125g Tank crash!

[Triggerjay]

So, on sunday, I removed my DSB from my 55g fuge. I isolated the tank from the rest of the system when I did this. Well, in the process, I noticed my SG in the rest of the system was at 1.019!. So, When I mixed the new SW to refill the fuge, I mixed it at 1.035 to off-set the low SG in the rest of the system. Well, I kind of freaked out about it being so low, and shortly after mixing the NSW, I opened the valve, and let it mix with the rest of the system in my sump. Bad idea! so the following morning, I realized I RTNed about half my SPS.. So, a few days have gone by, and the ones that survived the shock of the SG change still look bad. My sunset monti has very little PE, and the tissue on the skeleton has lightened in color... My question is, should I let things be, or pull my remaining corals and let my friend temp house them for me? which do you think would be more stressful? Taking a chance on recovery in my system, or moving them? Thanks!

Jason

 

[AndtheBonus]

Man thats rough! Hope you get everything back in order ASAP! Good Luck

 

[Scouter Steve]

My first question is what are you measuring the SG with? Hopefully a refractomter that is correctly calibrated. The corals have been stressed a bit already. I would not move them right now just let things stable out.
Slow down on all changes.

 

[Triggerjay]

Yeah, I am checking SG with a refractometer, and I also compared the refractometer to a glass hydrometer, that I have put a black line on at the correct 1.025,.... so basically, on the glass one, I know for a fact that my black line is 1.025,... even though the line is at 1.026 on the factory scale. Salinity is good now,... I just made too many changes too fast.. Shocked the corals.... I have gotten away with this kind of stuff before.. but that was before I was into SPS... SPS doesn't like rapid changes.. I am learning this the hard way..

Jason

 

[blue_eyes53813]

Gosh this is to bad.. If salinity is where it should be or close I would let it ride and cross your fingers.... Good luck

 

[Triggerjay]

Thanks guys & Gals! Should I put some fresh carbon in the sump, or let it be too?

Jason

 

[Woodstock]

So sorry to hear this Jason That just stinks!

Wait a few days to change out the carbon. Doing so can sometimes clarify the water quickly and cause sunburn.

I would leave the corals where they are as long as the parameters are stable. Moving them would just stress them further.

 

[deaclauderdale]

Karma coming your way.

 

[Triggerjay]

lol, Thanks! I would rather see this happen now though, then later when it is chock full of large colonies. I did loose some nice pieces, but they were small. I would be crying if it was a mature tank... Not that I don't still want to!

Jason

 

[bbehring]

Jason, I'm curious about the change out of the DSB in your fuge. Was ist just getting nasty or did you remove the DSB altogether? I was thinking of changing my DSB out for fresh sand has been running now for 2 years.

 

[lcstorc]

I know you need to be careful when changing out a DSB which is why this one was done off-line. There are chemicals (I think sulpher)that are trapped underneath the sand and are released when the bottom of the sand is disturbed. I'm not sure if 2 years is long enough for it to be well established but I would act on the safe side.

 

[Fish Crazy]

Sorry to hear about your tank - hope all is well soon

 

[Triggerjay]

Jason, I'm curious about the change out of the DSB in your fuge. Was ist just getting nasty or did you remove the DSB altogether? I was thinking of changing my DSB out for fresh sand has been running now for 2 years.

well, the sand in the DSB in my fuge was obtained from two people in our club that tore down their systems,.. so the age of the sand was unknown from the get go. If I disturbed it in the slightest, a brown "fog" would come out of it. I was having some nusance algae problems in my system, and common sense told me this was the source. I valved off my 55g fuge, and took out the sand and water. Mixed up new water, opened the valve too fast/soon, and crashed the main display. Changing the DSB was not the reason my system crashed.. The cause was due to a SG change. It's totally my fault,.. I discovered the rest of my system had a low SG, and corrected it WAY too fast. I think whats left will recover. It is already looking slightly better. It was mainly the delecate corals I lost.

Jason

 

[Octoman]

Wow Jason, sorry to hear about this. I'm glad to hear things are starting to recover...

 

[Gina]

Hope things get back on track for you!
Chalk it up to a learning experience for all of us!

 

[burning2nd]

so what was it the combo of the sand bed, and the silinty being changed all at once....
that was large jump in the salt i guess.

 

[Triggerjay]

I feel it was the salinity change that did me in. I had the fuge with the DSB isolated from the rest of the system for a couple days before I emptied it out, and up to the point I put the fuge back online, everything was doing well.

Jason

 

[burning2nd]

sounds like a combo to me..... the salt spike.... what 3 3 1/2 parts and then a fuge that was dead (really) for a few days....

you didnt test the fuge b4 returning on did you....

Im moveing this hole week and next weekend i have to move my tank... so im sucking up ideas right now like mad...

im sorry for your crash.. but stay chin up... and look on the bright side.. you can start over... i cant wait to start over....

 

[Triggerjay]

I shut the fuge off to see how the tank responded, as my DSB was virtually polluted for lack of a better word. When the fuge came back online, it was an empty bare bottom 55g tank, filled with new saltwater. Now it is an empty tank, with water of course, with nothing in it but my chaeto. I am positive it was the salinity spike alone. That, and maybe burning the corals with the new saltwater.. I didn't give it the standard 24 hours after mixing it before I introduced it into the system. So,... it basically all boils down to me freaking out about the low SG, and bumping it up way too fast.

Jason

 

[Triggerjay]

Oh yeah.... I did test the fuge before I turned it back on as well.. all params matched except salinity,,..... but that was deleberate. calcium was 435ppm, alk 9.5dKH, PH 8.1... everything matched but the salinity..

Jason