I need advice on what to do

jrbates08 · Jul 6, 2014

Hello everyone. Well some of u know that I have been MIA for awhile. Well awhile back we had been hit by a tornado and it had destroyed about everything. We are just now getting things back to livable conditions. However, our home went about a month without power while things were being appraised and etc. In that month, our fishless tank sat motionless and still that whole time. No maintenence or anything. I'm am positive everything is dead..my kenya tree and snails are all dead (obviously) well we are wanting to get things moving again. I have about 70 pounds of live rock in the tank now along with live sand substrate. We are going to remove and replace the LS BUT, is there a way for me to reuse the LR even tho it is dead now?? The tank had already cycled before this happened and has been sitting in still water for about 1 month. Opinions on what I can or should do (cheapest route please) is appreciated. Have to stay as cheap as possible due to priority house maintenence that still needs to be finished. Thanks in advance. I MESSED YOU GUYS

tjsig522 · Jul 6, 2014

You can try taking the live rock and recycling it in a large container . For example how some lfs do it. They normal have a skimmer running in the container and cycle the rock and adding nutrients. Thats all I can think of that would keep your cost down.

Reefing Madness · Jul 6, 2014

No reason to replace the sand or the rock. You could remove all the sand, rinse it out really well, then throw it back in. Same with the Rock, throw it in a bucket of bleach and water mixture, 50/50, scrub it down, throw it in another bucket for rinsing, then use that also.

joekool · Jul 6, 2014

If you had recently just started the tank than and it was relatively new before the tornado than I would say go ahead and use it all. Take the rock out of tank and pressure wash to get any algae or gunk off of it. Soak rock in tub with RO water and with pump running for a couple days.
Once rock is back in tank fill back up with saltwater and add some cycling bacteria. Run tank at temp and circulation. Test weekly and report
We can get you up and running. Also I'm sure after the tank has been running for a couple months fellow members from the PIF thread will help you get some coral in your tank.

Tell us what equipment you have.

Mmsetta · Jul 6, 2014

Just a note of support for you during your reconstruction. If you are now able to focus on your hobby, I assume the dust has settled with the important things. Good luck.

jrbates08 · Jul 6, 2014

Yes the dust is settled....now its just misc stuff around the house that won't really effect the tank. We had to get the drywall and stuff done before the tank gets started
But we're in the clear for finances now but still have things we "want" to do to the house but if i wait for all those things to be finished, I'd never have a tank again lol. I'll post pix of the equipment I have

First is an Aqua Urchin brand skimmer in the sump. Then to the right is 3 trays with the carbon, the little ball things and a filter...There is also a UV light. Then in the tank I have a 1600gph dual head wavemaker and a smaller 300l/h pump.

aquamaxx RO/DI 3 canister system.

I know there's more I'm forgetting to post so if i forgot something, let me know

Dalmatia · Jul 7, 2014

jrbates08 said:
Hello everyone. Well some of u know that I have been MIA for awhile. Well awhile back we had been hit by a tornado and it had destroyed about everything. We are just now getting things back to livable conditions. However, our home went about a month without power while things were being appraised and etc. In that month, our fishless tank sat motionless and still that whole time. No maintenence or anything. I'm am positive everything is dead..my kenya tree and snails are all dead (obviously) well we are wanting to get things moving again. I have about 70 pounds of live rock in the tank now along with live sand substrate. We are going to remove and replace the LS BUT, is there a way for me to reuse the LR even tho it is dead now?? The tank had already cycled before this happened and has been sitting in still water for about 1 month. Opinions on what I can or should do (cheapest route please) is appreciated. Have to stay as cheap as possible due to priority house maintenence that still needs to be finished. Thanks in advance. I MESSED YOU GUYS

Put your Powerheads and filters back on, just recycle it all, stir the sand! Nothing bad can happen. You still have a lot of bacteria to get a jump start!
Good luck and sorry to hear what has happened to you and your family

Hope

Dalmatia · Jul 7, 2014

Similar happened to me (with power outages, no tornados but...) I just left the tank off for more than a month. One day I just started it up and let it run,,,... I was pleased to see life pop back out after that

Bad Company · Jul 7, 2014

Yeah, I would just fire it up! Give it time to re-balance out. Maybe use a shrimp to restart the cycle. No need to bleach anything. The snails turned into nutrients, which may have turned into algae. Worst case, you uh get more snails to eat the algae... Much of the life will come back.

Queensreefer · Jul 7, 2014

They are over 4000 creatures that live in sea water. I bet if you turn everything on and just let it run, you will have a cycle start up and then do water changes. I reccomend running the skimmer 24/7 and use some filter socks. After a few weeks, water changes will take care of the rest.

Dalmatia · Jul 7, 2014

Queensreefer said:
They are over 4000 creatures that live in sea water. I bet if you turn everything on and just let it run, you will have a cycle start up and then do water changes. I reccomend running the skimmer 24/7 and use some filter socks. After a few weeks, water changes will take care of the rest.

Yap

jrbates08 · Jul 7, 2014

Well Santa has been inactive for over a month now should I add salt to it for what do I do just turned on and keep the water the same or do I add more salt do I do a water change now