What maks a perfectly good tank crash!

[JVH]

I ask this because I have been through my share of issues with my 29g and today my 68g is getting wet with sea water! Oh happy day! You all can relate!

I have read tons,and heard all kinds of things, got many opinions and posted numerous threads of probably 100 questions regarding different problem and yet, I feel like there is this possibility of turning this beautiful 68g reef tank into a tank of muck & yuck if I'm not careful! I have read several posts of new as well as established tanks crashing...
I think I have a good WC system and good husbandry and still learning everyday from this forum.
So I want to know;

What could make my tank crash?

 

[ReefMadScientist]

It all depends on what you mean by "crashing".

You can have a beautiful SPS tank but get lazy and stop dipping new frags. Those new frags could have flat worms and wipe your SPS out. You can get a zoa spider like I had once and wipe our all your zoa colonies. You can have really nice fish and forget to QT your new fish and wipe the tank out.

But as for a total collapse, I replace my heater once every year and now have an Apex system to auto-shut off my heater if it ever goes haywire.

I have seen a tank crash due to anemone's and/or cucumbers getting stuck in a powerhead.

 

[JVH]

Thank you those are some of the things I was looking for!
Replacing your heater once a year whether it needs it or not! I like that then just using the old one to help heat mixing salt..

And apex of some kind will be in my future for all the main components that's for sure!

How long do you quarantine your fish? I've heard anywhere from a week to check on initial obvious diseases and make sure that they are not having any feeding problems up to 8 weeks which is something I would have a hard time doing!

 

[WindeyD]

Bulk Reef Supply has a good video on redundancy and setting up a system in attempt to minimize catastrophe.

 

[Tahoe61]

I crashed a tank once dosing Vodka. Killed off sps another time because my reagent was bad and I was dosing a buffer, the swings were too much.

Other then that my tank misfortune were caused by lack of routine husbandry, or over correction.

 

[Paul B]

My tank has never crashed, my heaters are so old that they probably run on steam, my pumps are all 20 or 30 years old, I have no controllers, I have never dipped anything except myself off my boat and I don't quarantine. "But". I use two smaller heaters so if one sticks, the other one won't overheat the tank or allow it to get to cold. I use two powerheads for circulation and I have a spare if one dies. My lights are on a cheap timer and it it breaks the fish just won't sleep well for that night.
As for fish health, that is an entire story which is why I wrote a book. It is to long to get into here but almost all the fish we now keep, with the methods that we use, have almost no functioning immune system. That is the main reason if one fish gets sick, they all get sick. Disease does not affect fish with a healthy immune system. The reason for the weak immune system in most of our fish is that we first quarantine them for 72 days, then feed them sterile food such as flakes, pellets or some frozen foods. These time frames and sterile foods almost guarantee that most fish have no functioning immune system. In us and fish, the immune system relies on occasional meetings with disease organisms to keep functioning. That is why we get shots for the Flu, measles, polio, etc. We do that to keep up our immunity because in our society we rarely "meet" those malady's but we want our immune systems to be ready if we do.

 

[ksfulk]

I ask this because I have been through my share of issues with my 29g and today my 68g is getting wet with sea water! Oh happy day! You all can relate!

I have read tons,and heard all kinds of things, got many opinions and posted numerous threads of probably 100 questions regarding different problem and yet, I feel like there is this possibility of turning this beautiful 68g reef tank into a tank of muck & yuck if I'm not careful! I have read several posts of new as well as established tanks crashing...
I think I have a good WC system and good husbandry and still learning everyday from this forum.
So I want to know;

What could make my tank crash?

In a word.... laziness

Intentional or not, becoming comfortable with our systems breeds laziness, and that has a tendancy to cause us to overlook the warning signs that something is going off the deep end. Whether your tank is 4 weeks or 44 years old, regular observation, cleaning routine (pumps, heaters, inlets, outlets, plumbing, etc) and even more observation is the key. Your tank will tell you when something isnt going right. Watching it and getting a feel for what your indicators are helps out greatly.

Just my two cents.

 

[twilliard]

When a child pours chocolate milk in the tank! Darn kids anyways

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

When a child pours chocolate milk in the tank! Darn kids anyways

My tank survived a Starbucks mocha once...the fish just swam extra fast and looked a bit jittery for a little while.

 

[evolved]

Almost always, the aquarist. Else, equipment failures.

VERY rarely is it something which could not have been prevented.

 

[JVH]

My tank has never crashed, my heaters are so old that they probably run on steam, my pumps are all 20 or 30 years old, I have no controllers, I have never dipped anything except myself off my boat and I don't quarantine. "But". I use two smaller heaters so if one sticks, the other one won't overheat the tank or allow it to get to cold. I use two powerheads for circulation and I have a spare if one dies. My lights are on a cheap timer and it it breaks the fish just won't sleep well for that night.
As for fish health, that is an entire story which is why I wrote a book. It is to long to get into here but almost all the fish we now keep, with the methods that we use, have almost no functioning immune system. That is the main reason if one fish gets sick, they all get sick. Disease does not affect fish with a healthy immune system. The reason for the weak immune system in most of our fish is that we first quarantine them for 72 days, then feed them sterile food such as flakes, pellets or some frozen foods. These time frames and sterile foods almost guarantee that most fish have no functioning immune system. In us and fish, the immune system relies on occasional meetings with disease organisms to keep functioning. That is why we get shots for the Flu, measles, polio, etc. We do that to keep up our immunity because in our society we rarely "meet" those malady's but we want our immune systems to be ready if we do.

I learned after my Ick problem that fish immunity is most important. I give them Vit C and garlic. I know a healthy immune system can fight off anything just like I humans! Would love to know what else I can do to help my fish stay healthy! I have my own thoughts on 72 hr QT but I'm definitely not qualified to share my opinion on that! However, I would love to know about your book. Name & title please!

 

[JVH]

My tank survived a Starbucks mocha once...the fish just swam extra fast and looked a bit jittery for a little while.

Oh GEEZE!! One of my biggest fears is something falling into the tank!

 

[JVH]

In a word.... laziness

Intentional or not, becoming comfortable with our systems breeds laziness, and that has a tendancy to cause us to overlook the warning signs that something is going off the deep end. Whether your tank is 4 weeks or 44 years old, regular observation, cleaning routine (pumps, heaters, inlets, outlets, plumbing, etc) and even more observation is the key. Your tank will tell you when something isnt going right. Watching it and getting a feel for what your indicators are helps out greatly.

Just my two cents.

AGREED! I have been a bit neurotic! My friend said "you have to work on that tank everyday?" Because Im always testing, adjusting, feeding, tinkering, checking or whatever!! If I was going to ignore it I would have bought a very nice screensaver! LOL

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Oh GEEZE!! One of my biggest fears is something falling into the tank!

Ha ha! Seriously, nothing bad came of it. I do think we should be cautious (I haven't made that mistake again), but don't be paranoid about it. Our tanks are more resilient than we give them credit for.

 

[JVH]

Ha ha! Seriously, nothing bad came of it. I do think we should be cautious (I haven't made that mistake again), but don't be paranoid about it. Our tanks are more resilient than we give them credit for.

I always think Im going to drop a flash light or my cell phone! LOL Only one time I set something on the tank top (when I had glass) Then I thought ..Bad habbit! Better quit that before I get started!!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I ask this because I have been through my share of issues with my 29g and today my 68g is getting wet with sea water! Oh happy day! You all can relate!

I have read tons,and heard all kinds of things, got many opinions and posted numerous threads of probably 100 questions regarding different problem and yet, I feel like there is this possibility of turning this beautiful 68g reef tank into a tank of muck & yuck if I'm not careful! I have read several posts of new as well as established tanks crashing...
I think I have a good WC system and good husbandry and still learning everyday from this forum.
So I want to know;

What could make my tank crash?

Power failures. That's the biggie.

Angry spouse pouring in bleach. Less common, but I've heard of it happening.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Power failures. That's the biggie.

Angry spouse pouring in bleach. Less common, but I've heard of it happening.

Yeah...part of maintaining a reef tank is keeping the wife (or husband) happy.

 

[JVH]

Power failures. That's the biggie.

Angry spouse pouring in bleach. Less common, but I've heard of it happening

Yeah...part of maintaining a reef tank is keeping the wife (or husband) happy.

WOW! Bleach! Now that is just not a nice person! What about the livestock! OMG how awful! I'm sure angry spouses have done worse!
Well In this case I'm the wife! LOL Hubby doesn't really care but is helping with the sump and plumbing to which I'm grateful! He was like; "If I can't beat em, join em!"

 

[Paul B]

JVH the book is titled "The Advent Garde Aquarist" and it should be out in a month or so. I am going to publish an article on immunity in a couple of days on a few forums.

I first wanted to get all my research done and bounce it off Albert Thiel which I already did and he agrees with me.
(Randy will just think I am nuts)

 

[beaslbob]

Using plastic gloves the had an oil on them did it from my tank.