Irma killed power and tank crashed.

omar jawad · Sep 12, 2017

Sad day for this reefer. Poor planning on my part created a tank crash. Now I need to know whats next. As of this morning at 10:00 am, all fish died but the corals were still holding on. Cleaning crew appears to be 50/50. Power is still out and could be restored by tomorrow morning.

After removing the dead stock, what should the next step be?

Please advise.

spiraling · Sep 12, 2017

keep things oxygenated until you get power. Even taking a cup and scooping up water and pouring it back in the tank from a height can help if you do it for a bit.

palmer · Sep 12, 2017

You could use your water change hose and blow thru it every 15mins to keep water oxygenated

Katrina71 · Sep 12, 2017

Sorry about your fish

Thomashtom · Sep 12, 2017

sorry

Luna · Sep 13, 2017

Dang that sucks, but how can no power in a tank kill livestock?? Forgive the ? still a newbie here..

SDReefer · Sep 13, 2017

Luna said:
Dang that sucks, but how can no power in a tank kill livestock?? Forgive the ? still a newbie here..

With no circulation, the level of dissolved oxygen in the tank declines as fish take it in through their gills.

vic67 · Sep 13, 2017

Sorry to hear about your losses. Any water movement will help; stir the water/blow air thru a hose, etc. Battery powered air pumps if you can get some. I know Amazon has same day shipping on some items. You can get an inverter for your car to run a few basic items if your car is somewhat close to your tank.

RamsReef · Sep 13, 2017

vic67 said:
Sorry to hear about your losses. Any water movement will help; stir the water/blow air thru a hose, etc. Battery powered air pumps if you can get some. I know Amazon has same day shipping on some items. You can get an inverter for your car to run a few basic items if your car is somewhat close to your tank.

I'm going to guess that shipping is suspended right now.

CindyKz · Sep 13, 2017

I'm sorry to hear. Please try not to be too hard on yourself. Irma was a killer.

Crabs McJones · Sep 13, 2017

Sorry to hear, keep the water moving if possible, take a cup and pour water into the tank to mix it up and put some o2 into the water for the fish. Good luck!!

FloridaEsq · Sep 13, 2017

I understand your pain, I was a part of mandatory evac. most of my fish were dead due to lack of circulation. kept the few I had left alive by manually stirring tank. keep your chin up!

Florida Sunshine · Sep 13, 2017

Where are you located? I am in Cocoa and my power is back on so I could loan you my battery powered air pumps. PM me if you need them so I am sure to notice.

omar jawad · Sep 13, 2017

Florida Sunshine said:
Where are you located? I am in Cocoa and my power is back on so I could loan you my battery powered air pumps. PM me if you need them so I am sure to notice.

Thank you for the offer. Power is back on but the tank didn't make it. I have a few corals left.

omar jawad · Sep 13, 2017

Today the power returned at 9:30. I removed all the fish I could locate, did a 40% water change and added fresh carbon. A lot of it. The stench is awful. When will that get better? In the next few days, I will start pulling corals. Some look like they might make it. I want to give them a few days to see if they make it or not. Can anyone advise on the stench and what I can do to remedy that. Wife's not digging that at all. Any other advise would be great.

RamsReef · Sep 13, 2017

:/ Run some carbon sorry to hear it omar

RamsReef · Sep 13, 2017

And prime if you have it to help with the ammonia.

Fumanchu · Sep 13, 2017

Sorry buddy hang in there

omar jawad · Sep 13, 2017

Ramasule said:
And prime if you have it to help with the ammonia.

Thanks. Added both today

Newb73 · Sep 13, 2017

I had one tank bust at the seams, another endure a 7 day power outage in an ice storm when it was freezing temperatures..

That stuff will honestly make you paranoid....2 Heaters, 2 temp probs, continuous salinity and orp probes. One day I might even splurge so i can measure dissolved oxygen in real time on a back up battery......Also dual main pumps with a spare in closet, back up batteries, alarms. Even got a spare apex main brain. It's a journey. I am seriously putting my entire house on a full on back up generator....and that's crazy considering I get a protracted power outage like once per 5 years at most.

Heck it's a challenge to have healthy corals, some "expert only" fish and keep algae at bay as it is...a split second loss of everything is simultaneously maddening and demoralizing and I've basically declared war on failure points and continue to find more.

Such is the life of a reefer.

Ozone will help with smell, the carbon you are running is already helping as is the water changes.

Turn the circ pumps all to wide open.