Shadow's 16G Disaster. Fumigation Poisoned the Tank and Crashed It.

[Snow_Phoenix]

oh my gosh Shadow. Don't quit but maybe just limit yourself to one system if it's too much. You know you can't just stop because your heart is in it.

 

I know, I love reefing so much and I've come along a long way to get to this point. But at the same time, I just lost a huge chunk of my livestock and a lot of money as well (I'm talking easily up to $500 at this point). Thank goodness I didn't linger in PD for another day - I think the whole system would have crashed on me had I not come earlier.

 

I am still unsure what the contaminant is. One of the clips I used to hold the mesh netting of my outflow pipe has rusted, and I -think- this is the prime cause. Of course, it could also be an aerosol contamination. Mum sprayed the artroom before we left for our short vacation, and my tank is an open top. Some particles might have landed and dissolved in the water (suspect no. 2). Only time will tell what happened - I honestly hope it's not copper. I'll bring two samples of water - one sample from the old batch and one from the new one in the present.

 

Just took a peek at the tank and everything is quiet. Sixline is recovering in the sump and skimming through the rocks in the fuge. One of the clowns is breathing a bit heavy though - will isolate it if its condition worsens.

[Tamberav]

I am so sorry

[Snow_Phoenix]

I am so sorry

 

I'll try to bounce back from this. I think my Elegances were just a precursor. I lost 1 Elegance, all my Hairy Shrooms, several Torch heads, several zoas, my orange plate, my Octofrogspawn and a few other random shroom pieces. Everything else looked severely pissed for a while, but look a bit better once I swapped out all the water. Twice.

[metrokat]

Hope it stabilizes and starts to get better. Hang in there.

[Snow_Phoenix]

Hope it stabilizes and starts to get better. Hang in there.

 

Thank you, Kat.

[Snow_Phoenix]

This is how the tank looks like now. It's like a train wreck FOWLR more than a reef.

 

 

[Snow_Phoenix]

Previous water sample tested using API sensitivity testing. Copper found at 0.125ppm.

 

Current water sample tested in the same manner. Copper not found at all.

 

I have no bloody clue how Copper even got into my tank, but it did enough damage. I have now lost 50% of my corals despite the WCs, and lost three fish in total - my Damsel, my Blue Neon Goby and my smallest Misbar Occy clownfish. Sixline has made a full recovery but is not eating. Mandarin has made a full recovery and is eating. Other clowns are behaving normally, and the few remaining inverts that I have show no ill-effects whatsoever.

 

I don't know what the frack happened during those 3 days while I was away. I really don't.

 

I'm tired, sad, angry and most of all frustrated. I'm more upset at the losses of all my beautiful livestock more than anything. I'm seriously considering selling off the whole system and quit reefing for the next year or so. Maybe I'll get back to it, maybe I won't. But if I have my own place someday, I'll commission a 180G minimum or a 450G maximum. And I'll have a far larger sump and proper, better equipment.

 

I'm so heartbroken. My system is estimated to be $1200 to $1500 (yes, it's worth that much over here), and I'll get decent money over it. It'll be enough to cover my medical bills especially, since my family is forking out close to 1K in hospital bills over me per month. Throw that in with the fact that I've lost my 5th job in the past 12 months, and I'm pretty drained. I only have $1 in my bank account (no joke). I'm at a severe low point right now. What do you guys honestly recommend I do?

 

[Tamberav]

When I first got into this hobby, I didn't have much $ to spend on it. I kept a 12g AIO with two fish (goby and clown) and only the cheapest/easiest corals under PC lighting. It was just as an enjoyable tank as a large expensive one.

 

Spend what you can afford and your health should always come first.

[Snow_Phoenix]

When I first got into this hobby, I didn't have much $ to spend on it. I kept a 12g AIO with two fish (goby and clown) and only the cheapest/easiest corals under PC lighting. It was just as an enjoyable tank as a large expensive one.

 

Spend what you can afford and your health should always come first.

 

I've decided on two options. Option #1. Sell off everything and anything marine related, and attain enough finances to support my medical costs for this month and preferably for several more weeks until I source out a new job. Option #2. Downsize my tank to a standard 2' (16G) and keep it strictly as a FOWLR with only 3 to 4 of my favorite fish and sell everything else - including all corals etc. Only pull over the lighting, wavemaker and get a new HOB filter.

 

This way I can cut down costs considerably, my plug outlet won't be overloaded and I will still be able to enjoy my hobby while covering my medical expenses (due to the money made from selling off the 30G).

[MyLiquidBlue29BC]

I think one small, easy set up is the way to go. It is a hobby. It is supposed to be fun. When it starts causing you stress, it is time to change something.

[FlowerMama]

I agree w/ the above, keep it small and enjoyable. I know you always hear larger is more stable, but my Evolve 8 has been more stable than my 34 by far. Smaller water changes too.

[Snow_Phoenix]

I think one small, easy set up is the way to go. It is a hobby. It is supposed to be fun. When it starts causing you stress, it is time to change something.

 

 

I agree w/ the above, keep it small and enjoyable. I know you always hear larger is more stable, but my Evolve 8 has been more stable than my 34 by far. Smaller water changes too.

 

Thank you all. I'll downsize it and speak to the parental units about it. Hopefully they'll agree, and my fish will be okay with the changes. I'll pull over Zeus and Athena (my Percula-Occy pair), Cosmo (my YCG) and Oscar (my Tribal Blenny). Other fish will be sold off.

[Tamberav]

I think small tanks are just as stable as long as they are stocked accordingly. Water changes on small tanks are a dream come true. lol

 

You could always go to the beach and collect macro's and things. Nic does that with her tank and I think it has a nice natural feel to it. I'm pretty jealous of anyone who is able to do that.

[SteinsFish]

I think whichever route you go, smaller or bigger, its better to stick to one system. Multiple tanks irregardless of size are draining to upkeep, leading to either neglect or burnout from the maintenance.

[Snow_Phoenix]

I think small tanks are just as stable as long as they are stocked accordingly. Water changes on small tanks are a dream come true. lol

 

You could always go to the beach and collect macro's and things. Nic does that with her tank and I think it has a nice natural feel to it. I'm pretty jealous of anyone who is able to do that.

 

 

I think whichever route you go, smaller or bigger, its better to stick to one system. Multiple tanks irregardless of size are draining to upkeep, leading to either neglect or burnout from the maintenance.

 

Thank you both, and I couldn't agree more. My dad promised to take me to Desaru beach one of these days to collect a few things, so I'll try to snag some macro over there. WCs will also be significantly easier in a smaller tank, and the upkeep won't be costly since I won't be going reef. There's basically no need for heavy, clunky equipment. I'll just keep it simple like how I kept my 12G FOWLR.

[Snow_Phoenix]

Okies, I've spoken to the parental units and instead of getting a 16G, I'll be getting a 12G. Will pull over my Wavepoint 12" LED light from my FW tank, buy a new HOB filter, pull over my wavemaker, a few rocks, the odd mushroom or two, my mini maxi carpet nem and all my remaining inverts as well as my Occy-Percula pair, my YCG and maybe my Bicolor Blenny (tribal is too big for that tank). So it'll be a very minimal setup from the get-go and I'll rely fully on WCs for the next couple of weeks. I'm already in mid process of selling off my corals on local forums. A lot of positive response from the community so far.

 

This is heartbreaking, but my health and life must take precedence over my hobby. I'll definitely go salty again in the future, but with a better and bigger system once I have my own place and a stable income flowing in. Hopefully by then my epilepsy will be under control (I'm getting frequent attacks these past few weeks - and I bit my tongue two weeks ago by accident and it's now healed up with an odd indention on one side yech) and my disorders won't pop up too much. Concentrate on normality, and one step at a time. -Phew-

[FlowerMama]

Sounds like a plan. I think it'll be good to free yourself up some. You strike me as someone that puts a great deal of pressure on yourself.

[Snow_Phoenix]

Sounds like a plan. I think it'll be good to free yourself up some. You strike me as someone that puts a great deal of pressure on yourself.

 

You read me too well.

[MyLiquidBlue29BC]

My husband and daughter recently discovered low tide at a local beach and started a "collecting" tank. It is pretty fun. It is FOWLR so no worries about reef safe, no need for expensive lights, and no temptation to buy things for it because of all the not reef safe inverts they put in it. That might be a good way for you to go too.

[Snow_Phoenix]

My husband and daughter recently discovered low tide at a local beach and started a "collecting" tank. It is pretty fun. It is FOWLR so no worries about reef safe, no need for expensive lights, and no temptation to buy things for it because of all the not reef safe inverts they put in it. That might be a good way for you to go too.

 

I agree. I'm selling off most of my corals - just keeping the odd few that I truly can't part with. But the rest of the livestock has got to go as well.

 

By the way, correct me if I'm wrong but we can't keep two blennies in the same tank, right?

[Tamberav]

I agree. I'm selling off most of my corals - just keeping the odd few that I truly can't part with. But the rest of the livestock has got to go as well.

 

By the way, correct me if I'm wrong but we can't keep two blennies in the same tank, right?

 

They generally don't like each other in small spaces.

[FlowerMama]

You read me too well.

 

School and work, writing a book, tanks- that would be too much stress. Hey, it'll free you up more to engage in your writing! Your mind won't be so encumbered (is that the word I'm looking for?)..... Eh, you know what I mean. You're a writer. Pick a word!

[Snow_Phoenix]

They generally don't like each other in small spaces.

 

Dang. I'll pick my Bicolor over my Tribal then. He's reef safe and doesn't nibble at my clams. While we're at it, is 96W of T5 lights an overkill over a 10 to 15G tank?

 

School and work, writing a book, tanks- that would be too much stress. Hey, it'll free you up more to engage in your writing! Your mind won't be so encumbered (is that the word I'm looking for?)..... Eh, you know what I mean. You're a writer. Pick a word!

 

Hehe, yes, it'll be far less stressful and the setup will be minimalistic.

 

I'm currently juggling between a 12G and a 15G. If I'm going 15G, I'll be running two HOBs - one of which will function as a fuge (and hopefully I get to keep my Mandy). If it's a 12G, I'll be giving the Mandarin away. But I'm definitely selling the Tomatos and one of the blennies. The Sixline and one of my clowns was rehomed last night already.

[Snow_Phoenix]

Also, here's Athena being a goofball as usual. I initally panicked, thinking it was a swim bladder issue, but she only does this when she thinks I'm not around or when she naps.

 

 

 

 

 

And on a completely unrelated note, I ordered some CUC reinforcements for my FW tank:

 

 

[Tamberav]

lol.. I caught my clown yesterday swimming all weird and I thought something was wrong and was about to freak out when..... a buncha bubbles came out her butt.. I guess she had been swallowing air and she couldn't swim down until it "passed".