Scared to DEATH

[RMeyer]

Ok, here goes about 18 months I read and then read some more. Read all I could find (you know) ligths, filter etc.. Started a 55 gal REEF. Cycled, water change, check water pream's etc..etc.. Live rock protein skimmer. Everything looked great some crabs, snails, two clowns, two tangs just starting out check on tank almost more than my kids. About 6 mo ago while out of town the in whole system crash in two days. Everything in tank died EVERTHING. So down to my problem I cleaned the tank behind the LR I found three pennies. I known heavy metal is very toxic and can assume that cooper cant be good. I want to start again but scared den't want to kill more of my little friends. My son wants start the tank back up so do I. (1) Is this why my system crashed? (2) What do I need to do to clean the tank and make sure it's safe. Help me please new guy.

 

[jackdp]

Its hard to say why a tank crashes like that. How long were you gone when the tank crashed, was someone watching it? Was there a temperature problem, did a heater lock on or off? Did a filter shut down, did some chemical get into the water. Give some more specifics if possible about what happend. I don't know that 3 pennies will leach enough copper into the water to kill anything that quickly, I guess its possible but I don't really know. Of course I guess the pennies could've been in there a year before you found them too. To get the tank back up and running, give a good cleaning and then start anew. Hopefully everything works out for you this time around.

 

[RMeyer]

The tank was up and running after cyclinig about 6 month. Left home Friday Night returned Sunday afternoon. no one was home. Heater and temp OK. Filter was running when we returned. Chemicals unknown all test Friday was good. No sure when the pennies was put into tank when I found them they I had just pulled a piece of LR out. Advise on "good cleaning" scraped and rinsed about 10 times on chemical cleaner or soap was used.

Randy

 

[RogerMcAllen]

Did the pennies look like they had been there a long time, green oxidized, or like they were recent additions?

 

[RMeyer]

Not real green slight corrosion on edges.

 

[crash519]

All it takes is one fish to die to crash your tank. My bet is that the pennies leached enough copper to kill one fish and then the levels began increasing. That's when everything started dieing. Sorry for your loss. Good luck on the restart!

 

[BillyZ]

All it takes is one fish to die to crash your tank.

That depends highly on the tank. If there isn't enough biofiltration and the system as a whole has a small volume of water, then yes, a single decaying fish with no cleanup crew to dispose of it, could cause a large ammonia spike. However, in this case, a 55 tank that's been running for 6 months with LR and (hmm no mention of substrate, but I would assume some? what substrate did you have Randy?) There should have been enough biofiltration to handle a dead fish Even two if they were only in the tank for a day or two.

Copper is really only toxic to the invertibrates in your tank. At worst, the pennies, if they had been in there for a long time, may have lead to the death of the snails and crabs, but very doubtful they had anything to do with the fish deaths.

Were there any power outages while you were out? Everything may have been up to temp and filters running when you returned, but if things were off for a day or two while gone, that could have led to some problems.

 

[WarOrks15]

. Advise on "good cleaning" scraped and rinsed about 10 times on chemical cleaner or soap was used.

Randy

soap and chemiical cleaner not good for fish. thank might still have in side and would get back in the water and kill every thing again.

 

[RMeyer]

Substrate crushed coral 2 to 3 inches. 25 Turbos 20 crabs cleaning crew. Power spike ?? microwave and alarm clock still run. microwave blinks 12:00 even on minor power bump. As far as cleaning typo. Should have read NO chemical or soap. I never use any chemical cleaner or soap on, near or around my tank with or without stock. Thanks for all your time and comment. Guess I will clean and scrape with straight water a couple more time and jump in again. Sure hope I don't kill anything else. Thanks again.

Randy :?