Disaster!!!!!!

[WI Reef Lover]

I had a falfunction with my heater......to make a long story short i came home, my tank was about 100 degrees and my corals all melted away like the witch in the Wizzard of Oz.

So now that I've cleaned up the mess that was my beautiful tank, how long do I have to wait before I can start to rebuild. It's been about 2 weeks, the water is nice and clear, the few survivors seem to be doing all right.

I've never had this happen before, I'm DEVASTATED.

Would it be safe the guess that most of the beneficial bacteria that was sustaining my tank is toast?

[Newlin]

You may get lucky and all the BB is okay but I would say that it's toast. I would check everything in your tank (ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, ph) and see if it is going through another cycle. If not, I would say that you can start putting some hardy things in your tank.

[Agu]

What's you ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate test out at ? Bacteria grows really fast and the dieoff probably fed a boom and bust cycle. Water tests are the only way to know if your tank is ready. To confirm the bacteria has recovered start feeding very lightly. If there's no ammonia measued you should be good to go.

My condolences and good luck...........

[bertoni]

I think you're ready to start restocking.

I use a thermal controller and multiple heaters to help reduce the likelihood of this type of problem. Heater malfunctions are very common.

[FragMan07]

We all feel for you.

Obviously it wasn't done on purpose so there's no use in beating yourself up.

Good luck in the bacteria rebuilding

[WI Reef Lover]

Stupid me, I always figured if a heater went it would simply stop working and the water would cool down, never expected it to heat up. Imagine my horror when I walked in the door to cloudy water and pieces of my baby floating around the tank. I did manage to save my giant carpet anemone who is resting comfortably in my boyfriends tank. Makes me nervous though because he can only stay there temporarily as he really doesn't have the proper lighting for it.

I haven't tested my water since the disaster, I figured testing it right away would be a waste of chemicals as I'm sure everything would have been right off the charts. I definately will test it a few times to make sure everything is steady before I start to build up livestock again. I have to say I'm pretty surprised at the toughness of my perculata clown and my cucumbers. I'm really amazed that they managed to survive the mess.

[jvr1102]

Don't know how much a chiller would have helped, my guess is it probably would have kept it 10-15 degrees cooler thus saving some livestock. I hated doing so but shelled out the cash for a chiller as extra insurance just in case, one of the reasons being preventing one incedent like this it would have paid for itself. I think if this happened to me I would cry and give up. Good luck on the rebuild

[boggs32]

oh man, that sucks! Good luck with the rebuild.

[MichaelRyanSd]

sorry to hear that....it puts little [profanity] I've done to my tank in perspective...

[tspors]

Where are you in Wisconsin??? Appleton here.

[masonicman]

WI Reef LoverWI, Truly sorry for your loss. I always fear thing like this. I'm a Electrical Engineer and throughout my career thus working with electronic equipment. I seen strange things happen to perfectly working equipment. What type of heater was this, so that other reefers can be aware of the potential latent defect?

bertoni
Were did you get the thermal controller from

[goreefer]

Now that you have lost a nice tank due to a faulty heater I would consider buying a Ranco Controller.
If you also run a chiller or cooling fan go ahead and get the dual stage. That way you can keep everything within a degree or two.

[tmz]

Originally posted by bertoni
I think you're ready to start restocking.

I use a thermal controller and multiple heaters to help reduce the likelihood of this type of problem. Heater malfunctions are very common.

I do the same. Several years ago I cooked a pair of freshwatrer Oscars due to a heater sticking on. This is more common than many realize.

[MrSquid]

Originally posted by tspors
Where are you in Wisconsin??? Appleton here.

Appleton here too.

Vicky - out of curiousity, what brand heater? How old was it?

And what size tank? Typically it's a good idea to run 2 smaller sized heaters (two 150w's instead of one 300w) - then if one sticks on, the result isn't as devastating. And likewise, if one sticks off, the other still helps out.

[goreefer]

Even if you have two heaters and only one sticks on the result is not good. The price of a Ranco controller is less than $100 for a dual stage.
That is about the same cost as three or four nice frags.
And then you can grow out many more frags no matter how much the heaters stick on, because the controller switches them off when it reaches the set point.
I will not risk hundreds if dollars of corals with a self controlled heater. There are just too many threads here on RC that discuss the same problem of heaters sticking.
I run an AquaJr controller on my display, and a dual stage Ranco on my frag tank.
I will never have another tank with out some type of external temp controller. When you look at the costs involved, the controllers are really cheap in comparison to my corals.

[colotl]

Sorry to here about your loss. It happened to me about 2months ago. I took it as an opportunity to improve. I re aquascaped and bought better equipment. Don't go cheap with saltwater. I have put to much time and I would hate to see it gone again.

[WI Reef Lover]

Wow so many replies. To all who wanted to know what kind of heater it was, I really don't know and I tossed it out already of course. Sorry. It wasn't a new one though, I had actually bought it used. That's what I get for that. Bought it 3 years ago when I first started out. For those in Appleton, I'm in Oshkosh so I guess we're neighbors.

I have already re-aquascaped myself, preparing for the rebuild. Have already been thinking about what kind of corals I want to get etc.......Pretty slim pickins around here though, I can only think of two places between appleton and oshkosh that even have saltwater anymore and the selection isn't the greatest for corals. I have heard of a few good places in Green Bay but haven't had the opportunity to check them out. I know I'd really like to have more color this time. Felt like I had a lot of brown and green before, although I loved them all. Will probably do a lot of my restocking from places on line that i've had good experiences with in the past.

I will definately be looking into a really good heater. I've got a much smaller one in it right now. Just one I had on hand for the time being. It really is a pretty scary thing, certainly not anything I ever want to experience again.

to colotl: I know exactly what you mean. All that time, effort and not to mention the money.........i'd been watching so many of them growing for so long, it was absolutely horrible to see them dying and not be able to stop it. I wouldn't wish this kind of disaster on anyone, it bad enough when you loose just one.

[WI Reef Lover]

Originally posted by goreefer
Even if you have two heaters and only one sticks on the result is not good. The price of a Ranco controller is less than $100 for a dual stage.
That is about the same cost as three or four nice frags.
And then you can grow out many more frags no matter how much the heaters stick on, because the controller switches them off when it reaches the set point.
I will not risk hundreds if dollars of corals with a self controlled heater. There are just too many threads here on RC that discuss the same problem of heaters sticking.
I run an AquaJr controller on my display, and a dual stage Ranco on my frag tank.
I will never have another tank with out some type of external temp controller. When you look at the costs involved, the controllers are really cheap in comparison to my corals.

I'm not real good with the whole equipment thing, i'm really just a novice. I don't even run a protein skimmer, used maintainance more than anything else.

What does the controller do? Will it shut the heater down if it gets too hot?

[WI Reef Lover]

Originally posted by WI Reef Lover
I'm not real good with the whole equipment thing, i'm really just a novice. I don't even run a protein skimmer, used maintainance more than anything else.

What does the controller do? Will it shut the heater down if it gets too hot?

OK re-read it, it does shut it down, sounds like a handy piece of equipment. I think I'll have to find one of these.

[tspors]

Vicky the best place for coral in the area is Aquatic Imports in Green Bay. Very experienced employee's. Owner operated. They are on Pine st. I am glad I do not need a heater. I moved my plumbing in the basement do to heat. I dropped my temp 6 degrees. I hold between 77+ - 80 over the 24 hour day. I had some friends in ATlanta that cooked all there fish before they added a chiller. I would freak. Really try this place in GB. I am in the starting phase on my 150g I have a place local here can't stand the guy do to an issue the created in my 80g, so I drive to GB. Excellent selection of fish and coral. Being owner operated they care about you.

[KD9RG]

I agree, go with the controller. Hope the rebuild is going well.Mike/KD9RG

[goreefer]

Controllers are the way to go.
They will be your best investment of any piece of equipment.
Like I stated before, I WILL NEVER HAVE A TANK WITHOUT ONE...

[WI Reef Lover]

Originally posted by goreefer
Controllers are the way to go.
They will be your best investment of any piece of equipment.
Like I stated before, I WILL NEVER HAVE A TANK WITHOUT ONE...

Thanks for the advise, I'll definately be looking into one of these.

[WI Reef Lover]

Originally posted by tspors
Vicky the best place for coral in the area is Aquatic Imports in Green Bay. Very experienced employee's. Owner operated. They are on Pine st. I am glad I do not need a heater. I moved my plumbing in the basement do to heat. I dropped my temp 6 degrees. I hold between 77+ - 80 over the 24 hour day. I had some friends in ATlanta that cooked all there fish before they added a chiller. I would freak. Really try this place in GB. I am in the starting phase on my 150g I have a place local here can't stand the guy do to an issue the created in my 80g, so I drive to GB. Excellent selection of fish and coral. Being owner operated they care about you.

I've heard a lot of good things about aquatic imports been wanting to go there for quite a while. I will definately have to check them out, it's really not that far from Oshkosh.

Was your problem with Just Pets.....I've found that none of the 3 places i frequented in Appleton gave great advise. They were Pet Central I think it's pet cental, right near Just Pets, Animal Adventures (both closed now) and Just Pets. I also found Just Pets prices to be a bit high and none of their employees know jack about corals or anything. Most don't have a clue. I've shopped there but have never asked for any advise, they seem more interested in the sale than the well being of your system. I've been told that the swaps that they hold from time to time in our area are really pretty good.

[tspors]

Yes Just Pets. They sold me a mushroom coral on a rock. When I got it home the rock had aiptasia on it. I took some photo's and the F*** that owns the place and another guy said oh no that's not it. Meanwhile 2 turned into 10 as I tried to get a handle it became 20,40 and so on. Nudibranch didn't work injections didn't work. I took the tank down installed hardwood floor in my living room and bought a 150g. Never to return to Just Pets.