OH NOOOOO!!!! Please Help I boiled my tank

saltwatersucker · 09/09/2006, 12:37 PM

I am very new to the hobby and my little 12 gal tank was doing great it had finally cycled and holding life well . Until last night,
I live in Sac Ca where it has been quite warm since I started the tank so I hadn't botherd with a heater because if anything I needed to keep it cool. So last night it finally cooled off a little and before i went to bed I went to check on my tank and oh no the temp had gotten to 72 degrees which is bad considering It usually stays around 78 - 80 degrees so I pulled out the heater that had come with the tank when I bought it used. I set the heater at 77-78 degrees and went to bed. The next morning I woke up to disaster the tank had heated up to 94 degrees and melted my mushroom and wilted my pulsing xenia and button polyp my snails don't look good either, what do I do has this ever happened to anyone here or is it just my luck If anyone knows where to go from hear I would greatly appreciate it.

Randall_James · 09/09/2006, 01:04 PM

Well there really is not much more than a wait and see thing going on. I would pull out the melted parts and do a large water change too. (50% today, again tomorrow)

I suppose it will not help now but it is a good idea to test any heater in a gallon of water overnight to see what it is going to do.

sorry for your loss...

Sk8r · 09/09/2006, 01:14 PM

Water change and carbon. I hate to say, but don't ever trust a heater thermostat: the numbers there are more relative than accurate. If anything might have survived the 90 degree, the full swing from the 70's to 90, made it worse.

Your live rock and sand may be ok: it takes longer to cool down and longer to heat up, and may not have reached the full heat before you found it and shut things down.

Always keep two thermometers, one for the tank, one for the sump, and because even thermometers tend to be grossly wrong. Learn where your heater thermostat tends to run: mine I set at 72, which, with my lights, keeps my tank at 80. If you subdivide that into degrees, you'll see its concept of a degree differs from the science book...And when it drops to 78 the heater obligingly cuts on. Don't set a heater up before going to bed: start that process early on your day off, and get it adjusted for good and all before you go to sleep.

Sympathies: Most of us that are talking now have learned this wisdom the hard way.

ldehart0556 · 09/09/2006, 01:17 PM

I had my heater stick on last weekend and the tank got up to 92 when I discovered it. All coral shrivelled up. A week later, mushrooms look better than ever, brain is perfect and buttons and trumpet are just fine, I belive it has killed my Torch but Its a waiting game. Dont give up they may recover just not overnight.

Sk8r · 09/09/2006, 01:57 PM

Even if something has turned white, leave it in there: it may recover at least partway.

boostd2valve · 09/09/2006, 02:02 PM

Yeah ive also been in the same spot...My heaters have stuck plenty of times...

Randall_James · 09/09/2006, 03:10 PM

I have had a couple heater failures but they were both "user" related. I have since gone with titainium heaters with remote rheostats and things seem safer.

outy · 09/09/2006, 06:00 PM

i only use 2 heaters and never trust them. in another week when it gets a hair cooler ill use 1 if it fails its not strong enough to do any damage. when winter really hits i add the second and again im covered as both have to run all the time just to keep it 79f ish

IMM3DOORSDOWN · 09/10/2006, 10:02 AM

have you ever considered getting a bigger tank

funman1 · 09/10/2006, 11:07 AM

If you're in sac you should check out the MARS club.
I'm a member and love it. We have a meeting coming up this Friday and we usually have GREAT raffles and I always walk away with 3-4 new corals.

PM me if you want more details, we would love to have a new face..
Sorry abut the loss.

~Steve~

09/09/2006, 12:37 PM	#1
saltwatersucker Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Sacramento Posts: 116	OH NOOOOO!!!! Please Help I boiled my tank I am very new to the hobby and my little 12 gal tank was doing great it had finally cycled and holding life well . Until last night, I live in Sac Ca where it has been quite warm since I started the tank so I hadn't botherd with a heater because if anything I needed to keep it cool. So last night it finally cooled off a little and before i went to bed I went to check on my tank and oh no the temp had gotten to 72 degrees which is bad considering It usually stays around 78 - 80 degrees so I pulled out the heater that had come with the tank when I bought it used. I set the heater at 77-78 degrees and went to bed. The next morning I woke up to disaster the tank had heated up to 94 degrees and melted my mushroom and wilted my pulsing xenia and button polyp my snails don't look good either, what do I do has this ever happened to anyone here or is it just my luck If anyone knows where to go from hear I would greatly appreciate it.

09/09/2006, 01:04 PM	#2
Randall_James Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 6,727	Well there really is not much more than a wait and see thing going on. I would pull out the melted parts and do a large water change too. (50% today, again tomorrow) I suppose it will not help now but it is a good idea to test any heater in a gallon of water overnight to see what it is going to do. sorry for your loss... __________________ "It's a dog eat dog world and I feel like I am wearing milkbone underwear"

09/09/2006, 01:14 PM	#3
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Water change and carbon. I hate to say, but don't ever trust a heater thermostat: the numbers there are more relative than accurate. If anything might have survived the 90 degree, the full swing from the 70's to 90, made it worse. Your live rock and sand may be ok: it takes longer to cool down and longer to heat up, and may not have reached the full heat before you found it and shut things down. Always keep two thermometers, one for the tank, one for the sump, and because even thermometers tend to be grossly wrong. Learn where your heater thermostat tends to run: mine I set at 72, which, with my lights, keeps my tank at 80. If you subdivide that into degrees, you'll see its concept of a degree differs from the science book...And when it drops to 78 the heater obligingly cuts on. Don't set a heater up before going to bed: start that process early on your day off, and get it adjusted for good and all before you go to sleep. Sympathies: Most of us that are talking now have learned this wisdom the hard way. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

09/09/2006, 01:17 PM	#4
ldehart0556 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 39	I had my heater stick on last weekend and the tank got up to 92 when I discovered it. All coral shrivelled up. A week later, mushrooms look better than ever, brain is perfect and buttons and trumpet are just fine, I belive it has killed my Torch but Its a waiting game. Dont give up they may recover just not overnight. __________________ Intellectual property has the shelf life of a banana.

09/09/2006, 01:57 PM	#5
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Even if something has turned white, leave it in there: it may recover at least partway. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

09/09/2006, 02:02 PM	#6
boostd2valve Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 243	Yeah ive also been in the same spot...My heaters have stuck plenty of times...

09/09/2006, 03:10 PM	#7
Randall_James Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 6,727	I have had a couple heater failures but they were both "user" related. I have since gone with titainium heaters with remote rheostats and things seem safer. __________________ "It's a dog eat dog world and I feel like I am wearing milkbone underwear"

09/09/2006, 06:00 PM	#8
outy Moved On Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: auburn CA Posts: 4,021	i only use 2 heaters and never trust them. in another week when it gets a hair cooler ill use 1 if it fails its not strong enough to do any damage. when winter really hits i add the second and again im covered as both have to run all the time just to keep it 79f ish

09/10/2006, 10:02 AM	#9
IMM3DOORSDOWN Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: ct Posts: 1,092	have you ever considered getting a bigger tank __________________ rules? rules were ment to be broken Current Tank Info: PAST EXPERIANCE::180 gal fish only,120 gal reef,65 gal MAN TANK lionfish and eel,54 gal corner dwarf angel tank. CURRENT. WORKING ON 90 gal MIXED REEF, 29 gal sump & refuge.20 gal long qt tank.120 gal uv steralizer.29 gal fowlr and annemonies

09/10/2006, 11:07 AM	#10
funman1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Roseville, CA Posts: 4,898	If you're in sac you should check out the MARS club. I'm a member and love it. We have a meeting coming up this Friday and we usually have GREAT raffles and I always walk away with 3-4 new corals. PM me if you want more details, we would love to have a new face.. Sorry abut the loss. ~Steve~ __________________ Professional Pyro: NO REALLY; I get PAID to blow stuff up!! ~Steve~ Current Tank Info: 12G NANO