close call

[sundance]

I recently had a close call. I woke up for work about two weeks ago, went in to look at the aquarium as I normally do and all the water was gone from my 80g reef except about 6". I would guess it had been this way for not much over an hour as everything was still wet. I was lucky in that I had two small tanks to move stuff to, 30g of RO water and plenty of salt mix. To make a long story short I lost one Kole Tang and that was it so far. I know it will be a few months before I know 100% all is well, but right now all looks well except for one thing.
I have this thin brown film that has showed up on top of the water. Is this related to the event above or does someone have another reason for it I am over looking. The protein skimmer seems to be working fine and that is the only thing I can think of. Should I try to skim it off? If yes how?
Thanks,
Stephen

 

[vyperone]

Where did all the water go?

 

[beaslbob]

I presume you had to mix up new water to replace the water lost. That new water and the stress of the massive water changes probably resulted in high phosphates. Just like when a tank is first started. Therefore you get a brown algae bloom. Hence the brown surface scum.
Bout all you can do now is let the system consume the phosphates and keep the surfact flow up. Tankjust needs to remature.
And of course, plant life will help also.

 

[sundance]

Originally posted by VyperOne
Where did all the water go?
One of my pump inlet hoses came off and siphoned out the water ...into the living room. Sounds horrible but as I have a sub-floor and the aquarium was next to the wall (and it appears it drained slow, not a flood into the living room) most of the water ran under the house, very little cleanup. I learned the hard way to keep your inlets close to the top.

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by sundance
One of my pump inlet hoses came off and siphoned out the water ...into the living room. Sounds horrible but as I have a sub-floor and the aquarium was next to the wall (and it appears it drained slow, not a flood into the living room) most of the water ran under the house, very little cleanup. I learned the hard way to keep your inlets close to the top.
first of all sorry to hear.
If you could have, would you have now rather had things in tank to prevent this possibility?

 

[sundance]

Originally posted by beaslbob
would you have now rather had things in tank to prevent this possibility?

Like what?

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by sundance
Like what?
Oh I am sorry. that was confusing. Say your refugium was in tank. And possibly a more closed loop type filtration so no sump was necessary.
Just something I have been thinking about lately.