Hi from Ky Kats Please give advise.

[Ky Kats]

Hello from Ky Kats, Sorry such a long post.
I'm a 31yr old mother of one cute 5 yr old boy. I'm Diabetic and love to make candy and bake, (can't sample it but hubby and family loves it). My hubby and I raise and breed Traditional Himalayans and Applehead Siamese cats. Up until Dec 19, 2008 we also had a 18 gal guppie tank with 2 ghost shrimp, 2 adult female guppies, 6 littlers of babies (three from each parent totaling about 15 averaging 1/8in to 1/4in long), and a 46 gal bowface with 2 FP clowns.
Now for the biggie part the questions.
Heres the stats on the tank and the Equipment list
Age almost 3 years.
Equiptment list:46 gal bowface H 21", W 36", Small D 12", and Large D 16"
with an eggcrate top
Lighting: Odyssea Aquarium Reef Light 78 wt 2x12000 T5s 1 day & 1 Actinic
Marine Land fixture with Marine Glo T10 30wt 18000k bulb
Power Heads: 800L/H Power head. 9wt UV sterilizer and a Zoo Meds power
head output 800L/H
Filters: 3" sand bed appx 75 to 100 lbs LS(not sure if its alive still U be the
Judge)
Appx 28 lbs LR (I know that I need more, I will also let you be the
judge of if it is still considered live)
Over-flo skilmmer with a DIY trickle filter with Bio-balls
J7 return pump
29 gal DIY fuge with three heaters(not sure what kind they are but
enough to heat appx 90 gal water)
2 air driven protein skimmers each rated for up to 60 gal tank
Old live stock list: 2 FP Clowns
1 Turbo snail
1 Bk Nassarius snail
1 Cerith snail
2 Feather dusters
8 Mushrooms (kept at the very top for the most
light)
1(?) Collonistal Snails (2 came with the LR and
multiplied) (Count was 15+ when dank was cleaned)
2 Serpent Stars (Peach and Spot) +>20 babies
1 Unknown Anemone (kept at the very top for the most
light)
1(?) Bristle worm (count after cleaning tank was 35+)
1 unknown type of crab
Okay heres what happened, on Dec. 18, we were hit with a major snowstorm (8"-10" in our area). Trees and power lines down everywhere, one not 25' from our front door. We had to leave our home, and go stay with my mother due to a heating oil shortage in the area. Power stayed out until Christmas eve (power only, Water got fixed 3 days later, phone, tv, and internet just got fixed today). We returned home and removed the dead, on chrismas eve, and started draining the tanks. It took 5 days to get everything back in order, Now the Fuge had nothing living in it (it had filters runing in it), so we broke down the main tank only in case some bacteria had survived. We refilled the tank scrubed the dead plants off the rock and replaced the sand.
We lost almost everything (fish wise). One thing survived this: The Nassarius snail!!!!
I know with changing over half the water I'll be basicly be starting from scrach. I know I'll have a cycle like when I started, but is 3 days too soon for the cycle to start? My readings tonight were as follows:

Temp 79 degrees
PH 8.0
Nitrite >5
Nitrate 10
Phosphate .25
Ammonia 2.0
Carbonate Hardness 10 dKH or 179 ppmKH
Calcium 440 mg/L(ppm)
Silinity 1.022

Did a 5 gal water change with the following Aqua Safe (10ml), Easy Balance
(10ml), and Foster and Smith Water Repair (Stabilize enough for the whole system. 9 1/2 t).
Is it too soon for a cycle?
Is there anything else I can do?
Any help will be wonderful.

[billdogg]

Sorry for your loss!!!!

If it were me, I would do a HUGE water change - (80%) the ammonia level is toxic at this point and must be diluted. You are essentially starting from scratch. The sand probably still has some bacteria in it - they are amazingly hardy, but I would take this opportunity to clean it well of the decayed matter that is in it. Ditto the live rock. Scrub it off with a clean kitchen or tooth brush. Then refill the tank and restart the cycle process. It will likely go more quickly than with a new tank, but still plan on several weeks. When the ammonia and nitrite levels have returned to zero, start to add fish again.

[Lightsluvr]

Originally Posted by billdogg

Sorry for your loss!!!!

If it were me, I would do a HUGE water change - (80%) the ammonia level is toxic at this point and must be diluted. You are essentially starting from scratch. The sand probably still has some bacteria in it - they are amazingly hardy, but I would take this opportunity to clean it well of the decayed matter that is in it. Ditto the live rock. Scrub it off with a clean kitchen or tooth brush. Then refill the tank and restart the cycle process. It will likely go more quickly than with a new tank, but still plan on several weeks. When the ammonia and nitrite levels have returned to zero, start to add fish again.

+1 on these suggestions...I wouldn't depend on any products which claim a short or no cycle. Just let nature do its work... Make sure your tests kits for ammonia, nitrite and nitrates are up to date. It would be interesting to keep a log that you can use to graph the above three tests. You can visualize the cycle and decide when to add CUC and fish. This would be an extra time to add another 20+ pounds of live rock to your tank. It will likely bring stability and diversity to your bacteria "family".

Sorry about your loss, and best of luck with the re-build.

LL

P.S. - We have a Ragdoll, Maine Coon and Flame Point Siamese among our feline menagerie.

[Ky Kats]

Originally Posted by billdogg

Sorry for your loss!!!!

If it were me, I would do a HUGE water change - (80%) the ammonia level is toxic at this point and must be diluted. You are essentially starting from scratch. The sand probably still has some bacteria in it - they are amazingly hardy, but I would take this opportunity to clean it well of the decayed matter that is in it. Ditto the live rock. Scrub it off with a clean kitchen or tooth brush. Then refill the tank and restart the cycle process. It will likely go more quickly than with a new tank, but still plan on several weeks. When the ammonia and nitrite levels have returned to zero, start to add fish again.

We cleaned the tank and scrubed the LR, If the ammonia levels haven't changed by the time I check them at noon, I'll do another major Water change.

Originally Posted by Lightsluvr

+1 on these suggestions...I wouldn't depend on any products which claim a short or no cycle. Just let nature do its work... Make sure your tests kits for ammonia, nitrite and nitrates are up to date. It would be interesting to keep a log that you can use to graph the above three tests. You can visualize the cycle and decide when to add CUC and fish. This would be an extra time to add another 20+ pounds of live rock to your tank. It will likely bring stability and diversity to your bacteria "family".

Sorry about your loss, and best of luck with the re-build.

LL

P.S. - We have a Ragdoll, Maine Coon and Flame Point Siamese among our feline menagerie.

I've learned my lesson on using those products when I frist started. 3 years ago. LOL it's amazing what some LFS employees will try to see someone who's just starting. Hubby has been going to dr in Ashland so I've been getting some each time and bringing it back in a cooler of water. with airation (for any hitchikers).
I use a reef masters test kit.

Another cat lover. We recently bred one of our girls to a flame point. can't wait to see the babies. We have 2 lynx point Himies (1 male and 1 female), 1 seal point himie, 1 blue point. and 3 seal point siamese (1 male and 2 females)(the females all have the Lynx point gene and one also has the flame gene.)

[Lightsluvr]

Originally Posted by Ky Kats

Another cat lover. We recently bred one of our girls to a flame point. can't wait to see the babies. We have 2 lynx point Himies (1 male and 1 female), 1 seal point himie, 1 blue point. and 3 seal point siamese (1 male and 2 females)(the females all have the Lynx point gene and one also has the flame gene.)

A thread I started after another cat discussion:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1768387

LL