180 crash

Thruston · 07/10/2019, 06:30 PM

Hey guys!

My setup:
7 years old
180 gallon tank
55 gallon sump
nac-9 skimmer that froze up about 2 years ago
200 lbs live rock
800watt finnex
Phosban 150 reactor with various stuff in it over the years
Phosban 150 reactor same as above
950 gph submersible return pump
Apex Jr.
a 7 inch foxface 5 years old
a 5 inch butterfly 5 years old
6 half dollar size brown mushrooms
enough waving hands that my friends make fun of me

I set this tank up 7 years ago as a complete noob just from rading the forums here at reef central. As the years ticked by I became more comfortable with it and tested it less and less. It's pretty much been on auto pilot for a few years with very little input from me. I enjoy having it and it looks good enough to show off to my buddies. I know enough to keep it going, but other than that I've been out of the hobby for 5 years.
I forgot to update the email address in my apex years ago. Temp probe failed on the 5th of July at 1pm reporting a tank temp of 21F. The Apex turned on the 800 watt heater to warm up the tank. I noticed about 20 hours later when I walked past the tank early in the am and it looked cloudy with the lights out. I don't know how hot the tank got, but it was hot enough to vaporize my soft coral and kill my fish. This setback has rekindled my interest in the hobby and with some of the new tech I think I can automate a lot more of the maintenance and maybe keep more than 2 fish this time.

post boiling:
I have flashed my apex from the original 2013 software to the latest version. lots of awesome changes from the original factory flash. The phone app and texting is awesome too.
I vacuumed out a baseball size wad of dead bristleworms
changing filter socks out daily as tank clears
cleaned out old media in reactors and added fresh carbon to one and GFO to the other
Ordered a new impeller for my nac-9

Do you guys think its necessary to pull the live rock out and scrub the dead organic stuff off them? or just do a decent water change, test it and roll? I would love to clean the substrate and rocks real good for my second go round, but I worry about having to cycle the tank again. I would love some advice!

A photo is worth a thousand words..
My tank on July 5th

My tank July 6th ..

My tank July 7th..

07/10/2019, 06:30 PM	#1
Thruston Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 2	180 crash Hey guys! My setup: 7 years old 180 gallon tank 55 gallon sump nac-9 skimmer that froze up about 2 years ago 200 lbs live rock 800watt finnex Phosban 150 reactor with various stuff in it over the years Phosban 150 reactor same as above 950 gph submersible return pump Apex Jr. a 7 inch foxface 5 years old a 5 inch butterfly 5 years old 6 half dollar size brown mushrooms enough waving hands that my friends make fun of me I set this tank up 7 years ago as a complete noob just from rading the forums here at reef central. As the years ticked by I became more comfortable with it and tested it less and less. It's pretty much been on auto pilot for a few years with very little input from me. I enjoy having it and it looks good enough to show off to my buddies. I know enough to keep it going, but other than that I've been out of the hobby for 5 years. I forgot to update the email address in my apex years ago. Temp probe failed on the 5th of July at 1pm reporting a tank temp of 21F. The Apex turned on the 800 watt heater to warm up the tank. I noticed about 20 hours later when I walked past the tank early in the am and it looked cloudy with the lights out. I don't know how hot the tank got, but it was hot enough to vaporize my soft coral and kill my fish. This setback has rekindled my interest in the hobby and with some of the new tech I think I can automate a lot more of the maintenance and maybe keep more than 2 fish this time. post boiling: I have flashed my apex from the original 2013 software to the latest version. lots of awesome changes from the original factory flash. The phone app and texting is awesome too. I vacuumed out a baseball size wad of dead bristleworms changing filter socks out daily as tank clears cleaned out old media in reactors and added fresh carbon to one and GFO to the other Ordered a new impeller for my nac-9 Do you guys think its necessary to pull the live rock out and scrub the dead organic stuff off them? or just do a decent water change, test it and roll? I would love to clean the substrate and rocks real good for my second go round, but I worry about having to cycle the tank again. I would love some advice! A photo is worth a thousand words.. My tank on July 5th My tank July 6th .. My tank July 7th..