and energy to get it set back up. Mine has been a mess lately. Mainly a victim of my own busy life. That’s the worst...
 
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Still
I loved that tank.. Perfect dimensions.

What happened to that tank after you moved?


I have only had two partial crashes.

One time it was bad salt. I learned to test every new bucket/bag or box of salt now.

The other time is when a pump fried and put all this black stuff in my tank..


The coolest set up i have ever had to this day! I loved that tank too. Four 250 watt 10k's, with super actinic, and I've been chasing the growth I had in that tank ever since lol.

Made it to the new house back in 08, and had it here a few years, but I upgraded to a "boring" rectangle 300, that was only up a couple years. Then I started the business ,and so much focus was on the basement that i got rid of the 300. I went display-less a few years, before finally harkening bak to that old DAS and getting a 30x30 cube made lol.
 

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I loved that tank.. Perfect dimensions.

What happened to that tank after you moved?
Still



The coolest set up i have ever had to this day! I loved that tank too. Four 250 watt 10k's, with super actinic, and I've been chasing the growth I had in that tank ever since lol.

Made it to the new house back in 08, and had it here a few years, but I upgraded to a "boring" rectangle 300, that was only up a couple years. Then I started the business ,and so much focus was on the basement that i got rid of the 300. I went display-less a few years, before finally harkening bak to that old DAS and getting a 30x30 cube made lol.

That was 30x30? Man it always seemed bigger.
 

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I dig the article, and I certainly understand the challenges, and the problems that we simply cannot foresee or prepare for, but I do also want to say that it really bothers me when people have a preventable crash, it kills all of their animals, and they just fill it up again, no thinking/redesigning/learning. That kills me. For example, if you are on crash #3 like the article mentions, then you need to really start re-evaluating your approach to this hobby.

I am not a super PETA nut, but if you kill all of your pets (if the cause is preventable), a bit of reflection and learning and rethinking is heavily warranted. The only perceived cost should not be in your wallet, if we don't treat our fish/corals/animals as treasures and members of the family, then I am not shocked when people don't want us removing them from the ocean just to accidentally kill them. (yes I know not all come from the ocean anymore)

I don't want to imply that this audience is among those who don't get bummed/reflect when it occurs, I think all of you are probably extremely responsible and simply victims of circumstance and I honestly feel for everyone who has gone through a crash. I just wanted to share that I see it pretty often in local clubs and facebook "tank crashed, oh well, swipe the card and put another 20 critters on death row". I think that we need to work together to change that mindset, improve our community learning (through awesome forums like this) and keep improving the world of responsible and ethical reefkeeping.

Thanks Adam for the well written (and very optimistic) piece.
 

Billldg

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Man I hear you. Going through it is one of the most stressful things we endure as reefers for sure. Especially when we don't really know why its happening., That will bring out the inner loony in just about everyone lol
I may be calling on u to put together a small tester box sooner than later, I put some tester montis in the tank a few weeks ago and surprisingly they r doing better than any acro I put in the tank prior to the crash, I have heard montis may be a little more forgiving, but to have them start to entrust the frag rack they r on in a couple of weeks is saying something, I guess the steps I took to make sure my nitrates and phosphates didnt stay at 0 r helping, plus it was only a partial rebuild, rock stayed, so again I may be calling for a tester box with a BC secale, love that stick.

If they look good down the road, then that's when I will order a serious box, have 5 on my must have list.
 
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I may be calling on u to put together a small tester box sooner than later, I put some tester montis in the tank a few weeks ago and surprisingly they r doing better than any acro I put in the tank prior to the crash, I have heard montis may be a little more forgiving, but to have them start to entrust the frag rack they r on in a couple of weeks is saying something, I guess the steps I took to make sure my nitrates and phosphates didnt stay at 0 r helping, plus it was only a partial rebuild, rock stayed, so again I may be calling for a tester box with a BC secale, love that stick.

If they look good down the road, then that's when I will order a serious box, have 5 on my must have list.


By all means man anytime . Let me know if you ever need help troubleshooting
 
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