Disaster: Total tank nuke!!! Need advise

[adoucette]

Ok I don't know if I should cry and start over or take a sledge hammer to my tank and save myself the future trama. I left town Friday morning for a wedding. Thursday night I turned off my return pump because I do not have an ATO and didn't want my wife to have to remember to fill my tank with RO daily. Anyway, I had, I believe a tang die on Friday night. I left at 5:30 a.m. in a rush and didn't check my tank before I left. I asked my wife to check on things and feed the fish while I was gone. Saturday at about midnight I spoke with my wife who said the fish died. I asked if she got it out and she said, "No all the fish died". She said she couldn't even go near the tank because it smelled so bad. Late Sunday morning I called a tank maintance company and asked what to do. They said the could empty the tank and fill it back up with clean water, get the dead fish out, etc, but with 48 hours elasped and 20 dead fish there probably wouldn't be much to save. I couldn't justify spending the money to empty a tank that was all dead already so I declined the service. I got home today and the smell was/is truely overpowering. The water was so cloudy that I couldn't even see my rock. I drained all the water and now have an empty tank. Now I am not sure what to do to get the smell out. I can only make about 60g of SW at at time and I have a 180 tank. Should I just keep making and adding until it is full the start it up and do water changes as fast as I can make water or should I take all the rock and sand out and bleach in the sun? I really don't know what to do at this point. Any advise would be appriciated. Below are pictures of my poor tank. Warning viewer discretion is advised:










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[Craigar]

One word of advice I would never turn your return pump off as that's needed for the gas exchange but as for now I would fill it back up and get your protein skimmer or two going. Have as much flow as possible and do water changes every day or every other day for a week or two. Your going to have to let your tank cycle again

 

[Lowenbrau]

I am sorry for your loss..... I lost almost everything in my 210 once. I had to drain it all and start from scratch.

 

[adoucette]

Trust me I will never, ever turn off my return pump again. Before I start to rebuild I will be installing an ATO and whatever other fail safes I can...

 

[projectx]

Sorry for your loss

 

[Craigar]

Trust me I will never, ever turn off my return pump again. Before I start to rebuild I will be installing an ATO and whatever other fail safes I can...

Can you make your return section
Bigger?

 

[Rebel]

My condolences. Like people have said, get it going again, skimmer and carbon and lots of water changes until its is stable. Then send me a PM and I will help you out with some frags etc.

 

[CRW Reef]

Wow I am so sorry to see that happened in only 4 days I could offer you an additional skimmer to add to your system but you could also prob buy some new salt water from Aquatic Art as they have helped me in a jam like that as well. Lmk if I can help with any equipment, water storage or anything like that as I am just off 470 and Broadway.

 

[ColoradoReef]

Sorry to here about that Alec. Call me if you need anything at all!
Heather


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[adoucette]

Well I got all my dead coral pulled out and I put in as much water as I have on hand. It's about 1/4 full. A couple more days and it should be full enough to turn the return on and get my protein skimmer going. Then I'll water change as fast as I can make it and go from there. Right now I just need to get it filled and running because the smell is fierce. While cycling, I will be running the lines through my ceiling for an ATO and I'll probably run a few extra for a water exchange setup. Just really bummed, I was just starting to get good growth on my SPS and I had some large pieces that had been growing for about 3 1/2 years. Really sucky way to learn a lesson, but I can't imagine a life without a tank...

 

[JNG]

That really sucks, sorry to see that happen to you. I have had saltwater tanks for twenty five years now and have had my fair share of disasters happen just like that. My tanked crashed the first day of us moving into out brand new house years ago. My wife freaked out, her new house smell only lasted a few hours. Start over and think about some things you would like to change up. when your all back up and running, I can give you some frags.
Jerry

 

[daveydoodle]

Same here with whatever you need. Mine's a new tank so I don't have much, but you're welcome to anything I have. Mine are mostly beginner corals.

 

[projectx]

Once your back up and running, I will be happy to send some frags your way. Let us know if you need anything

 

[Craigar]

If you want to drive up north you could get water from me I'm sure tgere are people closser that would give you water

 

[space]

I can make some water for you but I might be too far away.

 

[RuRoo]

Sorry to hear that man. Let us know if you need anything.

 

[djkms]

Sorry to hear

I know you called us on Sunday, wish there was something I could have done. I have a couple things I could frag out to you once your back up and running.

 

[yOdaddy]

Damn your tank look like a nuke went off for sure! So sad even for me and it's not my tank! I have some frags of spartan pride pink zombies and purple deaths that was for sale and wouldnt mind giving it to you as long as you pick up. Lmk

 

[MSwift]

Wow... I dont even know what I would be thinking right now, so sorry for your losses!

 

[bsharpe]

Alec, have you thought of going to a Sunflower Market, they sell RO for 25 cents gallon. Sorry to hear this, I spiked my tank the other day because I was overfeeding a Dendro and D*** near killed my fish, luckily I noticed and did a huge water change in time, but a few corals are not happy. Happy to pass some corals to you when you are ready just let me know.