ChuzUThisDay
Active Member
Last week (24 July, 2018) I received a phone call from my wife asking if I had recently changed anything in my tank. I responded with no... and WHY? Her response was that ALL of the fish were dead, the majority were floating at the surface, the coral looked terrible and were either laying over or weren't open, and the water was very "murky". I rushed home to find that she was 100% correct. ALL of the fish were dead!
OK, terrible experience!!! BUT WHY? What had happened to kill my fish?
Easter weekend I had to travel out of town for business. The family went with me, so that meant I needed an automated fish feeder. I purchased an Eheim fish feeder, programmed it, set it to feed the amount I felt necessary, loaded a small amount for the week, and it worked great. It worked so great that the next trip I used it again with success. With two successful weeks of use, I thought it may help with my busy schedule. I began to use it to feed on a regular cycle. I'd load a set amount, set it, then refill as needed. Somewhere around July 18th or so, I decided to fill it completely and let it run.
Due to a busy weekend schedule, I don't recall checking the tank (it's in the basement) July 21/22. I'd planned to do a water change on July 23, but was busy again and didn't check the tank. When I got home on July 24, I found an empty feeder. Somehow all of the food had emptied into the tank. There was nasty sludge all over the bottom where food had been dumped and was breaking down.
After removing the dead fish and trying to get as much sludge out as possible, I wanted to check the water parameters. The ammonia level was off the chart, nitrates were only around 15, and phosphates were off the chart as well. I added Seachem Safe at the recommended 4x amount to lockup the ammonia. I performed a 50% water change, checked the levels afterwards, and still the same story... The ammonia level was off the chart, nitrates were around 15, and phosphates were off the chart.
It is now nine days later. After several water changes and a lot of Safe added to the water, the ammonia level is still not readable. It is still off the chart. With the exception of some zoas and palythoas that are still closed up, the coral is about all dead or melted at this point and I'm at a total loss (that's why I can't post pictures as I'm heart broken).
Is it best to just pull all of the rock and pressure wash it, then put it in a large barrel/can to cure for six to eight weeks, and drain and wipe out the tank?
All thoughts and suggestions are welcomed!
OK, terrible experience!!! BUT WHY? What had happened to kill my fish?
Easter weekend I had to travel out of town for business. The family went with me, so that meant I needed an automated fish feeder. I purchased an Eheim fish feeder, programmed it, set it to feed the amount I felt necessary, loaded a small amount for the week, and it worked great. It worked so great that the next trip I used it again with success. With two successful weeks of use, I thought it may help with my busy schedule. I began to use it to feed on a regular cycle. I'd load a set amount, set it, then refill as needed. Somewhere around July 18th or so, I decided to fill it completely and let it run.
Due to a busy weekend schedule, I don't recall checking the tank (it's in the basement) July 21/22. I'd planned to do a water change on July 23, but was busy again and didn't check the tank. When I got home on July 24, I found an empty feeder. Somehow all of the food had emptied into the tank. There was nasty sludge all over the bottom where food had been dumped and was breaking down.
After removing the dead fish and trying to get as much sludge out as possible, I wanted to check the water parameters. The ammonia level was off the chart, nitrates were only around 15, and phosphates were off the chart as well. I added Seachem Safe at the recommended 4x amount to lockup the ammonia. I performed a 50% water change, checked the levels afterwards, and still the same story... The ammonia level was off the chart, nitrates were around 15, and phosphates were off the chart.
It is now nine days later. After several water changes and a lot of Safe added to the water, the ammonia level is still not readable. It is still off the chart. With the exception of some zoas and palythoas that are still closed up, the coral is about all dead or melted at this point and I'm at a total loss (that's why I can't post pictures as I'm heart broken).
Is it best to just pull all of the rock and pressure wash it, then put it in a large barrel/can to cure for six to eight weeks, and drain and wipe out the tank?
All thoughts and suggestions are welcomed!
