Vacation=Death to all

[IamRobG]

So i went away on vacation and had a buddy of mine stay at the house and watch my fish and dogs. Dogs are doing fine by the way. My powder blue and clown tang had began to show some signs of Ich, but nothing too bad. So i started the garlic regimen and monitored the tank for a few days before i left. No one else had signs off Ich when i left, i come back 2 weeks later and i have 1 fish left...the foxface and i dont know how much longer he is going to last. I finally caught him last night and put him in the quarantine tank and started treating with copper. My tank also now has a ridiculous breakout in red hair algae because he left the light on for 20 hours a day and didn't do a single water change until 4 days ago. I started scooping out some of the algae already. He also treated the tank with herbtana and turned the protein skimmer off WOOHOO!! So now i've been nursing my tank back to health for the last 24 hours. So far the readings are as follows.

Ammonia-0
Nitrites-0
Ph-8.1
Nitrates-80PPM!!!!

I haven't done the alk or calcium tests thats tonight. I did another 20 gallon change last night and i'm going to do another 15 gallon change tonight to bring these nitrates back down. I also have the nitrate remover and got the protein skimmer back to normal. The skimmer wouldn't stop overflowing for the first 3 hours last night.
The good news is that while i keep the tank empty for the next 8 weeks to make sure all the Ich disappears, i get to add all the corals i want and aquascape and change the fish arrangements i had. More friendly clowns, no more damsels, etc. And the corals are thriving now my hammer and my toadstool are huge, the clam opened up double its size and my brain is huge and colorful.

 

[doma25]

sorry to read about your losses! Just be careful because when you add new corals you run the risk of reintroducing additional ich or other parasites into your system! so be careful, and good luck!

 

[JARRETT SHARK]

Sorry to hear also, thats why i pay people who know something to look at my tank when on vaction because like this, its cheaper then losing some expensive fish
He must of also feed alot....
Did he use tap water for the WC??
I would keep up with WC for the next 2 weeks and watch the foxface

 

[jaa1456]

Nitrates most likely went up from the dead fish being left in there and that in return started the red algae breakout.

 

[ming]

May be a good time to invest in some simple timers for the lights and a quality autofeeder.

You shouldn't really require turning the lights on/off manually because that leads to mistakes as such, and he may have also overfed.
The ich probably got to most of the fish which isn't your friends fault

 

[tosiek]

Yeah, not doing a water change for two weeks wouldn't have caused the algae outbreak. He overfed, and all the dying fish probably didn't help. Not having the skimmer on wouldn't have caused it either but probably didn't help either.

Your tank should be able to be left alone with lights on a timer and auto top off for two weeks. The only thing you should have worried about was feeding the fish.

 

[rookie07]

Sorry to hear about this Rob. It sucks, but I hope you learn from it, at least then it will not be for nothing.

You need a timer(s) for any and all lights.
An auto top off unit is important (I do not have one on my tanks now, and it sucks. I have ordered the ATO kits for my controller, and place a order with customking for dual ATO containers), it will help maintain constany salinity. Constant salinity has many advantages. The main advantage is animal health.

Best of luck

 

[Arati]

Hey, sorry to hear about your troubles. I own a small at home pet care company, aquarium maintenence company also.

We do pet sitting aswell as aquarium sitting. its incredibly affordable to have me or my partner come in daily to feed your pets and look after your reef.

Having a reef tank doesnt have mean you can never have a stress free vacation again.

again sorry to hear of your troubles. If you do need to travel again give me a shout and we can take care of you. heck we might even do it for a frag or two.

 

[IamRobG]

I just picked up a new HO T-5 setup with timers on it so that'll help that part. The problem is i'm disciplined so i turn my lights on and off at the same times every day. Some people just forget. But hey what can you do. Thanks for all the responses.