Son Crashed Coral Tank

[jknorr23]

Hey Everyone,

So Fathers Day morning my 4 year old got up early and decided to “help” daddy by feeding my coral tank. By feed, he meant dump an entire container of reef roids, an entire container of reef chili, and a whole bottle of brine shrimp eggs I used to hatch for my mandarins, all of which he mixed up with a nice dose of alk 2 part. I tried siphoning out as much as I could when I found it and tried multiple large water changes, but needless to say, my coral collection I’ve put together over the last 2 years no longer exists. So I have 2 main questions:

1. What do I need to do to restart my tank? Am I going to need new rock? Can I just do a total water change? Should I completely drain the tank, clean and dry everything, and just start fresh with a new cycle?

2. Is there anywhere to find affordable corals? It took 2 years to get everything I had, mostly through live sales, and now I was laid off for the last 4 months from my work because of the shutdown here in Pennsylvania. Below is the stocking list I had if anyone knows where I may be able to get a good deal on frags to slowly start replacing when I get the tank straightened out:

LPS/Euphyllia:
Aussie Gold Torch
Dragon Soul Torch
Rasta Torch
Indo Green w/ Blue Tip Torch
Fathead Dendro
Neon Green Splatter Hammer
Indo Gold Hammer
Red Goni
Yellow Goni
Neon Green Goni

SPS
Pink Birdnest
Sour Apple Birdnest
Birds of Paradise
Forest Fire Digi
Bubblegum Digi
Red Setosa
ASD Rainbow Mille
ASD Jesus Acro
ASD Ice Truck Killer
ASD Aussie Wolverine
ASD Poison
ASD Toxic Candles
Big R Walt Disney
Coral Revolution Daredevil
Fraghouse Equilibrium
Fraghouse Blue Rocket
Fraghouse Kryptonic
Fraghouse Fireberry
Fraghouse Purple Bonsai
Your Reef Glowstick
Your Reef Crazy Canary
JF Superman
JF Fox Flame
JF Shocktart
PC Rainbow
PC Superman
RMF Last Dragon
RMF Acid Trip Mille
Reef Raft Pink Floyd
Reef Pets Tidal Wave Stag
Reef Pets Pink Blast Mille
Strawberry Shirtcake
TCK Blueberry
TCK Grapefruit
TSA TriColor Stag
TSA Sour Patch
Tyree Red Dragon
UC Bali Shortcake
UC Dippin Dots
WWC Heartbreaker

I’m pretty devastated about the loss, so any help/advice you guys can give us really appreciated!

 

[andrewey]

Sorry about your loss!

The first part is easy to answer. You can use the same rock. I would remove the rock and perform a 100% water change to remove the high alkalinity, high phosphate/nitrate water from the tank. You might have to increase your WCs following the 100% WC for residual die off, but make sure to remove anything dead/dying from the tank (coral/inverts, etc.). No need to cycle the rock again- just remove the death and give the tank time to process residual ammonia spike. The rock will likely continue to leach excess phosphates, but after a couple weeks of extra WC's, you should get it back down to where it was before and you can start stocking again (provided nothing else in the tank is continuing to die off).

 

[ThePurple12]

That's devastating. I'd agree to use the same rock, just rinse it to get all the reef chili/roids off.

Really sorry for the loss.

 

[Shawn_epicurious]

As one father to another... I am sorry this happened. I really am! But dude.... in a very short time from now, you are going to be laughing about this and then Someday be telling stories about it to your grandkids! ...there is a silver lining to your story : )

 

[WIReefer]

So sorry this happened!

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

That's a lot to lose - I feel for you. I agree with the posters above - drain, rinse, reuse the rock, and more frequent water changes over the near future until you test normal consistently.

I'd also add you need to find a solution to secure your food and chemicals where your four year old can't get to them.

 

[ThePurple12]

Is it all dead? Do you have any survivors?

 

[Texas Rick]

 

[josvanmeer]

I would advice to sell your kid on eBay, buy some new coral from the proceeds. This way your tank will never crash again and you will also save more money in the future that you can use towards the tank because you won't have a dependent anymore.

If that is not an option, I don't really have any advice for you here because that was my only reasonable thought on this.

This was obviously a joke, please don't shoot me.

 

[Luckyduck]

Hey Everyone,

So Fathers Day morning my 4 year old got up early and decided to “help” daddy by feeding my coral tank. By feed, he meant dump an entire container of reef roids, an entire container of reef chili, and a whole bottle of brine shrimp eggs I used to hatch for my mandarins, all of which he mixed up with a nice dose of alk 2 part. I tried siphoning out as much as I could when I found it and tried multiple large water changes, but needless to say, my coral collection I’ve put together over the last 2 years no longer exists. So I have 2 main questions:

1. What do I need to do to restart my tank? Am I going to need new rock? Can I just do a total water change? Should I completely drain the tank, clean and dry everything, and just start fresh with a new cycle?

2. Is there anywhere to find affordable corals? It took 2 years to get everything I had, mostly through live sales, and now I was laid off for the last 4 months from my work because of the shutdown here in Pennsylvania. Below is the stocking list I had if anyone knows where I may be able to get a good deal on frags to slowly start replacing when I get the tank straightened out:

LPS/Euphyllia:
Aussie Gold Torch
Dragon Soul Torch
Rasta Torch
Indo Green w/ Blue Tip Torch
Fathead Dendro
Neon Green Splatter Hammer
Indo Gold Hammer
Red Goni
Yellow Goni
Neon Green Goni

SPS
Pink Birdnest
Sour Apple Birdnest
Birds of Paradise
Forest Fire Digi
Bubblegum Digi
Red Setosa
ASD Rainbow Mille
ASD Jesus Acro
ASD Ice Truck Killer
ASD Aussie Wolverine
ASD Poison
ASD Toxic Candles
Big R Walt Disney
Coral Revolution Daredevil
Fraghouse Equilibrium
Fraghouse Blue Rocket
Fraghouse Kryptonic
Fraghouse Fireberry
Fraghouse Purple Bonsai
Your Reef Glowstick
Your Reef Crazy Canary
JF Superman
JF Fox Flame
JF Shocktart
PC Rainbow
PC Superman
RMF Last Dragon
RMF Acid Trip Mille
Reef Raft Pink Floyd
Reef Pets Tidal Wave Stag
Reef Pets Pink Blast Mille
Strawberry Shirtcake
TCK Blueberry
TCK Grapefruit
TSA TriColor Stag
TSA Sour Patch
Tyree Red Dragon
UC Bali Shortcake
UC Dippin Dots
WWC Heartbreaker

I’m pretty devastated about the loss, so any help/advice you guys can give us really appreciated!

Omg that's horrible I would have lost my mind! Then again I don't have any kids so I don't know the patience of a Father. I'm really sorry that happened. I just read your coral list and you had some really nice stuff in there! I just started my tank up 6 weeks ago so nothing has grown but I have several of those listed corals (some of the more rare ones as well). If I had growth I would frag stuff and just GIVE IT TO YOU but I don't yet so I can only offer my condolences. Your poor son probably feels horrible. I hear ya with the being laid off too... I'm a bartender in Rochester, NY and have been out of work since this all started too. Got no idea when I'm going back. Hang in there brother. Good things come to good people. I wish you and your family the best!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Major water change and addition of chemipure carbon. Test water daily to see what direction it is at from this restart point

 

[Katrina71]

I would do a 40% water change several days in a row. Time. You'll be amazed at what comes back.

 

[ScottB]

So sorry to hear. Agree with what has been said; you should save the rock. In fact just take the "opportunity" to do a thorough rinse (with salt water) of the rock, vacuum sand, etc. The ammonia spike from die off probably killed a lot of microfauna, but your bacteria will be in better shape than ever.

 

[najer]

As mentioned loads above rinse the rock well, with those two additions it will be phos that tries to kick your butt and as @Katrina71 said smaller daily waterchanges as waterchanges will be taking out good as well as bad, IMO your tank doesn't need any more big shocks, bummer, good luck.

 

[blazerino]

I’m surprised that had such a devastating effect on the tank. How long was the tank like that before you found it and started changing the water?

 

[andrewey]

I’m surprised that had such a devastating effect on the tank. How long was the tank like that before you found it and started changing the water?

Depending on how much alkalinity was added, the spike could kill the SPS and the die off could cause an ammonia spike.

The same could be said for the massive influx of phosphate that would kill of the SPS.

However, long, long before those even had a chance to come into play, the amount of organics introduced into the water column would have caused a bacterial bloom and the depletion of oxygen would be the fastest killer. This could be achieved in a matter of hours. There are some other mechanisms directly involving ammonia, pH, etc. that would come into play, but I think you get the idea...

To be honest, it's almost a perfect recipe to crash the tank (sorry OP).

 

[LOVEROCK]

How did a 4 year old reach the tank ? He pour from sump ?

 

[Breadman03]

That stinks. It sounds like the lil helper needs some training on how to help with an assigned task with firm boundaries.

How did a 4 year old reach the tank ? He pour from sump ?

I was about that age when I figured out how to get on top of the refrigerator. That’s where my Dad

 

[TriggerFinger]

How did a 4 year old reach the tank ? He pour from sump ?

My 3yr old moves chairs, stools, boxes.. whatever is needed to get up where she needs to be. She is 100% the reason my fish tank is in my basement where she can’t get to without me or dad.

So sorry for the loss @jknorr23, I hope your able to get your tank back to what it once was.

 

[dadnjesse]

Make sure you keep the rock wet with salt water you don't want the good bacteria to die.