Biggest Disaster

NY_Caveman · May 18, 2018

hijinks7 said:
So I had a security company come in to install a new system. They installed the control box in the room next to where the tank was and needed an outlet to plug into. The switch the tank was plugged into was a switched outlet. Top was on the switch and bottom was dedicated. I moved from NYC->SF and had a 180g in NYC. So I took 30 or so of my expensive corals and took multiple large frags off them to move cross country. I sold the rest of my livestock and large tank. Downsized to a 60g cube and the frags begin to grow out into larger colonies.

So security company comes in and needs the control unit on the bottom outlet. So he unplugs the tank and moves it to the top. He never told me what he did. So fast forward to the night and my wife turns off the switch in the room to turn off the lights. I get up early the next day for a soccer game. Get home have lunch. The lights come on around lunch time. My kids come yelling saying something is wrong with the tank. The temp was around 65 and most of the fish have died. All my colonies are dead. Prices were around $10k for it all if I sold them. Two or three days of arguing insue with the security company. They wanted to only pay $2k in damages. Finally settle for $8k but killed the hobby for me for a good 5-6 years till I'm starting up just now.

I had some of those corals for 10 years before the mass die off.

Morons. A heartbreaking story. Thanks for sharing it.

Good heads up we should be aware when anyone works in our homes.

User1 · May 18, 2018

Gator0930 said:
That is horrible. What have you done as a backup if this happens again

Great question. This particular time I didn't really get along well with my neighbor outside the friendly hi/bye greeting thing so that wasn't an option. This time, however, I'm along well with a neighbor who I trust would help. I am also looking at the various reef/coral stores around town that offer aquarium serving, and will reach out to them.

What this means is that I have to document or at least make sure an emergency band aid could be applied if tank related. If AC like what I said above, check basic breaker or call for repair and use a card I leave behind. Honestly didn't think about it much at the time. Dogs and bird it is a no brainer. I board them. Fish - usually a auto feeder works provided I set up enough auto top off and AC. But my mistake was not looking beyond that. I think most here on this forum do and have more experience with larger systems. I just flat out screwed up.

So it was a lesson learned.

Gator0930 · May 18, 2018

hijinks7 said:
So I had a security company come in to install a new system. They installed the control box in the room next to where the tank was and needed an outlet to plug into. The switch the tank was plugged into was a switched outlet. Top was on the switch and bottom was dedicated. I moved from NYC->SF and had a 180g in NYC. So I took 30 or so of my expensive corals and took multiple large frags off them to move cross country. I sold the rest of my livestock and large tank. Downsized to a 60g cube and the frags begin to grow out into larger colonies.

So security company comes in and needs the control unit on the bottom outlet. So he unplugs the tank and moves it to the top. He never told me what he did. So fast forward to the night and my wife turns off the switch in the room to turn off the lights. I get up early the next day for a soccer game. Get home have lunch. The lights come on around lunch time. My kids come yelling saying something is wrong with the tank. The temp was around 65 and most of the fish have died. All my colonies are dead. Prices were around $10k for it all if I sold them. Two or three days of arguing insue with the security company. They wanted to only pay $2k in damages. Finally settle for $8k but killed the hobby for me for a good 5-6 years till I'm starting up just now.

I had some of those corals for 10 years before the mass die off.

I would have been furious. I am sorry to hear about this loss, but I am glad you came back to the hobby

HoustonReefer5 · May 18, 2018

My ato container, which is in the sump, requires me to fill it after a couple days. Well, one day after filling the container, I forgot to reposition the outlet of the pump in the ato container. This then caused about 5 gallons worth of water to be pumped onto the floor. Yeah...I am just glad my outlets/electronics were nowhere near the water.

srad750c · May 19, 2018

Gator0930 said:
I

just saw a massive one of these in the store. I did not know they were so aggressive

You have no idea how aggressive, kinda like an undulatus trigger. Trust me. I had one, but man are they hardy.

srad750c · May 19, 2018

cracker said:
I lost a real nice Wrasse by jumping. Took the cover off, walked out of the room for a siphon hose . Straight down to the hard tile. Put it back in the tank immediately . Had a bad scrap on it's flank. Lasted 2 weeks & gone. The cover was off for 45 seconds maybe. Please Folks cover Your tanks !

I feel your pain, I lost a really nice male Bartlett’s anthais. I bought five and ended up with three males and two females. The really dominate male chased one of them out of the tank while I was at work

srad750c · May 20, 2018

srad750c said:
I feel your pain, I lost a really nice male Bartlett’s anthais. I bought five and ended up with three males and two females. The really dominate male chased one of them out of the tank while I was at work

make that two:mad:

Michael A Kurolvech · May 20, 2018

justjes45 said:
Pulsing Zenia. Definitely.
LOVE the look and the way they move, but took over my entire tank, I scraped the rocks to contain them multiple times, and eventually I replaced the rocks...

Ugh, Zenia the Bane of my existence! Followed closely by Green Star Polyps and and lately Zoa's as well.