I lost 80% of my tank. Where do I go from here? I

[BrandoCommando]

I lost most of what was in my biocube 16. I was able to save some Zoa's and other corals. Most of my RF Anemones died. I did a 40% water change yesterday. Just trying to figure out where I should go from here. Any advice is appreciated!

 

[Lavey29]

You just lost coral or fish also? Water very cloudy so probably bacteria bloom with toxins. Anemones can release toxin also when they die. Large water change and run carbon.

Please provide full tank parameters including age of the tank, filtration and lighting.

 

[jkcoral]

What happened exactly? Was this something that happened over night?

I collect rock flowers, and they are really tough little guys and can bounce back. Are you sure they were dead and not just really angry/upset? You might be able to save them if they aren’t completely liquified/smell like death.

Either way, if it was me, I’d probably just do a 100% water change and get some carbon running ASAP. If you had something that died and got blended up by a powerhead, you need to remove toxins.

 

[BrandoCommando]

What happened exactly? Was this something that happened over night?

I collect rock flowers, and they are really tough little guys and can bounce back. Are you sure they were dead and not just really angry/upset? You might be able to save them if they aren’t completely liquified/smell like death.

Either way, if it was me, I’d probably just do a 100% water change and get some carbon running ASAP. If you had something that died and got blended up by a powerhead, you need to remove toxins.

This slowly happened over a few weeks when I got back from a vacation. One rock flower survived. I lost a clown and leather coral. I've been running carbon and filter floss as well as a uv sterilizer. The tank is 2.5 years old.

 

[Lavey29]

This slowly happened over a few weeks when I got back from a vacation. One rock flower survived. I lost a clown and leather coral. I've been running carbon and filter floss as well as a uv sterilizer. The tank is 2.5 years old.

Ok but what are the complete current parameters? If you have any fish in there you better add an airstone.

 

[spsick]

Water changes, carbon, remove dead stuff, and you’re on the right track. Agree with above post an air stone would be good if there’s fish alive.

The bacteria and other good stuff in the rock will be fine.

 

[BrandoCommando]

Ok but what are the complete current parameters? If you have any fish in there you better add an airstone.

No fish. Salinity 1.025, Alk 9.5, Nitrates - 49, Phosphates off the charts!

 

[brandon429]

Old tank syndrome is vanquished in reefing now

the cause of old tank syndrome is compounding whole waste particles that blanket the interstitial sand grain zones and plug up the channels in live rocks- in some cases it's sheer overgrowth allowed from various invasions that plugs up the surface area on live rock combined with a thin veneer of...

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[Lavey29]

No fish. Salinity 1.025, Alk 9.5, Nitrates - 49, Phosphates off the charts!

Ok cut your lights for few days. Big water change and carbon.

 

[BrandoCommando]

Hey again. I decided to go with the drain-the-tank option. I've attached a picture, as I've left a couple of inches of water just to get some feedback and decide if I should dump it completely. During this process, I found one of my speckled leathers AND a rock flower still alive! I moved them to another tank and hopefully, they'll make it!

should I completely dump this and start completely fresh? Or can I just refill, run carbon, and hopefully get it good enough again for new livestock?