Tank Move Disaster - Heavy Losses Continue...

[HerbieK]

After my Memorial Day tank move weekend, the death toll is still mounting. I have lost over 50 percent of my SPS including some nice acro and milli colonies that I have had for several years. All my remaining SPS have turned a dark, dark brown, and have none of their original color. I believe the cause of my grief was when I scooped out my sand bed to lighten up the load so the tank would be easier to carry down to the basement. I put the sand back in, but apparently, the damage was done.

Also, I am getting a black sludge in my skimmer that is very thick and almost oily feeling. It is not as foul smelling as one would expect either. I have done a good size water change (30 gallons out of a total of maybe 110 gallons) since, but it doesn't seem to have helped any.

I am in the process of setting up my new 180 gallon tank, but now I am hesitant to move any of my rock to the new tank. I am not sure if whatever it is that is polluting my tank would move along with the rock. I am waiting on some equipment from the recent Premium Aquatics group buy to get the 180 going, but it seems like every day I wait, the more corals are bleaching and dying.

I will definitely be in the market for some frags once the new tank is up and running. It will be sad to have my new big tank with just a few tiny frags. I was looking forward to letting some of my bigger colonies spread out and grow out.

I was entertaining thoughts of throwing in the towel and getting out of the hobby, but with all I have invested in my new tank, I am going to forge ahead with the new project.

Any words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated for a reefer who is hoping to rebound from his first major tank crash in a 10 year reefing career.

Herb

 

[RichT]

Hang in there Herb! You'll get it back together soon.

 

[GregW]

I have a bunch of frags for you when you're ready Herb.

 

[DaveK]

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of a lot of your corals. Yes, I believe you are correct about the sandbed. It should have been replaced. It obviously released a lot of bad stuff into the system.

Since it's your first major loss in 10 years, you are not doing too bad. About all you can do is figure out what you dis wrong, and don't do it again. You can also use this as a chance to correct anything you didn't like about the existing system.

Good luck!

 

[albie611]

sorry to hear about your loss.
i too have fealt the pain of a total tank crash(twice).
keep your chin up, move forward and learn from the mistake.(never disturb or try to move the sandbed, too many nasties in there.)
all the time we put into our reefs is all one big learning experience anyway.......if you can, try setting up a QT. with a bare bottom and move some frags there . with good lighting and clean water they should rebound......good luck with the 180 .... al

 

[Phyl]

We moved our sand, but it was only 3 years old. Luckily the system didn't skip a beat during the transition. Sorry to hear about your extensive losses.

Have you tested ammo, trites and trates? Where do they hit the scales?

Personally, I'd probably do something radical like change the bulk of the water (80% if possible) if I thought there was something about the water causing my grief.

Good luck getting back on your feet.

 

[IrradiatedReef]

if you can, try setting up a QT. with a bare bottom and move some frags there . with good lighting and clean water they should rebound......

I agree, maybe setting up a barebottom QT tank can help out on the losses while you restablize the main tank. Sorry you lost some old pieces, its a tough thing to watch happen.

 

[Carlo]

If you think there is any chance it might be your sand bed then siphon it all out while doing a water change. You can always put fresh good sand back in. With an established system it doesn't matter if it's live sand or not you put back in.

Carlo

PS Curious, have you tested for Nitrates and Phosphates?