Flashy Fins Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Just had a major rock collapse disaster! I had the idea to remove a large rock from the tank, so I could chip off some yuma babies. I've read it's best to chip a small bit of rock with them attached, rather than prying the coral foot off the rock, and I couldn't get the right angle in-tank. Unfortunately, I forgot that large rock was not a single rock, but three rocks I put together with a wooden dowel through the middle. I also forgot just how heavy porous rocks are when you go to lift them out. So, I lift up about mid-way, start to struggle, then BOOM! The wooden dowel slid out, and all three rocks went flying! The top piece crashed out of the tank onto my carpet, and the middle and bottom pieces (both large, covered in corals) went crashing into all my sand corals! I think my wellso got the worst of it, since he was all puffed up and happy one minute and beneath a coral-covered rock the next. Several corals broke and several more found themselves with other corals in their laps. I grabbed the fallen rocks as fast as I could, doing my best to see through the sandstorm to separate corals piled on top of one another. With no nearby tables or counters, I had no choice but to put all the rocks on my carpeted floor, at least until I grabbed a towel to place them on. In the chaos, I heard a crunching sound and looked over to see my dog chewing on a green slimer coral! I think he only bit down a couple of times, and he seems fine, but still scary! My wife came home just as I was getting the crash under control and helped me with putting things back together, and I did manage to get those yumas chipped off safely, but wow, not the way I wanted to go about it! At the moment, nearly all the corals from those rocks are in a tub, awaiting placement once the sandstorm dies down. I can't put everything back where it was, because rocks never go back together the same way they started out. Unintended aquascaping and fragging like whoa! I'm hoping nothing is seriously injured. In my early days, I had a bunch of small rocks in my tank and had frequent crashes that sometimes led to coral deaths, so I'm not overly confident that everything will be fine. It's wait and see for now. Exciting day, but NOT the right kind of exciting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paratore Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Oh man that sounds crazy! I hope everything makes it through that catastrophe ok! I've done similar this and stuff usually recovers after a few days I can't believe your dog was chewing on your Green Slimer, that's crazy haha. Glad to hear that your wife was not mad about you putting the rocks on her carpet lol! My girlfriend would have killed me [emoji23] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandinga Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 17 four letter words.... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashy Fins Posted December 12, 2015 Author Share Posted December 12, 2015 Glad to hear that your wife was not mad about you putting the rocks on her carpet lol! My girlfriend would have killed me [emoji23] Possibly the only perk of having craptastic carpet! We're in an apartment and have two dogs, so that floor has seen worse. I was more concerned about dog hair sticking to all the corals. Not a great time to start vacuuming, obviously, but a wake up call that the floor needs it! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 [language filter] that sucks! I will cross my fingers and toes everything makes it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexinverts Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 Bummer. It happens to all of us! Usually this kind of thing happens to me right before I want to go to bed. Then I end up staying up until 3 a.m. trying to make it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashy Fins Posted December 12, 2015 Author Share Posted December 12, 2015 (edited) Usually this kind of thing happens to me right before I want to go to bed. Then I end up staying up until 3 a.m. trying to make it right. Wow, I'd forgotten it used to go the same way for me, too. This might be the first time it's happened in daylight hours, so I guess there is a silver lining. Edited December 12, 2015 by Flashy Fins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashy Fins Posted December 12, 2015 Author Share Posted December 12, 2015 Some good news... all my sexy shrimp have turned up! I was afraid some were crushed or dried out on the floor, but they're all safe. Only one fish, and he was smart to hide during the chaos, so he is also fine. Just hoping for my corals now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectra Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 Good luck and hope it all turns out well........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald525 Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 Wow, that sucks Cherany! Saltwater catastrophe #111 self induced avalanche. You may want to consider doing a water change as pissed off corals tend to emit all kinds of toxins and slimes. As far as chewing on the coral , my stupid dog would probably due the same thing. I caught him liking off the polish on the refrigerator and I'm sure he ate my tailspot blenny who I suspect jumped. FYI dog hair doesn't seem to cause any problems for the tanks. I frequently find it floating in my tank and have to pick it out! Good luck to you! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LC Scott Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 Dang that sucks, adding some carbon might be helpfull. Sent from my SM-G928T using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandinga Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 Corals should be fine...avalanches are how mother nature frags coral;) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashy Fins Posted December 13, 2015 Author Share Posted December 13, 2015 Spent all day yesterday putting things back together, did a water change, and tossed on a HOB filter with carbon. Corals are looking ok. Not happy, but ok. From now on, I forbid myself to move any large rocks unless I have removed all sand corals from the tank. <-- I think I forbid this before and forgot. Rocks crashing down on brains is the scariest, because long ago, I had a fallen rock tear the flesh of an open brain coral that never healed and died. I think my wellso and other brains were spared this go round, so big sigh of relief! They are my favorites. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald525 Posted December 13, 2015 Share Posted December 13, 2015 Glad everything is hanging in there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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