Heat killed my tank. What do I do now?

[A13xander60]

Hi all,

I very much doubt I'm the only one who had this happen. But a few weeks ago during the heatwave (typically I had gone away when it hit), my whole tank was bleached white and dead when I came back, I've since put one more coral in my tank and it seems to be doing ok, along with one survivor from before the crash. (Will put pictures below)

I've had a major outbreak of Cyano all over the tank and there's some really thick green algae, I've been using a turkey baster to clear most of it off but I can't seem to beat it.

Do I need to just start over from scratch?

Any help would be massively appreciated.

 

[Should I]

i guess ur in the south of england?

 

[Red_Beard]

That is rough, sorry to hear it.
You will have some water changes to do too clear out all the excess in the water column the dieoff will have added. If you like your scape, keep it. What you have is still a cycled and ready to go tank, you will just have to go through some of the uglies again is all. They aren't as bad the second time around if you can get in front of it.

 

[A13xander60]

i guess ur in the south of england?

Why?

 

[A13xander60]

That is rough, sorry to hear it.
You will have some water changes to do too clear out all the excess in the water column the dieoff will have added. If you like your scape, keep it. What you have is still a cycled and ready to go tank, you will just have to go through some of the uglies again is all. They aren't as bad the second time around if you can get in front of it.

So I can replace all the rocks and start again if I want? And it's immediately cycled?

 

[Should I]

Midlands why?

i see just thought u wudda been south cause it gets over 30 down there im up north and it hardly goes over 25 here

 

[Should I]

So I can replace all the rocks and start again if I want? And it's immediately cycled?

no if u remove the rocks you will need to cycle again as thats where the bacteria live that converts ammonia all the way to nitrate

 

[Red_Beard]

So I can replace all the rocks and start again if I want? And it's immediately cycled?

If you replace the rock and leave the sand, it will go through a mini cycle, be the bacteria in the sand would be enough to carry some fish while it does. If you replace the sand and leave the rock, it would be the same thing. You could replace both, but you would be essentially starting over, bacterially speaking.

 

[Mike1970]

You should probably add a fan and controller for evaporative cooling

 

[Reef.]

I’ve used chemi clean for cyano, I would used that, I tried other methods, took a lot of time but didn’t work.

If a small tank I can post what you need as I have some space but do your research first as I don’t want to be held responsible if it doesn’t work for you.

 

[A13xander60]

Ok, I think I will replace the rock and give the sand a serious stir up then, how many water changes are you thinking it will need before it's ok?

 

[Should I]

Ok, I think I will replace the rock and give the sand a serious stir up then, how many water changes are you thinking it will need before it's ok?

i would add some more bacteria if u replace to rock just to be safe

 

[Red_Beard]

What all do you still have living in there?
I would do a 100% if possible. Or like 2 or 3 50%

 

[Uncle99]

I’d put all parameters back in check (if not already).

I’d blow that red off and take out as much as possible.

I’d chemi-clean that which will remove the rest of the Cyano in 48hrs.

You likely lost some good algae and bacteria so you’ll have to build them up again.

A daily dose of bacteria, a weekly splash of live phytoplankton.

Ensure trace nitrate and phosphate are available.

The system will reset itself if you keep parameters pinned.

 

[A13xander60]

What all do you still have living in there?
I would do a 100% if possible. Or like 2 or 3 50%

I have some red cyphastrea, some zoas unsure on the type and a tuxedo urchin

 

[A13xander60]

I’d put all parameters back in check (if not already).

I’d blow that red off and take out as much as possible.

I’d chemi-clean that which will remove the rest of the Cyano in 48hrs.

You likely lost some good algae and bacteria so you’ll have to build them up again.

A daily dose of bacteria, a weekly splash of live phytoplankton.

Ensure trace nitrate and phosphate are available.

The system will reset itself if you keep parameters pinned.

Ok, will do, so some chemi-clean with what? Or is that the name of the product. I haven't put phyto in there before (that I'm aware of), I used a bottled bacteria thing at the very start

 

[Red_Beard]

I have some red cyphastrea, some zoas unsure on the type and a tuxedo urchin

Do a 100%. Everything you have should be able to handle that. Just make sure temp and alk is close to matching, tank and replacement. Right before you do, take a brush and brush off all the cyano and gha from the rocks and suck it all out. That should get you back out in front of it. Get some more cuc members, turbo snails and/or trochus. You may need to scrub the rock a couple more times, but it will go away once you get your tank back to balanced.

 

[A13xander60]

Do a 100%. Everything you have should be able to handle that. Just make sure temp and alk is close to matching, tank and replacement. Right before you do, take a brush and brush off all the cyano and gha from the rocks and suck it all out. That should get you back out in front of it. Get some more cuc members, turbo snails and/or trochus. You may need to scrub the rock a couple more times, but it will go away once you get your tank back to balanced.

Yeah I do need some more clean up, lost all of those as well sadly.

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

Ok, will do, so some chemi-clean with what? Or is that the name of the product. I haven't put phyto in there before (that I'm aware of), I used a bottled bacteria thing at the very start

treating cyano with chemiclean is a quick fix for what you see in your tank. If you do not fix what caused them, they will come back. There is a happy median between Dino's and cyano. This is keeping your tank nutrients in check and maintaining there level. Trust me I have beat both with out any chemicals. They (dino/cyano) will always be in your tank, but there level will be kept in check with a healthy biome. This comes with tank maturity.