Power went out while on vacation, lost everything

[thefeds]

Came home from "vacation" and my aquarium was completely dark and no power. All my fish, coral, crabs, shrimp, live rock is dead. I am crushed! I have no idea what do and am seeking some advice on how I can possibly save my TBS rock. It must have been 3-4 days with temps running in the upper 80's and low's 60. It smelled really bad, and my wife helped me empty the tank and move it outside overnight. I have my rock in a bucket with fresh salt water, but I don't know if it will be saved. This were turning the corner, and now this.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Wow, I am so sorry to hear about this. Do you run your tank on a controller or a smart plug by any chance?

 

[Troylee]

Sorry for your loss…. The rock should still be fine as long as it stayed wet..

 

[thefeds]

Sorry for your loss…. The rock should still be fine as long as it stayed wet..

What do you mean by that? I don't know when I'll be able to set things back up, and the rock is sitting in cold salt water.

 

[thefeds]

Wow, I am so sorry to hear about this. Do you run your tank on a controller or a smart plug by any chance?

I do have a controller. I'm really to bummed to look when it happened

 

[JoJosReef]

What do you mean by that? I don't know when I'll be able to set things back up, and the rock is sitting on cold salt water.

The bacteria are still there. They didn't go anywhere. Probably lots of die off on the sirface, but the guts of the rocks still have everything.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I do have a controller. I'm really to bummed to look when it happened

I'm shocked that the controller didn't cut your system back on or at least alert you everything went out

 

[thefeds]

I'm shocked that the controller didn't cut your system back on or at least alert you everything went out

It did, looking back through my messages. There was nothing I could do though. The entire room was out, circuit tripped.

 

[thefeds]

The bacteria are still there. They didn't go anywhere. Probably lots of die off on the surface, but the guts of the rocks still have everything.

So, if I rinse those rocks off to clear the die off, I could put them back in this week with fresh warm salt water? I have to make 30 Gallons, mix it, clean my aquarium and bring it back on the stand and hook everything back up.

 

[Jared Bryant]

Drop a heater and powerhead in the bucket and it should be just fine. We used to cook rock like this back in the day to get the bacteria built up on the rock before starting a tank.

 

[exnisstech]

Sorry to hear this. Was the power outage to the whole home or just the tank? Please let us know what happened when your up to figuring it out. Your sharing could help someone else from going through the experience.
As mentioned the rock will have some die off but it should still have plenty of bacteria. I keep rock stored in a dark brute in the basement with nothing but flow.

I'm shocked that the controller didn't cut your system back on or at least alert you everything went out

I'm not shocked at all. Its possible for a controller to be / cause the failure. I know folks love them and many that travel need them but it introduces a single point of failure that can wipe out everything. Of course if things go as hoped they can also save a tank. Just never know which way it will go.

 

[CHSUB]

So, if I rinse those rocks off to clear the die off, I could put them back in this week with fresh warm salt water? I have to make 30 Gallons, mix it, clean my aquarium and bring it back on the stand and hook everything back up.

Yes. I lost my tank during hurricane Wilma in 2005. Easy to start back up, new sand rinse rock well with salt water or even Ro and scrub off dead stuff and you can restart.

 

[thefeds]

Sorry to hear this. Was the power outage to the whole home or just the tank? Please let us know what happened when your up to figuring it out. Your sharing could help someone else from going through the experience.
As mentioned the rock will have some die off but it should still have plenty of bacteria. I keep rock stored in a dark brute in the basement with nothing but flow.


I'm not shocked at all. Its possible for a controller to be / cause the failure. I know folks love them and many that travel need them but it introduces a single point of failure that can wipe out everything. Of course if things go as hoped they can also save a tank. Just never know which way it will go.

Thank you. We've been having AC issues. I brought in a portable to help keep room cool while we were gone. I can only guess it tripped the circuit. I don't have a dedicated room or anything like, this is just a simple hobby for me, so my tank is in my office next to me. I have started to make water, I meetings until 3pm today so I won't be able to get to cleaning tank until then. I don't have an extra heater, if I left the rocks in cold salt would that be ok and still usable until tomorrow?

 

[backbayreef]

So devastating to hear - this is every reefer’s nightmare! Pray that you will get through this. I would immediately clean the tank and restart, with better aquascape that you always wanted. Take this opportunity to learn & improve. For example, I would plan on remotely monitoring and battery backup solutions in the future. Have a neighbor / tank sitter to check on the tank in the future?

 

[exnisstech]

I think the rock should be fine. Mine sits for months in temps in the low 60s. Too hot is probably worse than too cool.

 

[thefeds]

Yes. I lost my tank during hurricane Wilma in 2005. Easy to start back up, new sand rinse rock well with salt water or even Ro and scrub off dead stuff and you can restart.

I run bare bottom, no sand. thank you for your feedback

 

[JoJosReef]

So, if I rinse those rocks off to clear the die off, I could put them back in this week with fresh warm salt water? I have to make 30 Gallons, mix it, clean my aquarium and bring it back on the stand and hook everything back up.

Same as above. I'd have a hearer and powerhead in there and do a water change after a day or two and then ready to go back in. Bit of swishing and rinsing or maybe turkey basting to get extra die-off also OK.

 

[thefeds]

Thank you all for the feedback and encouragement. I was going to put it all away this morning...

 

[backbayreef]

I’ve “skimmed” (no pun intended) your build thread and noticed you have an Apex. Did it not send an alert?

 

[AlyciaMarie Verified Admin]

Wow, I hate to hear this... I've experienced this as well. It's never a fun thing to come home to after a trip. I hope you guys plan to jump back in.