Had my first, but interesting, tank crash

[Happyfeet]

So over the past month my tank went from pristine with great coral growth to what may only be described as an armpit on a 97 degree day.
 

I couldn't figure out where all the ammonia and nitrates came from. I reduced my feeding to next to nothing and every time I tested things were still worsening. I was doing a water change every day, but still things got worse. I was tearing my hair out over the past month trying to figure out what was wrong, I even suspected the female unit in the house to be a saboteur.

This past weekend I discovered the source of the problem, one of the cats was peeing into the refugium of the tank, which I leave uncovered to blow a fan across when the temperature gets high. Tank isn’t a total loss, but I did loose the majority of my coral which is annoying.

Just thought I’d share my misfortune and get a couple good laughs.

Edited July 22, 2013 by Happyfeet

[Origami]

That's terrible. I'm glad you found the source but am sorry for the losses. That cat is now in the doghouse, I suppose?

 

(Sent from my phone.)

 

 

[YHSublime]

I suppose you don't have a cat anymore?

 

That's unfortunate, and an expensive letterbox at that. I hope you bounce ya k quick!

[AlanM]

Your WAMAS avatar is apropos.

[YHSublime]

Your WAMAS avatar is apropos.

Nice catch!

[Coral Hind]

Your WAMAS avatar is apropos.

I was thinking the same thing!

 

I've heard lots of stories over the years but a tank crash being caused from that is a new one.

[smallreef]

Ohhhhhh so wrong! I wonder why it decided to start doing that? Welp....guess the need for a door or something to block kitty from being evil again....and I surprised Rob hasn't chimed in on this....see Rob...pee does nothing for the tank!!!

[Hilary]

We have a member who had a similar issue, but it was the dog.  A cat though?  Must have been very flexible and determined!  Glad you were able to identify the issue at least!

[Kevin Garrison]

I think vertical screening around the top of your sump may be in order...  We have cats, I do not think any of them are foolish enough to cross me like that but they are cats... maybe it was trying to tell  you you pay too much attention to the tank and not enough attention to him/her?

[Happyfeet]

Your WAMAS avatar is apropos.

 

Haha, yes.. yes it is. Hadn't even noticed until you said something.

 

Ohhhhhh so wrong! I wonder why it decided to start doing that? Welp....guess the need for a door or something to block kitty from being evil again....and I surprised Rob hasn't chimed in on this....see Rob...pee does nothing for the tank!!!

 

Yeah, Mako used to be an out doors cat, but she developed a severe limp and we figured it was connected to her being a moron (She loved to jump from the roof onto the concrete patio). Since the limp we decided to keep her indoors, something she has had a hard time adjusting to. We have to keep all the bathroom doors closed otherwise she pees in the sink. There is a very easy fix for this problem, so I'm not too mad. I just need to take out the dremel and modify my refugium to allow for a lid/fan. I'll post a picture later to illustrate what needs to be done.

 

We have a member who had a similar issue, but it was the dog.  A cat though?  Must have been very flexible and determined!  Glad you were able to identify the issue at least!

 

It's actually not that hard, it's a Biocube 29 so she just sat ontop hung her fanny over the refugium and unleashed an aquatic apocalypse.

 

 

.

[AlanM]

Could you divert her into the toilet instead of the sink?  Seems like she's almost there...

 

Youtube has tons of video of cats peeing and pooping in the toilet, but our cat is way way too lazy to do that.  He hollers to be lifted up onto the sink to drink from the faucet, even though we know for a fact that he can jump the 5 feet to the top of the TV cabinet (and knock off all of the picture frames).

[Happyfeet]

Could you divert her into the toilet instead of the sink?  Seems like she's almost there...

 

Youtube has tons of video of cats peeing and pooping in the toilet, but our cat is way way too lazy to do that.  He hollers to be lifted up onto the sink to drink from the faucet, even though we know for a fact that he can jump the 5 feet to the top of the TV cabinet (and knock off all of the picture frames).

We had tried that at one point in time, but even covered in tape, tinfoil, fans, watermisters, and a motion activated siren which only served to scare the ever living %$#* out of me in the middle of the night the sink was more enticing than the litterbox toilet.

 

This cat is a true moron and worse yet, she is a stubborn moron.

[YHSublime]

our cat is way way too lazy to do that.  He hollers to be lifted up onto the sink to drink from the faucet, even though we know for a fact that he can jump the 5 feet to the top of the TV cabinet (and knock off all of the picture frames).

 

This cat is a true moron and worse yet, she is a stubborn moron.

 

Sounds like it's time for a dog

[Coral Hind]

This reminds me of our old cat that kept using the top of my new printer/copier as a litter box. It did kind of look like her automatic litter box.

 

Have you tried that training tool that has the rings you slowly remove from the toilet until they are trained to use it. I have a pretty much new one in the box you can have if you want to give it a try.

[Happyfeet]

Sounds like it's time for a dog

 

Have one of those too! She is actually quite an angel compared to Mako. Penny just likes to eat frag plugs.

[Happyfeet]

This reminds me of our old cat that kept using the top of my new printer/copier as a litter box. It did kind of look like her automatic litter box.

 

Have you tried that training tool that has the rings you slowly remove from the toilet until they are trained to use it. I have a pretty much new one in the box you can have if you want to give it a try.

We did try, the problem became the sink was in the same room and she prefered the sink even with the measures we took to make it less appealing. Come to think of it, keeping the sink full of water is probably why she associates the fish tank as a litter box now... SONOFA!!!

 

I'm hoping that just keeping the tank covered will be enough, I don't have issues with her going anywhere else, just the sinks and now the tank.

 

Thanks for the offer.

[Coral Hind]

That's kind of funny. I never thought that trying to train our cat to use a toilet could lead to her using the tank as a substitute. I'm glad the rings didn't work for us now. We never could get past the last ring.

[Happyfeet]

I think I'm just most suprised I had some of my corals survive this. I'll take a picture of the devestation this afternoon.

[Integral9]

Hope it was just #1, and not #2...     

[Coral Hind]

You could lend your cat out to people that want to cycle a new tank.

[ohaverd]

So over the past month my tank went from pristine with great coral growth to what may only be described as an armpit on a 97 degree day.

 

 this made me spit lunch...  so you owe me a new shirt.

[Der ABT]

hopefully this isnt too non child friendly to post and if it is apologies...but be prepared to DIE laughing

 

 

[Happyfeet]

You could lend your cat out to people that want to cycle a new tank.

 

Hahaha, need not return!

 

 this made me spit lunch...  so you owe me a new shirt.

 

 

I'm sorry, you came in expecting a tragedy and got blind sided with a joke! my apology!

 

hopefully this isnt too non child friendly to post and if it is apologies...but be prepared to DIE laughing

Ideas are forming!

[ohaverd]

hopefully this isnt too non child friendly to post and if it is apologies...but be prepared to DIE laughing

 

 

"now is a good time to grind some stuff cause it looks cool on camera"  HAHA 

[smallreef]

Love the videos....

Freak in hilarious way of dealing with bad kitties!