The nightmare we hope never happens
- Thread starter luxauterna
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scubadoo2
New Member
I know your pain.....I've been there....and now I only hire a professional to look after my tank while I'm away.
$50 to $100, depending on the length of time is far cheaper than replacing Hundreds or Thousands of dollars worth of inhabitants and or damage to your home.
Many Pet sitter agencies have trained reef keepers in and around larger towns.
It's also a good part time job for those of us with the skills.
$50 to $100, depending on the length of time is far cheaper than replacing Hundreds or Thousands of dollars worth of inhabitants and or damage to your home.
Many Pet sitter agencies have trained reef keepers in and around larger towns.
It's also a good part time job for those of us with the skills.
Harold Green
Well-Known Member
Although the gfci plugs offer more safety for the hobbyist I would never have my main pump plugged into one. They are notorious for tripping out because of moisture in the air or a minuscule amount of current leakage in a cord or device. Now for lighting I can see the safety from having it plugged into a gfci in the event the lights fall into the tank.
seastar
Well-Known Member
Thank you for sharing your loss, and sorry to hear about it. This have helped at least one person (me) because while I have some loving, devoted family members, I think it's time for me to start shopping my LFS at home services for times like these and also putting together a battle plan. 1.) no power, check GFI, main panel in garage, surge protect/battery backup, 2.) etc.
OP
OP
luxauterna
A softy who loves softies
Ya. I don't blame my sister at all. She wouldn't have known how to even explain to me what was happening for me to be able to trouble shoot it with her on this type of thing. Fortunately I run my power heads on a different circuit and they remained on the entire time keeping the water circulating.
All the fish have made it. Two of the corals have definitely survived and look fine today. All of the montis are looking rough, but some polyps started coming out yesterday and my stylophora's tips had PE all day yesterday. There is some definite light at the end of the tunnel and I definitely owe it to the tank getting cold as opposed to too hot and the water circulation still going with the powerheads.
Thanks for all the support everyone
Wow, I am truly sorry to hear about your loss. I wish it would never happen to anyone, but it does and that is what life is about (becoming stronger and better prepared for next time). Makes you wish you had a controller. On second thought, who would want to be on vacation relaxing to only get notifications about your tank crashing? None the less, it happened we can only move on. I hope for a speedy recovery!!
reefaboo
Valuable Member
why do these things always happen when we are gone 
i left my tank all alone with a 40breeder for ATO and gone for a month .. ( no one even entered the house) and everything was fine *touchwood. but now i have to leave for 10 more days and its worrying me sick haha
i left my tank all alone with a 40breeder for ATO and gone for a month .. ( no one even entered the house) and everything was fine *touchwood. but now i have to leave for 10 more days and its worrying me sick haha
Harold Green
Well-Known Member
It's always sad to lose what took so long to create. But the thing to try and remember is we don't create reef tanks as a finished work of art but always as a work in progress. It might be frustrating to have to start over but it gives us a chance to change things we didn't like before and also to attempt something beyond what we had.
Sorry about your loss. But if you think what went wrong is bad. Let me tell you my tale of wow. Had a three hundred gallon tank just installed all high tech. Ecotech Pro LED lighting (4) back up (8) batteries. As well as 4 Kessil 360, Apex System - GHL Dosser and other stuff, all tucked up on shelf underneath the tank that was protected from any water dropping down from above. All brand new professionally installed. Well I guess Murphy's Law...... The return hose from the sump broke. Saltwater sprayed all over the underside of the tank. Over everything..... and mean everything. All lost....... after dropping 22K for this state of the art tank. The Install company mysteriously went out of business. Cleanup and replacement of equipment cost another $6000. I must say Echotech was very understanding and worked with me. As did Apex.
Lucky no fish. No coral.
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ca1ore
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It is one of the cruel ironies in life that the likelihood of a tank problem increases when you are away. I have had major problems twice while on vacation. One got lucky; other not so much Maybe not to bad in 30 years though. I think an inexperienced tank 'sitter' is actually worse than none at all. I rely on my apex to tell me if something is amiss, and if an emergency, I call on a local reefer. My big fear, frankly, is a protracted power loss while in away.
Maybe not to bad in 30 years though. I think an inexperienced tank 'sitter' is actually worse than none at all. I rely on my apex to tell me if something is amiss, and if an emergency, I call on a local reefer. My big fear, frankly, is a protracted power loss while in away.
Fin
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Sorry for your losses. Redundancy is your friend. Heaters - two - each on a different circuit. Pumps - return pumps and in-tank powerheads - on separate circuits. As long as you have water movement in the tank (and the proper temperature), your chances of the tank surviving until you get back are good. You can do without a skimmer for a while. I have the return pump, a closed loop and MP40s on different circuits, with the MP40s on two separate battery backups. Even have one of those automatic air pumps and an air stone that comes on automatically if the power goes out. Plan for something to fail, because it eventually will.
vladimir4076
Community Member
It's always happens when we are away,sorry for your loss
TreyC2010
But baby, the fish need it....
Sorry for your loss. My 150 DD tank sprung a leak in a seam on Saturday so I know your pain. Hope you stay in it! I'm already planning on how to fix the things I messed up on before.
mochaclownlover
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Sorry for your loss, hope some of your stuff pulls through.
pickupman66
5000 Club Member
Man, I hate to hear of this. our hobby does make vacations painful at times. But I have learned that having a good fish sitter (or at least showing what to look for and alert for) is key. Also, the value of a controller is extremely important.
