Hellllp!!! TRAINWRECK!!

I woke up for work this morning to find my BTA anemone destroyed into a soup and spread thrroughout my 20g. My skimmer cup was full of what looked like jellied anemone and smelled awful. What made me notice it was my water was really cloudy. I had to go to work right then because I had to open this morning, so I quickly ishowed my girlfriend how to do a water change and she called me and changed about 8g of water. Now that I am thinking about it though a water change would bring my bacteria down and I might cycle. After the water change I had her feed my clowns and she said they were eating pretty aggressivly, so they are alright for now. I could remove everything and move it to my 55g, but I don't trust my gf to do that and my 55g has high nitrates right now cause its a FOWLR I have a 20g with 3 BTA's, 2 ocelleris clowns, and a CUC. I have my tank with a Fluval with bioballs filter floss and carbon attached to a surface skimmer and a Seaclone100 (performed very admirably)and about 20lbs of LR and LS. Setup for about a year. Am I totally SOL? I need help!!! what should I do??!?!?!?

 

If all you are concerned about is an anemone dying in the tank and then doing a water change.... relax take a breath, there is much more worse things that could happen. You would be surprised how aggressive you can get with W/Cs before you restart a cycle of any sort. Have you tested the levels in the 20 gal tank? Does the tank still smell?

The water was cloudy do to the massive amount of NH3 that entered the water, causing your bacteria to reproduce wildly to catch up to the production. It is normal.

 

yikes! sounds bad. I you have a hospital or QT tank now would be the time to transfer the stuff.

 

Tank doesn't smell very much it's my skimmer that smelled horrid, but I emptied it. I am just worried cause it is such a small tank and it was about a 6'' anemone.

 

I haven't tested the levels I didn't have the time, but everything else in the tank was going perfect before that happened.

 

Should I turn my lights on or would that be worse?

 

I would be concerned at this point about NO2 and NH3, Don't need to worry about lighting or anything like that. Just test the tank and then go from there, and relax!

 

Thanks Doctor. It appears as if all is well.

 

Not been suggested yet so Id like to suggest - run some carbon in your filter if your not already

Or if you can get Purigen, that would make and ideal short term solution to any potential issues as decribed by the Doc above

Steve

 

Good Idea.