My tank crashed last night. (1 Viewer)

[Hangman]

Sunday evening, I came home and feed the fish and corals. All we’re doing great. This morning, I woke up to a crashed tank. The tank is 5 years old and has been doing absolutely wonderful. Have no idea what happened. Here what it looked like when I drained the water





For reference, here’s what the tank use to look like.

 

[Matyas]

So sorry for your loss. How fast did it crash?

 

[Alex77619]

Did u test the water?


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[mikster]

How is it possible that is crashed so fast overnight? Everything died?

 

[webster1234]

I agree with everyone else...this happened how fast??

 

[Alex77619]

Temperature can do that.


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[mikster]

Temperature can do that.


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You think the heater malfunction or busted?

 

[steveb]

so sorry. big alk spike? dose kalk? I've had dosing pump go nuts and dose a bunch of alk in the past.

 

[Hangman]

Thanks everyone. This crashed over night. I think it may have been a stick heater. I don’t dose anything on the tank.

 

[steveb]

were the fish dead to?

 

[Reefahholic]

Ohh man, I know the feeling. Sorry to hear this bro.

My guess is temp or AlK/ Kalk overdose.

 

[Hangman]

actually fish are okay. After a 100% water change, the water is clear enough to see inside the tank now. When it crashed, the water was almost mud like in clarity. My anemones seem to be okay as well and I may be able to save my frogspawns brain coral. My candy ( maybe 500 heads) doesn’t seem to be so lucky I am waiting for the RODI to make more water for another 100% water change tomorrow and the following days. My shrimp are all dead as well as several dozen tiny starfishes. Plan to do 100% water changes every couple of days for the next couple of weeks.

 

[Reefahholic]

actually fish are okay. After a 100% water change, the water is clear enough to see inside the tank now. When it crashed, the water was almost mud like in clarity. My anemones seem to be okay as well and I may be able to save my frogspawns brain coral. My candy ( maybe 500 heads) doesn’t seem to be so lucky I am waiting for the RODI to make more water for another 100% water change tomorrow and the following days. My shrimp are all dead as well as several dozen tiny starfishes. Plan to do 100% water changes every couple of days for the next couple of weeks.

What were the parameters when you found it like that? What was the temp? What exactly are you dosing?

 

[Hangman]

What were the parameters when you found it like that? What was the temp? What exactly are you dosing?

Hi, actually, I do not dose anything. I was too busy trying to drain the water out and clean the tank to try and save as much livestock as I can and did not get a chance to test the water. That and I was also trying to get rid of the smell as fast as I could be for the wife came home

 

[RR-MAN]

actually fish are okay. After a 100% water change, the water is clear enough to see inside the tank now. When it crashed, the water was almost mud like in clarity. My anemones seem to be okay as well and I may be able to save my frogspawns brain coral. My candy ( maybe 500 heads) doesn’t seem to be so lucky I am waiting for the RODI to make more water for another 100% water change tomorrow and the following days. My shrimp are all dead as well as several dozen tiny starfishes. Plan to do 100% water changes every couple of days for the next couple of weeks.

Sorry to hear that...

If water was cloudy/muddy something definitely spawned in the tank-and without a quick water change some corals will not make it. What’s still puzzling is how fast lps corals died over night. Lps corals are a lot hardier vs sps.

 

[Reefahholic]

Hi, actually, I do not dose anything. I was too busy trying to drain the water out and clean the tank to try and save as much livestock as I can and did not get a chance to test the water. That and I was also trying to get rid of the smell as fast as I could be for the wife came home

Did the water feel warm?

 

[PorpoiseHork]

Sorry to hear about the tank and the loss. Hopefully you will be able to rebound quickly.


If it was a stuck heater that caused it you might consider adding a secondary temperature controller to prevent it from happening again.

I run these on all my tanks and for the price, they are amazing. bayite Temperature Controller BTC201 Pre-Wired Digital Outlet Thermostat, 2 Stage Heating and Cooling Mode, 110V - 240V 10A: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific
They are very accurate right out of the box, and only one of four of them needed to be re-calibrated and that was only a couple tenths of a degree. Unlike many other controllers, these units are accurate to within 1/10 of a degree Fahrenheit. So if you set your heater to keep the tank at say 77.5 for example it will turn power on at 77.4 F and shut off at 77.6 F. This allows you to keep very stable water temperatures for your tank. Unlike the inkbird units I have not had to adjust the temperature calibration once I dialed them in. I just use a glass of ice water and set them to 32 F and all is well after that.

 

[mikster]

My chiller used to work as my secondary controller for my heater but I no longer use it so thanks for the advice on this controller. With all the post about people heater malfunction and exploding (didn't even know that was a thing), i am definitely concerned now.

 

[Hangman]

Sorry to hear about the tank and the loss. Hopefully you will be able to rebound quickly.


If it was a stuck heater that caused it you might consider adding a secondary temperature controller to prevent it from happening again.

I run these on all my tanks and for the price, they are amazing. bayite Temperature Controller BTC201 Pre-Wired Digital Outlet Thermostat, 2 Stage Heating and Cooling Mode, 110V - 240V 10A: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific
They are very accurate right out of the box, and only one of four of them needed to be re-calibrated and that was only a couple tenths of a degree. Unlike many other controllers, these units are accurate to within 1/10 of a degree Fahrenheit. So if you set your heater to keep the tank at say 77.5 for example it will turn power on at 77.4 F and shut off at 77.6 F. This allows you to keep very stable water temperatures for your tank. Unlike the inkbird units I have not had to adjust the temperature calibration once I dialed them in. I just use a glass of ice water and set them to 32 F and all is well after that.

Thanks for the recommendation on the temp controller. I was using an inkbird one but it has recently went bad.

 

[i_am_poor]

Sorry to hear about the tank and the loss. Hopefully you will be able to rebound quickly.


If it was a stuck heater that caused it you might consider adding a secondary temperature controller to prevent it from happening again.

I run these on all my tanks and for the price, they are amazing. bayite Temperature Controller BTC201 Pre-Wired Digital Outlet Thermostat, 2 Stage Heating and Cooling Mode, 110V - 240V 10A: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific
They are very accurate right out of the box, and only one of four of them needed to be re-calibrated and that was only a couple tenths of a degree. Unlike many other controllers, these units are accurate to within 1/10 of a degree Fahrenheit. So if you set your heater to keep the tank at say 77.5 for example it will turn power on at 77.4 F and shut off at 77.6 F. This allows you to keep very stable water temperatures for your tank. Unlike the inkbird units I have not had to adjust the temperature calibration once I dialed them in. I just use a glass of ice water and set them to 32 F and all is well after that.

Bought and installed. Thanks!