Vacation Bloom!

[lavoisier]

I came back from a week's vacation to my relatively new tank (4 months) to what I assume is a bacterial bloom.

I will daily water changes. I have reduced feedings and cut back on full lighting (though I'm not sure if that has any effect). Further suggestions welcome.

 

[Qasimja]

are you running carbon?

 

[lavoisier]

I am. In fact I've added new since I got home.

 

[lavoisier]

Good news and bad news. We were gone for another week and the water cleared.

Notice where the chromis and anthias are hanging out. Except at night or when they hide this is where they swim all day.

I was able to acquire a bonded pair of Coral Banded Shrimp.

I added 5 Cleaner Shrimp. Two or Three times a day they will set up shop and the Tangs will drop by for the works.

 

[Coralreefer1]

Beautiful tank! Water changes, carbon and reduced lighting will help.
Best of luck with your tank!

 

[lavoisier]

Now for the bad news. The night before we got back a heater in the 100g salt water mixing tub malfunctioned and melted the Rubbermaid trough. The whole house was filled with smoke and a thin layer of soot has been deposited everywhere! Farmer's insurance has been wonderful and through cleaning begins tomorrow. There were no flames or direct fire damage. My daughter came home to find the smoke, called 911, and we had 3 fire trucks and 3 police cars out front. It make for a spontaneous neighborhood gathering.

Five days after the fact I lost my 2 Powder Blues. I do not know if that was smoke related or not but the cleaning company is recommending the tank be broken down and everything cleaned (rock, sand, and tank) and the water replaced. Insurance will cover everything but I am hesitant to do this. Does anyone have experience such circumstances?

 

[Seanybaggs123]

Is that black box lighting?

 

[lavoisier]

Two inexpensive LED boxes, and 400w halides and a T5.

 

[Katrina71]

I'd probably be leaning toward breaking it down due to the amount of time it was exposed.