Jump to content
inTank Media Baskets

Disaster's 80gal + 15gal SPS Reef Tank


disaster999

Recommended Posts

jedimasterben

The peroxide will oxidize the organics off of the rock, but it won't etch the top layer of the rock off like the acid will. And how dilute is the acid? Typical full-strength commercially available acid is ~29-32% acid, and then this needs to be diluted 1:10 (so one gallon of acid with nine gallons of water for a 10 gallon ~3% solution).

Link to comment
disaster999

I think I can only get 5% max HCl in Hong Kong from reading the regulations on this chemical. A lot of chemical companies say HCl is a controlled substance. If I only use that stuff full strength I can clean the rocks, but this means I need to buy a lot. But thats IF I can get it.

 

H2O2 I can get 50% strength.

Link to comment
jedimasterben

HCl is potent stuff, so I'm not surprised it is regulated. How expensive is it there? I'm thankful that here we can get it for $5 a gallon for 30%.

 

 

And holy damn, 50% H2O2? that's nuts!

Link to comment
CatfishSoupFTW

you know what, despite your ups and downs, its really interesting to follow along. How things can change over time through simple things in life. Time is bananas, and we have all been there when you push tank maintenance back.

 

that aside, you have/had? continue to have.. will have ? .... god damn - ANYWAY. by far one of my most fav. tanks on the forums. All the best with it.

Link to comment

Really sorry to hear about all the recent troubles d9. Hope things turn around soon. Have you tried dipping your frags/rock in melafix marine? Ive had tremendous success with various pests and flatworms were no exception.

Link to comment

Good luck man, we're rooting for you. Try to keep level-headed and think rationally.

 

Maybe try to simply trade your rock in for new rock. Bring your LFS your rock and ask if you can swap it (my place does). Just dry it out beforehand so you don't just pass the problem on. It's worth offering and if they don't accept the initial 1:1 pound offer, you could offer something more like a 3:2 exchange.

Link to comment
disaster999

HCl is potent stuff, so I'm not surprised it is regulated. How expensive is it there? I'm thankful that here we can get it for $5 a gallon for 30%.

 

 

And holy damn, 50% H2O2? that's nuts!

WELP........... Look what I found

 

%255BUNSET%255D.jpg

 

"30%" HCl or so they say......but I do believe its high concentration. I opened the bottle and it started smoking, and the acidic smell is really strong. I gotta be careful with this stuff. The number on the bottle is the price...$25 for close to 2L...thats less than $3.50 O_O

 

you know what, despite your ups and downs, its really interesting to follow along. How things can change over time through simple things in life. Time is bananas, and we have all been there when you push tank maintenance back.

 

that aside, you have/had? continue to have.. will have ? .... god damn - ANYWAY. by far one of my most fav. tanks on the forums. All the best with it.

 

Thanks for the kind words, I hope the next iteration of this tank will stay as it is longer without any hassle of headaches. You cant really skimp on precautions

 

Really sorry to hear about all the recent troubles d9. Hope things turn around soon. Have you tried dipping your frags/rock in melafix marine? Ive had tremendous success with various pests and flatworms were no exception.

 

I dont think dipping my corals and rocks at this stage would help right now. Its too far gone with the hydroids and flatworm that I much rather nuke them to all hell once in for all than dipping. Less chance for them to bounce back.

 

But I will dip any new frags from now on.

 

Good luck man, we're rooting for you. Try to keep level-headed and think rationally.

 

Maybe try to simply trade your rock in for new rock. Bring your LFS your rock and ask if you can swap it (my place does). Just dry it out beforehand so you don't just pass the problem on. It's worth offering and if they don't accept the initial 1:1 pound offer, you could offer something more like a 3:2 exchange.

 

Thanks man, Ive been planning the whole procedure all out in my head over and over again. I hope once I actually do it I wont rush things. Im going to need all the buckets I can get.

 

No shop in Hong Kong would trade your swap rocks with you. I wish you can sell your stuff back to the shop for store credit, but doesnt work like this here. Thanks for the advice tho.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...
disaster999

This has been...a VERY long and tiring...and very sad weekend. I started taking my tank down in preparation for the HCl bath.

 

Day 1

 

I took out all my corals and put them in the blue tub along with all my fish and shrimp.%255BUNSET%255D.jpg

%255BUNSET%255D.jpg

 

All the rocks are in this tub ready for their HCl bath

%255BUNSET%255D.jpg

 

My gf helping me rinse the sand

%255BUNSET%255D.jpg

 

Everything is laid out and ready

%255BUNSET%255D.jpg

 

Heres me getting ready for operation

%255BUNSET%255D.jpg

 

the HCl solution instantly started to bubble up as live rocks are introduced

%255BUNSET%255D.jpg

 

The aftermath

%255BUNSET%255D.jpg

%255BUNSET%255D.jpg

 

Heres the rocks after the bath. The HCl ate away quite a lot of the rock actually. There are still a lot of residual gunk on the rocks which I blasted away with a pressure washer.

mmexport1406507877460.jpg

  • Like 6
Link to comment
disaster999

Day 2

 

I had a date with the lady friend to watch How to Train your Dragon 2 since weve been wanting to watch this movie but couldnt find the right time and right version to watch (We have crappy Cantonese dubbed over version which suck massive donkey balls). We decided just F it and found a time slot that would work for both of us and just go watch it. I woke up in the morning to find all my fish and shrimp still alive in the blue tub. I didnt think much of it and went out to the movies. The movie was epic. Loved the first one, the second was just as good if not better. Feeling all good inside, we headed back to my place. As I entered the house, the fishy stench hit my nose and I instantly know something is up. I rushed over to the tub to find the water all murky and all my fish is gone. I started digging around and found all my fish, shrimp and urchin dead. My heard instantly dropped. I cant believe that all my livestock is dead.

 

My gf feels pretty bad about it and started blaming herself for dragging me to go see the movie. I didnt blame her, it was my choice to go watch it. I can only blame myself. There wasnt time to go all sulk in a corner or cuddle up with each other, I still need to save my corals. I pulled everything out of the tub and quickly made new water for the corals to go in. The new water didnt last long as it quickly turned murky and smelled. Its at that point I knew that my corals are throwing a hissy fit and started a chemical warfare, producing slime and just ruining the water.

 

I let them be and pulled the sump out to clean it. Started putting in the newly rinsed sand and rocks back into the tank and scaped it. Made new water for the corals and threw in my skimmer and old chiller I have lying around and tried my best to keep them alive. Tidied up everything, put away all the buckets and called it a night. My back nearly had it with all the lifting buckets and moving tanks back and forth. Still pretty pissed of at all the dead fish and shrimp in my tank...but I guess this is just a process that I have to learn from.

 

Now I just gotta wait for the tank to be filled up and jump start the cycle and hope for the best. Im expecting more casualties later on...but I hope I can keep that down to a minimum. =(

Link to comment

Oh man, sorry to hear about the fish loss. Hope your corals pull through. Glad to see your not giving up. Keep us updated on how they are doings good luck bro.

Link to comment
disaster999

53129079.jpg

 

all but one of my SPS is still alive, but its STN right now...and i cant find my bone cutters...FML

the huge ass frogspawn is still alive

my huge ass toad stool is dead

my clam somehow is still alive

I still have one lone clown fish alive and well

i have some zoas still alive I think. Going to take a while for it to bounce back.

all xenia is melted, which i think is the culprit of all this...note to self...NEVER EVER keep xenia EVER again

  • Like 4
Link to comment
disaster999

Ill stick with SPS. I like them too much. I will plan it out better with the type and color and placement.

 

No more xenias. I think ill start growing a zoa garden tho

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Paleoreef103

That stinks. Best of luck with the build! Every time you set up another tank, you learn something new. Hopefully you know of people with frags from your original colonies.

Link to comment
disaster999

zooasss!!! choose some gnarly ones. a pink hippo garden, or golden sakura D:

Ill see what i can find. it would be awesome to grow some exotic ones.

 

Really sorry to hear about the loss of the livestock, it never gets any easier :(.

Yeah, I was really bummed out when all my fish and shrimp died. I wasnt so sad that my corals started dying...theres just nothing I could of done at that point but just wait. Oh well, Ill start a new.

 

That stinks. Best of luck with the build! Every time you set up another tank, you learn something new. Hopefully you know of people with frags from your original colonies.

I dont think so, most of the frags I sold/gave away were ones that were growing like weeds and didnt want to keep them anymore =P Ill look around for new ones, I guess its time to change the scenery

  • Like 1
Link to comment

all xenia is melted, which i think is the culprit of all this...note to self...NEVER EVER keep xenia EVER again

Words to live by. It sucks that your tank is basically nuked. I hope it pulls through.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
disaster999

Words to live by. It sucks that your tank is basically nuked. I hope it pulls through.

The only thing thats survived is the frogspawn (which broke into a few pieces from moving around), the clam (surprisingly), hopefully some neon green toad stool, and one lone tomato clownfish.

 

Ah how disappointing. It's rough enough losing nano sized livestock. Sorry man

 

I look forward to your next build

Yeah it was a bit rough...my gf actually cried over it haha.

 

The tank is filled up with water and running right now. I added bacteria from Prodibio to help jump start the system. I hooked up my skimmer and biopellets and the skimmer is skimming the remaining nasties from the tank from when I moved over whatever was still alive into my tank.

 

I made some improvements to the overall setup which I was too lazy to do when the tank was running. Removed one extra baffle in the sump that i didnt think it help/did anything. Went crazy with the zip ties and secured the return hose better so its not leaking anymore. Cleaned my biopellet pump and and its actually pumping a lot more water. the pellets are tumbling like crazy.

 

I didnt take any pictures at the moment as I didnt feel like taking picture of a murky tank...hopefully my tank clears up soon so Ill take some pictures for you guys.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recommended Discussions

×
×
  • Create New...