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75 G Catastrophe

G

Gonzapa

Last sunday and out of nowhere I woke up to a tank smeling pretty bad and with massive amounts of death.
Almost every sps (over 30) that I had died overnight. My blue tang, a 6 line and cleaner wrasse also perished in this event.
I checked the controller logs and everythign had been stable for the last week. I did 5 30 Gallon water changes thoughout the day and I think I was able to save the rest of the fish.
I dont know what chould have started this massive chain reaction or if the tank will be able to recover from it.
This is one of those times that I really question if is worth it to stay on this hobby!
 
M

mnat

Officer Emeritus
Staff member
Moderator
Sorry to hear that, that is really a headscrather if nothing was out of wack.
 
SirFragalot

SirFragalot

Perhaps something bad made it into the tank that wasnt supposed to? You didnt mention the temperature? Maybe some stray voltage got to them??
 
dnov99

dnov99

FRAG SWAP VENDOR
Sorry to hear this. Could you have had a temp spike or alk spike?? Was the tank water white??
 
G

Gonzapa

dnov99 said:
Sorry to hear this. Could you have had a temp spike or alk spike?? Was the tank water white??
Click to expand...

The water was milky but the kalk water reservoir was not depleted so It could not be from kalk.
Calcium reactor seems to be working as usual.
The temperature on the controller showed a difference o 1 degree between night and day.
Ph Varies between 8.3 during the day to 7.9 during the night and had it been the same way for a while.
Whatever happened it was arround 11 pm on saturday as far as I can tel because my ORP Jumped during that time
 
G

Gonzapa

It almost 0 the only electrical device on the tank is a 6 month old tunze. Everything else is on the sump in the basement.
 
NikkiT

NikkiT

Is it possible that you could have had a spawning event? The release of large amounts of gametes can cause a tank to crash.
 
knockout

knockout

FRAG SWAP VENDOR
after a long not talking to you I text you today to find this out, sucks bad, don't give up, swing by and I'll have a few goodies to get you going again...

my first reaction was heat issue but you already rule that out ???
 
G

Gonzapa

well it seems to be the present that keeps on giving.
One of my clowns which was perfectly ok this morning and a spiny urchin are also gone!
I have 3 carbon reactors and an ozone reactor going
water is back to crystal clear and it does not mell anymore
 
G

Gonzapa

knockout said:
after a long not talking to you I text you today to find this out, sucks bad, don't give up, swing by and I'll have a few goodies to get you going again...

my first reaction was heat issue but you already rule that out ???
Click to expand...
Thanks kelvin I appreciate it
 
downbeach

downbeach

SirFragalot said:
I'm still thinking of a possibility of stray voltage from something. Is that a chance in your system?
Click to expand...

+1 The only time I know of a sudden and unexplained problem like yours occurring was from an electical short in a sump(heater). It might be prudent to double check all/any electical equipment in your system.
 
S

SHLUZER

downbeach said:
SirFragalot said:
I'm still thinking of a possibility of stray voltage from something. Is that a chance in your system?
Click to expand...

+1 The only time I know of a sudden and unexplained problem like yours occurring was from an electical short in a sump(heater). It might be prudent to double check all/any electical equipment in your system.
Click to expand...

In the light of electrical short suspicion, would grounding probe be useful here (or is it better to test it with your hand as someone suggested) ?
 
Hawkeye

Hawkeye

sorry to hear about the lossess.

I read the parameters you posted and I agree with darren on the suspect of alk/ph.

Kalk typically is going to be reduced in quantity during the summer - introducing less alk.

Your CO2 reactor probably is still chugging at the rate itw as set at over winter - and not adjusted for the lower kalk dosage. This drip drip drip is probably pushing the PH down slowly but surely.

you said the tank swings day/night - and likely this one night probably crossed a threshold where somehow the balance was not there any more. PH drops means ORP goes up. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-12/rhf/feature/index.php

That's my guess. Do you run any macro lighted at night to help stabilize the PH? I run kalk only and my reef stays at 8.5~8.7 and I have cheato lit only at night.

I know it doesn't help as the proverbial horse has left the barn already. Hope you stay in it.
 
TanksNStuff

TanksNStuff

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Phil, do you have a link to "ORP for Dummies" ? There is a lot of great and useful info in there, but it made my brain hurt. :eek:

Gonzapa, sorry to hear about your incident. Hopefully you can find out the cause soon and get your reef back on track.
 
G

Gonzapa

Hawkeye said:
sorry to hear about the lossess.

I read the ...
Click to expand...


So the Ph never went down 7.9 which is not horrible. One thing I am doing is changing my program so the calcium reactor shuts down if my PH goes under 8.1.
 
Hawkeye

Hawkeye

Gonzapa said:
Hawkeye said:
sorry to hear about the lossess.

I read the ...
Click to expand...


So the Ph never went down 7.9 which is not horrible. One thing I am doing is changing my program so the calcium reactor shuts down if my PH goes under 8.1.
Click to expand...

Hmmmm...when was the last time the probe was calibrated? I think shutting the calc reactor is a good idea below 8.1.

anyways - I am just speaking out loud here - for all we know I am totally off base on a wild goose chase.
You mention ph was 7.9 - according to holmes-farley, ph at about 7.7 corals will start to melt.
"5. If the concentration of calcium or carbonate is too low in a reef aquarium, then corals will have a harder time depositing their calcium carbonate skeletons. Such conditions can stress or even kill them. Under extreme conditions, their skeletons can even dissolve. Aquarists often overlook pH as a big driver in reducing carbonate concentration. Even if the calcium and alkalinity match normal seawater concentrations, pH values below about 7.7 can permit aragonite skeletons to slowly dissolve because the amount of carbonate in solution is so low."

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/5/chemistry
 
G

Gonzapa

So I, Pretty much a week into it and starting to count my loses.
All sps died which was the majority of the tank ( 25 corals)
A 6 line a blue tang a cleaner wrase and the the worst the clown I started the tank with :(
From the softies my 3 varieties of xenia which usually seem to like dirtier water.
What is more interesting is what survived.
a red sea tang 2 cromis and 1 clown
A torch and a duncan, acans a 5 inch clam an orange plate and still touchy byt looks like my watermelon chalice might have some flesh left.
Both my coral banded and all 3 of my urchins, whch I would believe would be the first to go if it was a PH problem.
Tank is being overrun by algae, I assume because all the nutrients that were released.
I also measured the voltage and there is no stray voltage in tank Still a mistery
 
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