Another disaster. This is it for me.

[OrionN]

I got another disaster Monday.
When I got home from work Monday at 8:00PM, my tank(450 g)does not look happy. The fish were fine except a pair of Purple Firefish, which were dying. All the corals closed up. A quick check shows that the tank temp was 93.9. My tank usually peak at 85.5 each day. Checking the chiller outside show that the chiller was off. There were some worker works on my cable that day. I don't know what happened. I turned the chiller back on, turn the light off and get the two tiny dead fish out.
Yesterday, there was an ammonia spike. I did not measure the ammonia level. I did 90 g water changes. This morning the tank looks better but not well. I remove everything I can see that is dead.
Death list are (still counting)
Powder Blue tang (beautiful healthy happy tang)
Powder Brown tang
Purple firefish pair
Banggain Cardinal pair
Yellow-head Jawfish Pair.
Lots of snails are dying
Frogspawn colon
Alveolar gigas
Multiples M. capricornis
Most Acropora

I am sure this list will grow


H. magnifica is not doing well
BTA Rose is not doing well
Goniopora is not doing well

This is really heartbreak for me. The tank was going very well. I do have a little flatworm outbreak, but no significant problem. My professional life is very busy at this point and I don't see any slowing down. We are going to have our third child. I can't afford to spend the time I need to set this tank back up again. I do not think that having a system that depends so much on one piece of equipment is a good idea. It is too unstable and is a set up for disaster. I don't have the space at this time to have adequate supporting peripherals for a tank this size at this time, until I remodel my house. Because of this reason, I can’t fit this problem. Two disasters, one just 1 year from the last is too much for me.
Because of all the above reasons, I will take my tank down.
in the near future. I will try to save everything I can by stabilize the tank save what I can, but will take it down in the near future. I will not set another tank up for now but will in the distance future.
I will have many things for sale in the near future.

:cry: :cry: :cry:
Minh Nguyen

[DeletedAccount]

I am very sorry!

[z28pwr]

Sorry to hear that Minh, From what I've been reading the only way to go with a large tank is with a controller that can regulate things and worst case page you if something is going wrong.

The controllers out there are pretty good but lack some features, I don't see why they don't make USB/Firewire measuring devices (SPG, PH, TEMP, etc) with a good piece of software, this way we could have a computer dedicated to our aquariums with full functionality.

Sorry to hear about that.

[matt]

Minh, I am really sorry to hear about this. Maybe you'll reconsider when the heartbreak from this wears down a little. I hope so!

[TexasState]

I'm sorry to hear that Minh. I'm sure a lot of your corals will still survive 93.9 degrees. I'm sure your tank will be fine if you just use URI VHO bulbs over mushrooms & LPS.

[reefer]

sorry to here about your troubles, Minh. that's a real bummer.

[MikeP]

Minh, I am very sorry to hear about your tank. I was looking forward to seeing it next meeting in Corpus.

I am kind of in the same boat, having problems with my 220 gallon (flatworms, bryopsis) simply because I cannot put as much time into it right now. You could scale back temporarily and save at least a frag of everything in your system.

[DeAngelove]

Minh -
I am sorry to hear about your tank, I was looking forward to meeting you next month and seeing your tank. I hope you change your mind down the road. :-)

[Ram_Puppy]

MInh, sorry to hear about your misfortune... I think I would be so upset I would be seeking financial compensation from whoever turned off your chiller...

[TAXMAN]

Minh, I'm really sad to hear this. But I do understand. You put so much effort and money into something and then watch it all disapear like that. And 2 times in your case. I feel for you. Good luck with saving what can be saved.

And yes, I would seek out the company that worked that day and see what can be done about the money you have lost.

[adaminaustin]

Mihn, I am very Sorry. This makes me sad hearing this.... I was looking forward to seeing your wonderful tank in person. I hope you reconsider and at least keep a small tank in your house. If your time permits that is.

[JeffCo]

Sorry to hear about your loss. This hobby can be so frustrating at times. Maybe you should give it a little time and then start out small again.

[Sherri]

I am so sorry for your loss Minh....how very frustrating...Hope everything that is left pulls through....good luck.

[captexas]

Minh - I was very saddened to hear of your terrible problems with your setup again. We were all looking forward to seeing your awesome setup at the upcoming meeting, just as we were when you had your first major problem last year. I can't imagine coming home and going through your ordeal. I hope you hang in there and try again sometime in the future when things are better for you. Again, sorry for your loss and if there is anything we can do to help, just let us know.

Chris

[OrionN]

A few more deaths, but my tank stabilized. Everything is improving now. More than half of the snails live. The H magnifica and the RBTA are back to normal.
By Alveopora gigas was killed. I was the most beautiful of my LPS. It was doing so good and double in size in the last 6 months.
BTW, I cure my tank of Ich without ever quarantine my fish. None of the fish have any spots on them. They died ammonia and nitrate poison but not from Ick.
By far the most valuble and beautiful of my corals was the Alveopora. Fortunately, a friend of mine got two large frag of this coral from my tank.
My Power blue, and powder brown were my most beautiful fishes. Both died. My Yellow head jaw fish pair were my most interesting fish. Both died.
My tank is cool and stable now, about 1 week after the temerature spike to 93.9
Thanks for your supports everybody.
Minh

[RobertG]

Minh it is not over. You will rebound from this. Once again showing your knowledge to reef keeping. I would hope the Cable co. is or has heard of this. Good Luck & hope to see your wonderful tank oneday in the future.

[Jimnorris]

Minh,
How sad. My tank was my stress relief from long hours of work. When something went wrong with my tank the stress triple. My next tank is being plan around simple, simple and simple. If you need a break come on out to Charleston for a visit I will show you around. We can go to the Charleston aquarium together.
Take care,
Jim

[OrionN]

Minh,
How sad. My tank was my stress relief from long hours of work. When something went wrong with my tank the stress triple. My next tank is being plan around simple, simple and simple. If you need a break come on out to Charleston for a visit I will show you around. We can go to the Charleston aquarium together.
Take care,
Jim
Jim,
Thanks. Have you moved to Charleston? I did not know that this happened. When?
Minh

[SueT]

Minh, I am so very, very sorry to read this. This is heartbreaking. The most sad part is this happened due to someone else's stupidity or lack of knowledge.

I just got 2 corals that came from your tank via overboard. The purple rimmed green montipora and a purple acropora with neon green polyps. Mark was unsure of the species of this coral. Just shoot me a message if you want any of these back.

[Instar]

Wow Minh. Words can't express it here. I know about you you feel since the red bug treatments.
Hope things improve and congratulations on the 3rd child! Thats a blessing to enjoy for sure.

[OrionN]

Update:
The tank stablilized and most everything pull through fine.
I lost much of the LPS, among them an Anchor coral that I have had for 5+ years. My Alvopora, Powder Brown and Powder Brown tangs, pair of purple fire fish, Yellow head jawfish pair, one of my banggai cardinals, a beautiful unique color Frogspawn (green tentacle with pink tip). Most of my SPS bleached but recovered. My anemones recovered (Green BTA, rose BTA and my H. magnifica). My corals started to grow again. Most completly recovered. The tank got loads of nutrients and I will need to try to get rid of the added nutrients.
I change the circutry of my chiller, protect it from moisture. I think it will be fine. I will need alternative cooling system if I want my tank to be stable. I think I will put in some fans over the tank and the sump.
Thanks everybody.
Minh

[Sherri]

Sooooo glad to hear that Minh....sure would be disappointing to see you get out...Hope everything continues to heal and grow. Keep us posted.

[captexas]

Minh - Glad to hear things weren't quite as bad as first feared. Hang in there and let us know how things are going.