My worst day in Reefing :(

buttons buster · #1 01/03/2008, 03:48 AM

So the day is 12/31/07.
I was going to post this then, but was too stressed.
So I'll post it now.

Ok so my family decided it would be best to go down to see my cousins on the weekend before news years.
i was thinking oh great, how are my fish tanks going to be?
But I decided that it's only two days so it can't be that bad.
Boy was I wrong.

I was worried about salinity change due to evaporation, but that was the least of my problems.

I don't know exactly when, but the power went out.

Probably sometime saturday.

So since the power went out, we had no way to heat the tanks.
So when we got back the tanks were 50 degrees.
If you put your hands in the tanks they would literally be stinging after about 10 seconds.

So as you may presume this is really bad for the inhabitants.
All the corals were closed up, and there was a lot of milky substance floating around in the tanks.

I was literally about to cry, but not really.
i got thrown into a bit of rage though lol.
Even though fish tanks are suposed to calm you down.

My dad fixed the circuit breaker, and I got power back.
I turned the heaters back on, and got the temps back up.

The corals are starting to make a recovery.
Well kinda anyway.

I did a water change also.

Well,
i guess this is my rant.

I guess my question would be,
is there any thing I can do?

Ps.
2008 is a new year right?

Trevor S · #2 01/03/2008, 04:02 AM

Sorry to hear about your tank buttons.

I would highly suggest looking into a battery backup of some sort, possibly with the ability to set snmp traps to send you a sms or email letting you know you have a power outage. In the mean time keeping a pump or 2, and possibly a heater up for a few hours, till you can make it back home.

All of us spend a lot of money in this hobby, and sometimes forget how fragile the aquaria world is. I know its just another piece of equipment, but it's nice to have when something like this happens.

buttons buster · #3 01/03/2008, 04:12 AM

how much will that cost?

Oh and another question:

god this is like the worst timing I swear.

Ok so I ordered a tubs blue frag.
It's suposed to arrive tomorrow.
Would it be ok to put in the tank?

I don't really have any other options GRR!

MrMikeB · #4 01/03/2008, 04:17 AM

Ouch amigo...

The temp drop is not a 'good' thing, but I would be more worried about the lack of flow and oxygenation for such a prolonged period of time. That really takes a toll on corals and other reef inhabitants. In the ocean, there are thermals that pass through where temp drops are very sudden - corals and the lot can handle temp changes, but they are never without water flow in their natural habitats.

I am sorry either way dude.

The only thing you can do now is bring things slowly back up to par and hope for the best. If you see things obviously not going to make it - take it out before it dies and pollutes the water even more. If your water becomes (or is) toxic (ammonia spike - e.g. crash), fix that ASAP or it will cause even more damage.

buttons buster · #5 01/03/2008, 04:19 AM

I did like a 100% water change on the tanks.

I'm hoping to do that again tomorrow if at all possible

buttons buster · #6 01/03/2008, 04:20 AM

Oh and yes i keep mostly zoas so the the lack of lighting and flow is taking the toll

pbetito · #7 01/03/2008, 04:25 AM

I am SO sorry to hear about this. I lost tanks twice to that sort of thing. The first was when my wife thought she unplugged one thing and instead unplugged my entire power strip to my 240 gallon reef. The second time was recently when all my SPS were in a holding system and one of the kids unplugged the pumps. It is enough to make you lose your noodle. I would reccomend lots of testing and frequent 30-50 percent water changes as the death will cause more death

If you need a place to house anything LMK. Good luck with the survivors.

RasBobre · #8 01/03/2008, 09:23 AM

Expecting 100 MPH winds tonight and tomorrow and my year and a half old generator might get its first use.

Not wishing for anything bad to anyone that does not have a back up source, but I am kind of hoping the power goes out with these storms.

I went through a 60 hour power outage on New Years 2006 and went out and purchased the in line generator. It goes through a twenty minute maintenance run every Monday at noon and automatically transfers if there is a power interruption, so I do even need to be home if the power goes out to fire it up.

I am sorry to hear of your loss Buttons.

Reefugee · #9 01/03/2008, 11:28 AM

Button,

Sorry to hear about your power outage. I hope things works out for you.

In regard to your power outage: Was this a neighborhood power outage or was this a circuit breaker that failed? If it's a failed circuit breaker, you might want to check to see if you might be borderline on overloading the circuit. Also - if the circuit is old, you might want to consider having your parents replace it with a new breaker.

Minh

mike1962 · #10 01/03/2008, 11:44 AM

Misery loves company, so let me add, although mine is nothing compared to yours. Yesterday while working on a 30g new softy tank, I set a relatively new Current Orbit light catty corner while I went to go do something else momentarily. When I came back I discovered it siting in the tank! Much to my dismay the GFI did not shut it down and had to carefully power off my powerstrip. I've taken it apart, cleaned it as well as possible, but it doesn't seem to have helped. I'm going to order some replacement ballasts and PC lights and hope that will do the trick, though am still figuring out how to deal with the on/off switches since I can't seem to order replacements for those...It was dumb on my part to set the light the way it was, so I am totally to blame, and that stupidity is going to cost me some money and time.

Good god, I can't imagine Paul's scenario being a 240g!!

Hope this comissery in some small way will help you feel better about your situation, and know that you are not alone.

kevin95695 · #11 01/03/2008, 12:24 PM

Buttons: Get a reef buddy. KMP has saved my tank more than once. And line up a back up reef buddy in case your reef buddy is out of town or something...

petes97 · #12 01/03/2008, 12:24 PM

I can lend up my frag tank to you to store the Zoas if you need. Let me know.

airinhere · #13 01/03/2008, 12:32 PM

I would freak out if that happened to me.

Without being able to see your tanks, I would urge caution when putting your new zoas into your tank. If anything died in your tank (including microfauna) you could see a minicycle pretty easily.

Minh has a real good point about checking your load on your circuit breakers. I cant run my TV, computer tower and all of my metal halide lights at the same time on the same circuit. I split them up between three different circuits. Only tripped twice before I figured that one out.

Good luck man. At least its just a single tank. I dont know what I would do.

And at least you didnt get shocked Mike.

buttons buster · #14 01/03/2008, 01:26 PM

Its actually three tanks grrr!. Lol.

My Fowlr, seems to be doing the best.
The fish were literally like frozen though. Took them a couple hours before they started swimming around.

The other two not so much.
It was just our house, with a circuit failure.
My dad thinks it was some kind of sick prank or something, because our circuit box was open when we arrived home.

Ok paul pm sent.

Good points everyone,
So who in the fair oaks region wants to be my reef buddy?

buttons buster · #15 01/03/2008, 03:20 PM

water check:

ph 8.2
amm: 1.5 worst it's ever been in the tank
nitrite: 0
Nitrate 0
temp: 80

Water change is on it's way lol.
I'm hoping that the dieoff ceases GRRR!
MAn this can be frustrating

MrMikeB · #16 01/03/2008, 03:25 PM

Ammonia is bad news and very toxic! It would appear your die off and lack of nitrifying bacteria is causing a mini-cycle. Your tank is unsafe for reef inhabitants and I would strongly recommend you move your livestock somewhere else (friends tank, LFS, somewhere) for the time being until the bacteria has time to reestablish itself. I would offer to help, but I am not at home.

buttons buster · #17 01/03/2008, 03:58 PM

THanks for all of the assistance.

I know the Amm. isn't good at all.
It's only going to start cascading effect.

So my tubs frag came in at 11:30.

I'm acclimating it right now still. into the "safest tank" not much more I can do at his point. The ammonium in that tank is only like .25

It's been temp acclimating for like an hour and a half

airinhere · #18 01/03/2008, 04:12 PM

I know its a bit of a haul, but you are welcome to load up what you can and use my tanks until you get yours back under control.

philter4 · #19 01/03/2008, 04:34 PM

I'm very sorry to hear about your loss. I have had to deal with things like that regularly, a couple years ago I was out of power for 21 of 30 days. The first power outage was hurricane Katrina, the b***h, people don't realize it because of all the trouble in New Orleans, but it hit Broward (me) and West Palm Beach counties directly before moving on to the gulf. We were without for 16 days then 7 days after the power came back here comes Wilma hitting almost the exact same spot. We were only out 5 days that time, but in the space of 30 days only power for 9 days. I used battery power to circulate the water but the temp went up to 90 deg because no air conditioning. The fish stressed but lived, as did all the shrimp and starfish, but most of my zoos and corallamorphs died or shrivelled up with the lack of lights. Not a fun time, but the battery operated pumps I have plug in and as soon as the power is cut the batteries take over then as soon as I noticed the bubbles diminish I changed batteries, about every 4 days or so. Can't help with the temp though, I have the opposite problem when power out, my tanks overheat. Again sorry, I felt the pain all over again when I read that.

buttons buster · #20 01/03/2008, 07:35 PM

THis is my healthiest colony. hopefully things turn around

buttons buster · #21 01/03/2008, 07:39 PM

oh and aaron thank you for the offer, but it won't work into my schedule.

I really appreciate it though

Balgie · #22 01/03/2008, 11:31 PM

That sucks. What is a good battery back up? What do you guys use besides a friggin monster generator?

Trevor S · #23 01/04/2008, 12:06 AM

This is the battery backup I run on my tank, http://www.apc.com/resource/include/...=SUA1500R2X122

It only uses maybe 10% load, so the times given on the uptime are longer since im under half load.

buttons buster · #24 01/05/2008, 04:15 AM

anybody know where to get the cheapest back up gen?

Oh and thank god, I'm pleased to inform that my tanks are starting to "recover" well kinda.
Lost some really cool stuff.

But,
The tubs frag that I got is open. Pics to come.

Rebuilding can be fun....Right?

bngowe · #25 01/05/2008, 04:29 AM

geehz..sorry to hear that.. to end 2007, I"ve had a bunch of problems with my tank. first the pump on my skimmer short circuits..then when I get a new pump, that morning, my overflow lost its siphon and my tank overflowed, while my auto top off pumped fresh water into my tank. =/

well I hope all works out for the best for ya .