Stay In Or Not to Stay In

[discretekarma]

As many of you have probably read, my 180 just crashed this weekend thanks to an exploding heater. Out of 100+ corals, only a few are still alive and even those are hardly alive. I've been doing everything I can to save what I have be it doesn't look like anything will work. There's not much left to save at this point. I do still have all my equipment, live rock, sand, and a strong desire to stay in the hobby.

 

Since everything is dead now I'm on the fence between getting out or starting over with a new tank. I'd like a new shape or sized tank if I stay in. I'm probably going to start cycling the rocks soon. I'd like to try to find a used 144 gallon half circle. I'm still not sure I'm staying in but if I do I just want to do it with something new. I'll keep some of the equipment and rocks but either way I'll be selling my tank, stand, canopy, lights, sump, and pump once I've taken all the rocks and sand out.

 

 

We'll see. I'll keep you posted. I'm not looking for encouragement to stay in or not but just new tank ideas in case we do want to stay in or if anyone knows where to get a cheap/used 144 gallon half circle.

[bprinehart]

I know you're not looking for it, but hang in there dude. You and I both have been through alot of crap the last few weeks, back problems, exploding heaters etc. Just build it bigger and better than before, and I'll keep my ears and eyes open for a 144 for you.

[lanman]

As many of you have probably read, my 180 just crashed this weekend thanks to an exploding heater. Out of 100+ corals, only a few are still alive and even those are hardly alive. I've been doing everything I can to save what I have be it doesn't look like anything will work. There's not much left to save at this point. I do still have all my equipment, live rock, sand, and a strong desire to stay in the hobby.

 

Since everything is dead now I'm on the fence between getting out or starting over with a new tank. I'd like a new shape or sized tank if I stay in. I'm probably going to start cycling the rocks soon. I'd like to try to find a used 144 gallon half circle. I'm still not sure I'm staying in but if I do I just want to do it with something new. I'll keep some of the equipment and rocks but either way I'll be selling my tank, stand, canopy, lights, sump, and pump once I've taken all the rocks and sand out.

We'll see. I'll keep you posted. I'm not looking for encouragement to stay in or not but just new tank ideas in case we do want to stay in or if anyone knows where to get a cheap/used 144 gallon half circle.

 

I think I would give it up...

 

I would sell off everything but my skimmer, kalk reactor... CA reactor... pumps, AC-3, etc... Then I would smash the tank into a billion pieces.

 

And then - I would find a 400-gallon acrylic tank and start over again.

 

bob

[traveller7]

Been in the hobby a few days, some have been extremely painful.

 

In my experience, buckle down with the 180, it is more flexible then the 144 half, and likely just needs a patient hand to bring it back into shape. Time will heal it's wounds and yours, allow time to work for you both.

 

Cheers.

[discretekarma]

I also think I'll end up keeping my 180. I'm very tempted to take everything out of the tank, clean it out, rinse the sand, cure the rock (or not), redo how everything is hooked up, remove my frag tank from the system and start over. Would curing the rocks be the best way to know for sure that I've removed any toxins?

[steveoutlaw]

I also think I'll end up keeping my 180. I'm very tempted to take everything out of the tank, clean it out, rinse the sand, cure the rock (or not), redo how everything is hooked up, remove my frag tank from the system and start over. Would curing the rocks be the best way to know for sure that I've removed any toxins?

 

 

Dude - DON'T GET OUT! You'll miss it and then end up spending more money to get back in (trust me, I know a thing or 2 about this!!). Don't worry about what you lost, just try to save what you have. I would keep the tank up and continue to do the water changes and use what you need to use to get the chemicals out. Then, when your tank is stable, put out the call and we'll get you stocked up with frags again. It will be starting over, but you can re-aquascape and watch all the little frags grow into colonies.

[SteffiePoo]

I am new to all of this, but I wouldnt give up something that has been a great hobby. I guess I am trying to encourage you to stay in the hobby. Like everyone has said, rebuild, start over or I think you will regret getting out of the hobby. Everyone here seems so helpful in helping you rebuild. So I would say stay and watch it grow again. However, I am sorry for your loss of corals.

[flowerseller]

Sorry to hear of your loss.

It all comes with the territory.

 

Good advise on keeping the 180.

[Mystical Lady]

whatever you decide, remember WAMAS will get you back up and running with our corals. The people here are wonderful and I am sure your 'house' will be full once you get it cycled Just let us know....

 

HUGS

[Highland Reefer]

I have been where you are at. I put my heart into a reef system, trying to do everything right. I decide to drop everthing into a sump in the basement at my wife's request. The pump I had couldn't cut the demand to lift to the main level. I buy another pump. Wrong Pump. It overheated everthing overnight. Killed everthing except a leather coral. I cleaned up everthing and just let it cyle the rock for about a year and a half while a cryed about it. Finally I joined WAMAS & here I am. You have a lot of friends here to get you thru this. Use them. Don't give up.

 

[scott711]

You need to stay in. I lost everything last year in my 75 and started over with my 120.

[ErikS]

I think everyone feels your pain, as mentioned it pretty much "comes with the territory". You could just "leave it run" while you decide................I've been doing that since last Sept when I had the joy of adding 40 some gallons of topoff to the tank (oddly enough without a drop going outside the tank - that takes some doing).

 

Cost me some 10 - 15 colonies, some pretty large..............had to think long & hard about continuing. In the end I figured "what the heck, I have the equipment & I like the hobby".

 

It's a strange hobby - can be fun & frustrating at the same time....................but then I golf, guess I'm just used to that.

[jason the filter freak]

You've been a great resource in the club and a great inspiration. I'd really like to see you stick around

[Sharkb8]

Don't get out. You will regret it. of course, it depends on how much enjoyment you get out of the hobby and/or what you would do with your time if you were not in it. Maybe consider an upgrade instead? Maybe consider a whole new direction with the tank, try something different like an aggressive tank or stingray tank or shark tank or a geographic-specific tank replicating a native habitat on some island somewhere or cold water habitat or ... ? I almost took a step out too but everyone here encouraged me to just re-think, re-vamp and start over. The heater thing could have happened to anyone here and has happened to others.

[ctenophore]

Assuming you stay with it (which I highly recommend!) you may consider flushing out the rocks and sand with fresh water a couple of times before you re-cure the rock. It sounds like a toxin from the heater did in all your corals (copper most likely- did any other inverts live?) which means it may have gotten into the rocks and sand. Hard to know for sure, but some freshwater rinses couldn't hurt.

 

I would do the following:

-Tap water flush the entire tank several times, stirring sand and getting rid of detritus each time.

-Fill with tap water and let sit for a week or two, flush one more time. Run all pumps/equipment except lights.

-Fill with RO/DI saltwater, let sit for a week or two (continue to run pumps). Run copper test afterward.

-Assuming all is well, add one or two fish back, along with a shrimp or seastar, a handful of "live" sand, and one hardy low-light stony frag, but run only actinics or equivalent for two or three weeks. The inverts should act as canaries for metal toxins.

 

That should give you a good low-light rock cure, and establish your sand/rock with a viable microfauna population before turning on the main lights. This is pretty much how I set up new tanks with sterile rock (and what I am doing with my current tank build)

 

Good luck, and when you are ready for corals please let me know and I will help you restock.

 

Justin

[mogurnda]

I'm really sorry it happened, but it looks like you may be turning it into an opportunity to try something different, which is a great idea. I expect that the excitement will start to come back as things come together.

[discretekarma]

Wow. I really want to thank everyone for the kind words, insperation, and new ideas. As long as the wife agrees, I'd like to stay in the hobby and keep my same equipment. I'm definitely not going to do so with out doing what was said about the fresh water rinse and recuring the rocks. I agree that it's probably copper. The fish are FINE and the inverts are all dead. I watched my purple lobster come out from under his rock and die in the front of the tank. I felt bad watching that wishing there was something I could do. I shut off my frag tank and did a 100% water change but everything still died. I'm guessing that there was too much toxins in the sand and rocks. I think I'm just going to leave it alone for a bit while me and my wife talk it over and decide. She is just pissed that we spend so much money on corals and inverts just to have them all die and she's hesitant to continue to throw more money in to the tank.

 

I do like the idea of trying something new. Maybe an agressive tank. Maybe something else. I'm guessing that a 180 is too small for sting rays or sharks though. I love having corals so I'd be tough to do agressive but we'll see. My tank looks like death right now. It's all grey and there are tons of empty shells and coral skeletons. It reminds me of Mr Magoriums Toy shop once everything lost the magic for those who have seen it.

 

I'm sure if I start a reef tank again I'll take everyone up on their frag offers. I think my wife would be more likely to go for an aggressive tank since we spent so much on corals. I sure do love corals though. Thanks again.

 

Scott

[ErikS]

My tank looks like death right now. It's all grey and there are tons of empty shells and coral skeletons. It reminds me of Mr Magoriums Toy shop once everything lost the magic for those who have seen it.

That's the hardest part to get past, the tank in such a dysmal state - it's a constant reminder of failure.

 

Once you get past that & have it just running for a while (I just left the fish, let it run as basically a FOWLR) it gets easier.

 

While not the actual $$$ it is the toughest part, you must be willing to accept it can be gone in minutes. Every time you put something in the tank it's with the realization it can die in a blink - can make it difficult, even if not the $$$ the time an effort spent can be very frustrating.

 

As for the $$$ - would it be sitting in a bank right now? ..........or...........would it likely have gone elsewhere? Meaning, for me, it would have been spent (it's discretionary funds) on golf = gone in 4 - 5hrs.

 

Just some thoughts.

[ctenophore]

Why not do some big fish like triggers, eels, and angels, and just keep the corals they won't eat?

[discretekarma]

That's probably the most likely option we'll go with but not the only.

 

Does anyone have a good link or list of what type of corals can be kept in an agressive tank?

[Longchamp]

That's probably the most likely option we'll go with but not the only.

 

Does anyone have a good link or list of what type of corals can be kept in an agressive tank?

How did the exploding heater kill everything? Shocked the tank? Caused all the other equipment to turn off?

[discretekarma]

Here are a few pictures of what happens when you have a cheap heater.

 

 

 

I put the Turaki back in the water just in case.

[HowardofNOVA]

Sorry Scott for your losses!

 

But the good news is with your experience you will come back wiser and stronger for it!

 

I've changed 3x from 30g to 75g to 90g and each time, took a bit of time off and came back wiser for it!

 

Do as Justin mentioned, do the water flushes, let the system run for circulation and take some time AWAY from the day to day and PLAN how you want to come back strong and will be here to help!!

[jason the filter freak]

Good to see you're sticking with it, also good to see that the BTA seems to be doing well.

[rioreef]

Do a Fish only tank! They have personality, unlike corals that just blow in the current and eat our money.

 

It does not have to be an aggressive line, make it a combination. With that size of a tank you can a large varitey of fish with some rock. Put a large canister filter (no worry without the corals) to assist with the extra waste. Also, you can cut down on the lighting (and the bill) too.