URGENT: Crashed Tanks- What next? How to clean them up safely?

[A Little Blue]

1 minute ago, patback said:

I have full faith that the zoas will be okay if given some fresher water and some sort of water movement. Depending on species, the gorgonian also.   I lost a few things after sandy and it sucks. 

Especially in your case that it looks like you had some good growth. 

Possibly. 

[JoeR]

Honestly, I really don’t want to put him at risk. Loosing coral sucks, but if he ended up sick from it that would be even worse. Not to mention, he’s a little “out of it” right now if anyone catches my drift...

 

I think I may ask him to find a bucket tomorrow and throw the zoas and stuff into it with some clean water and the air pump.

[patback]

2 minutes ago, A Little Blue said:

Ignorance or lock of information.  

It will get airborne if toxins are exposed to air (just that easily). Usually during mishandling or stress. I think tank crush would qualify as a possible trigger for stress. I am not arguing, just trying to make sure no one gets hurt. 

With the heavy molecular weight and no pressure force, palytoxin can NOT go air borne.  There are instances of polyps squirting through the air, but that is not aerosolized.  

That being said, I WOULD be worried that its possibly in the water.  Like I said above, wash up afterwards and you'll be all good.  

[SavaS]

Why not use a pair of tongs to pull out the rocks? (assuming a pair is available) give everything a swish and set in a container of clean shaken up saltwater (shaken to aerate). 

 

[A Little Blue]

13 minutes ago, patback said:

With the heavy molecular weight and no pressure force, palytoxin can NOT go air borne.  There are instances of polyps squirting through the air, but that is not aerosolized.  

That being said, I WOULD be worried that its possibly in the water.  Like I said above, wash up afterwards and you'll be all good.  

True, cuts and open wounds are the most common ways for polytoxins to enter bloodstream. But I have no idea what the cleanup process is going to look like. Chemicals or other ways in effort to salvage or clean rock could release toxins in the air. Not saying it will. Like I said, no expert here. Besides I hate zoas to begin with. 

[patback]

2 minutes ago, A Little Blue said:

True, cuts and open wounds are the most common ways for polytoxins to enter bloodstream. But I have no idea what the cleanup process is going to look like. Chemicals or other ways in effort to salvage or clean rock could release toxins in the air. Not saying it will. Like said, no expert here. Besides I hate zoas to begin with. 

I agree, @JoeR,Keep in mind that none of us (in this thread atleast) are scientists.  Use your own discretion with whatever you choose to do.  Good luck and hope everything works out for you. 

[A Little Blue]

4 minutes ago, patback said:

I agree, @JoeR,Keep in mind that none of us (in this thread atleast) are scientists.  Use your own discretion with whatever you choose to do.  Good luck and hope everything works out for you. 

2nd that 👍

[Lula_Mae]

1 hour ago, patback said:

Palytoxin is actually pretty rare in zoanthids.  It is also only in the air if it is forced in the air by something along the lines of boiling.  

That's kind of what I thought, I feel like people freak out unnecessarily about palytoxin when the risk is far smaller than they're making it out to be.  I would use caution but really think the dangers have been overstated in general.  Perhaps I'm a bit too laid back about it though. 

 

It's like with dart frogs, in captivity they are not poisonous due to diet, but P. terribilis may still secrete mild toxins through the skin, I heard of a guy whose stressed out frog produced some sort of exudate through the skin so he touched and I think LICKED it and got really ill from it (vomiting and such).  LICKED. IT.  Like, really dude?  That was dumb.

 

Moral of the story, don't lick the zoas or anything dumb like that and you'll probably be fine.

1 hour ago, JoeR said:

Honestly, I really don’t want to put him at risk. Loosing coral sucks, but if he ended up sick from it that would be even worse. Not to mention, he’s a little “out of it” right now if anyone catches my drift...

 

I think I may ask him to find a bucket tomorrow and throw the zoas and stuff into it with some clean water and the air pump.

I think your plan is wise because if he's out of it, he definitely shouldn't be handling things.  Hey, is that an aerosol that's safe around our tanks?

[Clown79]

He can use dish gloves to handle the corals.

 

They are often arm length and easy to get. 

Wear some sort of eyewear as well.

 

Anything dead, put in ziploc bags and dispose of safely. 

 

Wash well after.

 

As for palytoxin, boiling is often the cause for it becoming an airborne toxin.

[A Little Blue]

https://masna.org/masna-education/palytoxin/

[JBM]

Personally, I wouldn't have someone who knows nothing about a nano reef decide whats dead and whats living. Roommates lack of education in the subject is the deciding factor.

 

Explain in detail to the most minuscule step how you want him to perform a water change. Leave the deciding whats dead and living of it until you return home.

 

Granted, it was a Fish only tank. However during sandy i kept my jobs tank alive by simply removing 1 gallon of water and pouring it back in 6x a day for the 3 days it was without power (Im a utility mechanic and was there when the power went out and returned). Once power returned, did a 40% water change and everything was saved

[JoeR]

1 hour ago, JBM said:

Personally, I wouldn't have someone who knows nothing about a nano reef decide whats dead and whats living. Roommates lack of education in the subject is the deciding factor.

 

Explain in detail to the most minuscule step how you want him to perform a water change. Leave the deciding whats dead and living of it until you return home.

 

Granted, it was a Fish only tank. However during sandy i kept my jobs tank alive by simply removing 1 gallon of water and pouring it back in 6x a day for the 3 days it was without power (Im a utility mechanic and was there when the power went out and returned). Once power returned, did a 40% water change and everything was saved

A water change is simple, just use the vacuum and drain it into the sink. But I don’t want to do a WC and then have the air pump potentially spread a bad smell/ toxins in the air. 

 

I asked if if he was comfortable with throwing the rocks with zoas in a clean container with an air pump and he said he wasn’t sure he could do all that. I understand, because I’ve told him about palytoxin before so I’m sure he’s a little worried about it. Oh well, I guess now I have an excuse to start a new tank... right?

[Newstead]

Just a thought - is there a reef club in Wilmington? Perhaps send out a plea for anyone who could go and save whatever is still alive?

[JoeR]

1 hour ago, Newstead said:

Just a thought - is there a reef club in Wilmington? Perhaps send out a plea for anyone who could go and save whatever is still alive?

I didn’t even think of that thanks. I’ve never looked into reef clubs before, I’ll see what I can find. I think a lot of people are still out of the city unable to get back. I girl I know went back today somehow, and it took her 8 hours to drive a normally 2 hour drive😨. It’s been about 7 days with no power already so I’m not too sure if anything would make it anyway, I had zoas stuck in the mail for about that much time and they were toast.

 

i wonder if the live rock is salvageable though? 

[Lula_Mae]

56 minutes ago, JoeR said:

I didn’t even think of that thanks. I’ve never looked into reef clubs before, I’ll see what I can find. I think a lot of people are still out of the city unable to get back. I girl I know went back today somehow, and it took her 8 hours to drive a normally 2 hour drive😨. It’s been about 7 days with no power already so I’m not too sure if anything would make it anyway, I had zoas stuck in the mail for about that much time and they were toast.

 

i wonder if the live rock is salvageable though? 

I would think the live rock is probably salvageable but would probably need to be cleaned and rinsed well and then re-cycled. Don't boil it lol.  

[JoeR]

17 hours ago, Newstead said:

Just a thought - is there a reef club in Wilmington? Perhaps send out a plea for anyone who could go and save whatever is still alive?

I’m sure there has to be a club there but I can’t find any info on one? Just the lfs websites come up from what I can tell.

 

14 hours ago, Lula_Mae said:

I would think the live rock is probably salvageable but would probably need to be cleaned and rinsed well and then re-cycled. Don't boil it lol.  

Why would anyone boil their rocks in the first place is my question 🤨

[A Little Blue]

1 hour ago, JoeR said:

Why would anyone boil their rocks in the first place is my question ?

You would be surprised what ppl do in this hobby to prove their stupidity. 

Exemple:

[JoeR]

5 minutes ago, A Little Blue said:

You would be surprised what ppl do in this hobby to prove their stupidity. 

Exemple:

I’ve heard the shrimp thing but the whole peeing in the tank is news to me 😂

[A Little Blue]

4 minutes ago, JoeR said:

I’ve heard the shrimp thing but the whole peeing in the tank is news to me 😂

Long time ago, there was this guy who was extremely successful in growing clams on his propagation farm. At one of his talks, he jokingly answer a Q regarding his success with clams by giving out his secret (yes, it’s exactly what you think it is) ......... and then this happened:

 

[patback]

1 hour ago, A Little Blue said:

Long time ago, there was this guy who was extremely successful in growing clams on his propagation farm. At one of his talks, he jokingly answer a Q regarding his success with clams by giving out his secret (yes, it’s exactly what you think it is) ......... and then this happened:

 

I'm not sure how long you've been around on nanoreef, but if you remember zephnyc, he claimed to hear it from the source that they would routinely pee into the area they were trying to grow clams. 

I want to say he had 2(?) gigas clams that each one would take up the entire display of my red sea reefer 170. 

[MrObscura]

As mentioned most zoas/Palys aren't even toxic. And if they are as long as you don't eat them, or drink their water, or boil them , chances of polytoxin poisoning are slim. 

[JoeR]

3 hours ago, patback said:

I'm not sure how long you've been around on nanoreef, but if you remember zephnyc, he claimed to hear it from the source that they would routinely pee into the area they were trying to grow clams. 

I want to say he had 2(?) gigas clams that each one would take up the entire display of my red sea reefer 170. 

That can’t possibly be true.. can it?? Lol. And I would love to see those clams, they sound massive! The responsibility associated with the care of those animals must be crazy, animals as old as those would be a major loss if something were to happen or change

2 hours ago, MrObscura said:

As mentioned most zoas/Palys aren't even toxic. And if they are as long as you don't eat them, or drink their water, or boil them , chances of polytoxin poisoning are slim. 

That’s the conclusion I’ve come to. I tried to call the shops out there to see if they could send someone on a house call to take care of them for me but no one would pick up, though they said ok fb they were open. Sigh..

[A Little Blue]

4 hours ago, patback said:

I'm not sure how long you've been around on nanoreef, but if you remember zephnyc, he claimed to hear it from the source that they would routinely pee into the area they were trying to grow clams. 

I want to say he had 2(?) gigas clams that each one would take up the entire display of my red sea reefer 170. 

Name sounds familiar but I’ve not been on NR all that long (On/Off about 6-7yrs). 

Lol It is funny, I’ve tried many anecdotal methodologies and snake oil wonders but I’ve never stood up over my tank and pee in it to make things grow or to cycle my tank.🤣

I’m not arguing over what it does or what it doesn’t do, I just find it ridiculous and hilarious. 

[JoeR]

13 hours ago, A Little Blue said:

Name sounds familiar but I’ve not been on NR all that long (On/Off about 6-7yrs). 

Lol It is funny, I’ve tried many anecdotal methodologies and snake oil wonders but I’ve never stood up over my tank and pee in it to make things grow or to cycle my tank.🤣

I’m not arguing over what it does or what it doesn’t do, I just find it ridiculous and hilarious. 

Agreed lol. I just don’t know what would be beneficial for the clams in urine...?

[JoeR]

Update: I finally got a hold of one of the reef stores out there, said they’re going to try to get someone sent out today. I let them know the situation and how most if not all the inhabitants/corals will be dead, and that it will probably just be a cleanup 😥

 

In memory of my beautiful reef tanks, gone now😳 😅😰😰

 

@Lula_Mae

I’m sure you saw we don’t resume until October 1st tentatively?? Sounded like that includes OAP programs. I’m so over Florence it’s not even funny. Can’t even get to my apartment, or go to my school, and it took my tanks. Most places just got power today or yesterday.