Help! I made a mistake

[sinn3r21]

So I have had my tank set up for about a year and three months. And decided to clean all my equipment and do a partial water change. A mistake I’ll never forget as I bottomed out all my levels lost all my mushrooms and cuc. My LTA looks absolutely terrible. Over the course of the week I have added beneficial bacteria as my ammonia spiked almost to 4.0. Right now my parameters are 1.024 salinity 7.9 ph ammonia is like 0.25 0nitrate 0nitrite. I have turned off my skimmer and added carbon to my filtration. All the bristle worms have been coming to the surface stunned so I know I’m in rough shape. My toad stools are bent over even my Kenya tree is drooping and refusing to open. Is there any hope? Should I just leave it alone monitor parameters and pray it cycles? Or should I start looking for someone to take my live stock before it all dies. My bubble tips are really un happy but no where near as upset as my Long tentacle. My fish seem to all be fine with no strange activity.

 

[James M]

cleaning your equipment and a water change should not cause your ammonia to spike. Was there any possibility something else happened ?

I would keeping doing consistent water changes to keep parameters in check especially if ammonia is present

 

[Gone Reefin’]

Did you disturb a deep sand bed? Cleaning equipment alone should not cause issues, but disturbing anaerobic areas may….

Another possibility is contamination with a cleaning chemical?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

All the beneficial bacteria that your tanks needs are on the rocks and sand, so cleaning equipment shouldn't have that affect. Did you use soaps or other cleaning agents to clean your equipment? Maybe if you can tell us what you did exactly some one might be able to pinpoint the issue.

 

[CHSUB]

A mistake I’ll never forget as I bottomed out all my levels

If you are talking about nutrients, cleaning equipment and WC don’t do “bad things” ……turn on your skimmer. Im confused at what you think you did? Did you use fresh water for the WC instead of salt?

 

[sinn3r21]

I did wash all filtration with fresh water. I think I figured out something I left out. I tried adding some volcanic rock from an old fresh water aquarium but took it out after a few days. I completely forgot but it was used on a fresh water aquarium for years that had silicate substraight. So I’m pretty gutted. My water column is testing normal but my coral and nems are looking very very bad. All my fish are fine.

 

[sinn3r21]

All the beneficial bacteria that your tanks needs are on the rocks and sand, so cleaning equipment shouldn't have that affect. Did you use soaps or other cleaning agents to clean your equipment? Maybe if you can tell us what you did exactly some one might be able to pinpoint the issue.

No soap but I did wash everything with fresh water

 

[dvgyfresh]

No soap but I did wash everything with fresh water

Fresh water - would that kill the saltwater bacteria effectively restarting the cycle?

 

[dvgyfresh]

Live rock / Fritz turbo start would be my move here , as well as increasing oxygenation

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Fresh water - would that kill the saltwater bacteria effectively restarting the cycle?

I assume he means the equipment only, and that wouldn't cause issue to the bacteria population since the majority of bacteria is on the rocks and sand.

I'm thinking its the volcanic rocks. If there was any organic matter on the rocks previously, if not cleaned properly, the organic matter will start to rot once added to water, that would explain the increase of ammonia

 

[Gone Reefin’]

Anybody think the volcanic rock may have leached metals? Not sure if a couple days would be significant though.

 

[dvgyfresh]

I assume he means the equipment only, and that wouldn't cause issue to the bacteria population since the majority of bacteria is on the rocks and sand.

I'm thinking it’s the volcanic rocks. If there was any organic matter on the rocks previously, if not cleaned properly, the organic matter will start to rot once added to water, that would explain the increase of ammonia

I think it depends on his tank, say he was relying on filter floss filters /big canister filters, then decides one day to clean them immaculately in fresh water - you could be unstabilizing your tank as it relied on those bacterial populations, I cleaned my filter media in saltwater/ did a water change and I am experiencing a small bloom

 

[sinn3r21]

I think it depends on his tank, say he was relying on filter floss filters /big canister filters, then decides one day to clean them immaculately in fresh water - you could be unstabilizing your tank as it relied on those bacterial populations, I cleaned my filter media in saltwater/ did a water change and I am experiencing a small bloom

I do use two fx6 canisters and a hob skimmer. Never had an issue. I intend on getting an over flow and sump this fall. I understand canisters aren’t the best for what I’m trying to do but I got the most hearty leather corals to start out

 

[sinn3r21]

Anybody think the volcanic rock may have leached metals? Not sure if a couple days would be significant though.

This is what I’m afraid of right now. Went right over my head until I looked in my bin where I keep some decor I don’t use anymore. Was a silly mistake.

 

[ShawnSaucier]

did you use copper in the freshwater tank that the volcanic rock came from?

 

[sinn3r21]

did you use copper in the freshwater tank that the volcanic rock came from?

Never dosed copper never had to. My red devil is over ten years old in a 150 g

 

[dvgyfresh]

I do use two fx6 canisters and a hob skimmer. Never had an issue. I intend on getting an over flow and sump this fall. I understand canisters aren’t the best for what I’m trying to do but I got the most hearty leather corals to start out

I’m thinking you upset the biome in some way, also cleaning with freshwater could have killed off the bacteria in the filters , in addition to the lava rock

 

[sinn3r21]

I’m thinking you upset the biome in some way, also cleaning with freshwater could have killed off the bacteria in the filters , in addition to the lava rock

I’m so upset everything was thriving a week ago. But lesson learned. And at the most it’s a few hundred dollars VRs a few thousand. I’ll post updates as the week goes on but i think I’m losing my coral and nems

 

[dvgyfresh]

I’m so upset everything was thriving a week ago. But lesson learned. And at the most it’s a few hundred dollars VRs a few thousand. I’ll post updates as the week goes on but i think I’m losing my coral and nems

I don’t think you will lose everything , just get some Fritz turbo start to reseed yr canister filter , in the meantime don’t do any other big changes and feed a little not much to give bacteria time to catch up, also add an air stone or something to increase oxygenation / aim pumps up

 

[CHSUB]

I do use two fx6 canisters

I didn’t realize you were using canisters filters, I do believe it’s possible to send the tank in a “tail spin” after a clean that would bother corals but not fish. Also, iirc, lava rock is a no no in reef tanks.

Personally, I would not even run canister filters, better just rock and skimmer.