Protein Skimmer killed my tank?

[mzito]

Hi All,

Post-sandy (I was without power for 5 days and didn't have a backup), I lost most of my livestock and corals, and basically spent quite a while getting the tank clean and back in order and ran it as a FOWLR setup.

During this time my protein skimmer died, and I didn't replace it right away, as I didnt' see the need with a very low bioload.

I decided a few months back that I'd like to go back to trying a reef again, and got a CUC and an urchin to help with some of the algae in the tank before I started to increase the bioload. I got the algae largely under control, and decided to get a protein skimmer again.

I got the Vertex 130, assembled it, ran it for a few hours with vinegar and water, cleaned it, put it in the sump, let it overflow for a day, and then adjusted the water height in the column and kept an eye on it.

Well, sure enough it started to collect a little skimmate within a few hours, whihc was great, but it was positively frothing up the water in the sump and creating tons of microbubbles in the display portion of the tank. After about 24 hours of this, I turned the skimmer off last night so I could see the interior of the tank and do a feeding and see what could be done about reducing the microbubbles.

The (admittedly few) contents of my tank were all dead - the CUC, the urchin, my jawfish, and my clownfish (the first saltwater fish I ever got, about 6 years ago).

How could this happen? What did I do wrong? I'm really trying to figure out where I might have misstepped here, especially if I want to start over.

Thanks,
Matt

EDIT: I found my apparently indestructible clownfish still alive, hiding under a rock when I was starting to take things out of the tank. Should I make some new saltwater and put him in a "quarantine" bucket for a while?

[sanababit]

Was it a new skimmer?, did you check other parameters?, i doubt it was the skimmer, but if it was a used skimmer then maybe it had some chemical on it or a bad pump which leaked stray voltage or copper

Sana

[mzito]

Originally Posted by sanababit

Was it a new skimmer?, did you check other parameters?, i doubt it was the skimmer, but if it was a used skimmer then maybe it had some chemical on it or a bad pump which leaked stray voltage or copper

Sana

The skimmer was brand new. I haven't had a chance to check the parameters yet, but it was a 30 gallon tank with two small fish, one urchin, and a small CUC that's been stable for about 8 months with frequent water changes, so I don't test water parameters religiously. The skimmer is the only change in the last few days.

[Dmoody]

possible tank contamination?

[kutcha]

how many micro bubbles were in the display tank?

[mzito]

Originally Posted by kutcha

how many micro bubbles were in the display tank?

There were a lot - enough that it was difficult to see very far into the tank, that's why I turned it off to check in on the gang.

[moondoggy4]

Any body spraying bug cleaner? that is what wiped out my QT, same white water condition unable to see through it.

[mzito]

Originally Posted by moondoggy4

Any body spraying bug cleaner? that is what wiped out my QT, same white water condition unable to see through it.

No - literally, the only thing that changed was the installation of the vertex 130. Unless there was a contaminant on there that wasn't handled by a few hour run with vinegar and water, I don't know what could be going on.

[Clamagore]

I'm so sorry to hear that. Taking a wild, uneducated guess, I have to wonder if too many bubbles can prevent water from making proper contact with the fishes' gills, rendering them ineffective for respiration.

[moondoggy4]

I would use some real ocean water or get some water from a LFS for that sole surviver, sorry to hear about your 6 year old clown mine just died last year he was 10 years old.
So the skimmers overflows that is normal starts to calm down that is normal starts to skim that is normal Starts to overflow and froth like crazy THAT is not normal that point is where the problem started. Kinda of like losing something and retracing your steps.
Anybody else in the house?

[mzito]

Originally Posted by moondoggy4

I would use some real ocean water or get some water from a LFS for that sole surviver, sorry to hear about your 6 year old clown mine just died last year he was 10 years old.
So the skimmers overflows that is normal starts to calm down that is normal starts to skim that is normal Starts to overflow and froth like crazy THAT is not normal that point is where the problem started. Kinda of like losing something and retracing your steps.
Anybody else in the house?

I'm making a new batch of saltwater in a quarantine 5 gallon bucket. I'm planning to move the survivor (which is the 6 year old clown, btw - I swear, he's been through two tank moves, a malfunctioning heater that brought the temperature up to 90 for an overnight while I was out of town, and hurricane sandy, which left him powerless for 5 days - he's indestructible), I'll move the survivor to the quarantine bucket, remove the skimmer, do a 100% water change and figure it out from there - I guess?

The skimmer overflowed normally, when I put the collection cup on and adjusted the level, it was in the neck normally, and producing skimmate - but in the sump it was piles of bubbles, not just like some turbulence. In the display tank, it was just microbubbles - I have seen this on a milder scale with other skimmers, I thought maybe because it was a much bigger skimmer breaking in, that it was just creating comparably more bubbles.

Now the clown is out and about but is opening and closing his mouth very rapidly, like he's gasping. I'm trying to get the water dissolved and up to temp as soon as possible so I can transfer him.

Any ideas?

[moondoggy4]

You should check about acclimating your fish if your PH is different and you add a air stone you could kill your fish, I would just swirl the water for now.

[FlyPenFly]

That is totally bizarre. Any chance there was contamination during the cleaning process or the place where it was cleaned? Maybe some soap residue.

[moondoggy4]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1939508

[mzito]

Originally Posted by moondoggy4

You should check about acclimating your fish if your PH is different and you add a air stone you could kill your fish, I would just swirl the water for now.

I checked the water, it matched very closely. I went through an acclimation cycle as well.

He seems calmer now. We'll see how he does overnight. He was gasping in the main tank, now he's idling in an edge of the bucket more calmly.

Figure out what to do beyond that tomorrow (if he's still with us).

[sfsuphysics]

So what exactly died in the tank? the inverts only? or did you have other fish than your clown?

If it's the inverts only makes me think in the direction of some heavy metal... zinc screw fell in, something copper sitting in there (any kids that might toss stuff inside?), and it simply was a coincidence that when the skimmer was added was the tipping point of leeching into the tank which offed your CUC.

[mzito]

Originally Posted by sfsuphysics

So what exactly died in the tank? the inverts only? or did you have other fish than your clown?

If it's the inverts only makes me think in the direction of some heavy metal... zinc screw fell in, something copper sitting in there (any kids that might toss stuff inside?), and it simply was a coincidence that when the skimmer was added was the tipping point of leeching into the tank which offed your CUC.

It was the CUC, an urchin, and a jawfish that passed away - the clownfish survived, albeit in distress. It was a really light bioload for a 33 gallon tank.

No kids in the house, no obvious sources of heavy metal. No dosing, water changed about a week previously, I always use the same buckets that are used only for water changes and waste water.

It's the weirdest thing.

[unitedbga]

Sorry to hear about your loss. It sounds like you had a ton of micobubbles that really oxiginated the water. Then it stopped. That made a big swing in the tank.