Lost Everything

MaineSalt · Mar 20, 2015

I've had my tank with fairly good success for almost 3 years....last week I did a water change like normal probably 30%. At the time of my water change I had a small algae problem and could smell a sorta rotten egg smell. Now all my fish are dead, water smells worse and my corals are dying. My anemone has never moved and tonight it's moving and doesn't look good. Any suggestions on what might have caused this? I know there isn't much info I'll answer any questions. It's a 40B with 20g sump protein skimmer that pulls good.

Thanks

Braver69 · Mar 20, 2015

If you have a deep enough sand bed and you disturbed it with the water change you may have released hydrogen sulfide, the rotten egg smell. Past that I can only think something caused your water to go bad, perhaps letting it sit stagnant for a extended time.

Cleverbs · Mar 20, 2015

thats why friends dont left friends have sandbeds

NanaReefer · Mar 20, 2015

Cleverbs said:
thats why friends dont left friends have sandbeds

Lot of helpful info here

kidtango · Mar 20, 2015

You can have a sandbed... Just not a deep one. Sorry to hear man. Painful lesson for you and for your tank. But learn and grow. Don't give up. This hobby is very challenging but amazingly rewarding.

Triggreef · Mar 20, 2015

Good thing there's no sand in the ocean. Lol

Sounds like your issues stem from the ro water, that shouldn't smell. What do you have for a water source, and what does the tds read?

mrcoffee2 · Mar 20, 2015

Sounds like a chain die off of your tank. I am just shooting from the hips here since I don't know much about your tank but depending on the algae it could have started to kill your CUC which could of caused a Phosphate / ammonia spike that probably resulted in killing your tank inhabitants... It is always good to test your water before doing anything drastic, though a WC is usually your first line of defense.

I am not entirely sure a sand bed was at total fault here but maybe it could have been. I mean if you have had a thriving tank for 3 yrs then it doesnt really lead me to believe it was a sand bed... Unless you decided to reach your hand into the sand bed and muck it all alround

but if you had the tank for 3 yrs I would assume you would have known not to do that lol...

buzzword · Mar 20, 2015

I had the same type of thing happen in 2006, what I believe happened is that I had my rock work stacked so that there was a huge dead spot between the rock and the back glass. Finally after 3 years of stuff festering back there with no circulation and no stirring of the sand I had pretty much the same event you described with the smell and all. Do what you can to save your inhabitants but now is the time to tear down and redo your aquascaping if you think it played a part.

hart24601 · Mar 20, 2015

The rotten egg smell makes me think of hydrogen sulfide, most likely from a sand bed that was disturbed. It could be from other sources, but that is the most common.

deerhunter06 · Mar 20, 2015

sorry for your loss.

Dextereef · Mar 20, 2015

I am going through something similar and it stemmed from how I had my rockwork setup. Once side was a collection point for detritus and it was out of sight out of mind until I had a frag go tumbling back there. It landed in a huge pile of green/gray detritus build up. I have had an ongoing battle with algae and I can only deduce that this is why. Time to rescape! Best of luck to you.