BIG Issue- Need Advice

[oneradtek]

So i walk into a sea food restaurant tonight to eat with my family. We walk to our seats and i notice a 125 gallon salt water FOWLR tank in the center of the restaurant. i did not take too much of a close look at it until i sat down and then i noticed alot of issues! heres what i noticed. first and foremost, only 2 hang on back filters filtering for this monster! AND NOTHING MORE! No skimmer, no powerheads for circulation....NOTHIN! second thing that got me was the fish looked not too healthy. Thirdly that there were 5 clownfish in one tank.

i was in shock so i figured that someone without experience most of whipped this one up. So i asked the hostess and she told me that they actually hired a guy to do this! and they actually just fired him. She also told me that after he put about 25 fish in the tank they all started dying on them.....i buried my head into my hands and said "OH WOW" haha . obviously that guy did not know the fact about adding fish slowly to a new tank and the cycling process. Also that after that they all miraculously got ICH and started dying yet again. Those poor fish! Now i know that i dont have anywhere close to the amount of knowledge that some people do on saltwater fish tanks but i think of myself as a very educated and smart aquarist. But this blew MY MIND!
the tang had the beginning of HLLE and the more i found out about this tank the more i got pissed. The guy actually treated the tank with COPPER! and there were INVERTS IN THE TANK!

i couldn't believe this guy, who i guess owns a fish store, did this crap. So i told the people which were in dire need of some knowledgeable advice that i could maybe help them.
Now, space requirements does not permit the use of a sump so i must stick with hang on back filters so what im going to propose is that they take one off and replace it with a aqua C PRO skimmer and add 4 maxijet 1200 power heads for some movement. Take out the odd clownfish and leave only 2 different sized clowns in the tank.
those are just a few starter ideas.
Lets here what else i should do if they want my help haha!

 

[t316]

Why is there no room for a sump? Isn't the tank sitting on something, a metal stand, box, etc. Even if it's not pretty, maybe a skirt could hide the lower section. Agree on the ph's for movement. As far as the fish, if they have survived all of this, I'd let them stay. Just start back adding some inverts and other cleanup crew, after you test the copper levels.

 

[draconis321]

first

second thing you should do is to get rid of the copper because the longer that stuff stays in the water the harder it is to remove becuase it seeps into the live rock(i no because i had the some prob)then even when you remove the copper out of the water it's in the rock then the water is copperfied again You can do one of to things run the filters with a lto of carbon and I mean alot you don't fool aroud with copper for the sake of the invertsor you can get another more potent copper removel substence it 's more expencive but well worth it. i don't no what it's called but It's easy to find ask your lfs
use the containerful 2 depending on how many gals the container is good for
after about 2 weeks of running do one copper test shut of the filters then do another in 2or 3 days time

 

[draconis321]

You should really put some good filters on there remember filters and skimmers do 2 different things and with that size of tank you probably want a good solid system so that if they do negelct it it won't hurt the tank too bad if it was me I would put double the amount of skimming and filtration you got to remember this is a tank in a resteruant so they might not give it the care that is needed
just curious but who are you going to hand care of the tank to after the mistakes are fixed or you going to take care of it for them

 

[oneradtek]

hey thanx people for the responses, im gonna give the care back to the restaurant. but for some points u made, the tank is sitting on a solid wooden shelf with tables on either side of it. so im thinking about the PH's and a powerful skimmer in place of one HOB filter. the copper removal stuff sounds like a good idea, but does it harm fish? i know skimmers and filters do dif things, but they both create good water quality and IMO every salt tank needs one. I think what they'll need to do is back off on the amount of fish or stay the same with what they have and just keep a lower bio-load
haha they dol me after teh fired this dude, becasue all their fish kept dying, they picked up a "salt water fish tanks for dummies" book to try to understand how to do their tank, i feel so bad for them its like jumping into this thing from scratch is hard yet alone having to deal with a improperly set up 125 gallon tank is just nuts!
let me know any other comments

 

[txfishman]

that sounds like it is in bad shape. I would start off by adding a few sandsifting gobies and cleaner shrimp in it."if they will let you"

 

[oneradtek]

haha yet another problem....the idiot didnt put sand as a substrate......he did crushed coral....theres already a big cleaner shrimp in there now

 

[jeffreyyy]

KUDOS to you

for saying something and DOING something about it. Please keep us posted as you go along because I'm in need of some good news (hopefully) for once.
How many of us has seen something like you have and did not say anything? I know it's a tuff thing to do but once you get into this hobby you take things to heart even when its not your fish/tank.
But again, GOOD JOB and GOOD luck with everything...as well as keeping us posted could you take some pics when you have it turned around? That too would be pretty cool!
Sincerely,
Jeff

 

[txfishman]

scoop out the crushed coral and put some sand in that baby! or better yet ask them if you can have it!

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by txfishman
http:///forum/post/2531681
that sounds like it is in bad shape. I would start off by adding a few sandsifting gobies and cleaner shrimp in it."if they will let you"
Do NOT put any inverts in until the copper issue is dealt with.
This is seriously one of those instances where starting over may be the best way to handle it. The last guy who coppered the tank should buy the potentially ruined live rock that is in the tank. Throw out the CC. Scrub the tank good, and start over.

 

[txfishman]

i didnt read the part with copper well enough. i though it said at least he didnt insteasd of he did

 

[horsin1963]

Lets get back to the filtration end of this, as we all know now that this tank due to the copper issue has to be torn down and cleaned up... You state its on a shelf with customer tables on both sides? What is behind this tank. is it wall with another room, outside wall, open space???? It would be great if you had access behind the tank in a another room. or even in the basement if it has one. get the filtration in there.. The tables at each side, do they have a bench seating or is it open normal seating? if at all possible talk him into building something to house a FX5 canister..its rated for 300 gallons. put it under a customers seat?? should do good on a seafood restauraunt tank.. I dont remember anything about skimmer system.. does he have one?. if not he will have to get one also. There is alot more oils in the air in a restauraunt so a good filtration and skimmer is a must more than you would have in a home aquarium.
Can you take a picture of this system so we might be able to help more and give more advise on what else it may need. Also print a copy of this forum and take it back to that place so the owner can see what he needs... good luck and god bless you for what you are doing....

 

[regina13]

Wow!!! I just want to say GOOD JOB!!!! You really stepped up to the plate. Most people would do nothing about it. (clapping smiley)