Please Can Anybody Help!! Urgent

[star]

At 2 am last night my heater exploded in my 55 gal tank. There was a lot of sparks with the raw element sitting in the water. The smell is something terrible. I started getting all of the glass out of the tank, only then to realize that the fish were all in major distress and dying fast. I quickly made up a batch of salt water in my daughters halloween candy bucket (biggest thing I could find) and started fishing all of my fish and critters out there were a couple of fish barely moving upside and upside down. I got out as many crabs as I could see. I am very thankful to report that all of the fish and critters pulled thru. They are swimming around in a Home Depot bucket with a air pump in it.
Ok now what do I do?? I have the tank turned off and was looking this morning, several crabs are still alive, alot of the small snails on the glass are still alive and even some of the tiny stars in the bottom are ok. I thought everything would be dead and I would have to toss the sand, etc.
I don't have much time as the fish won't be ok for long in the bucket - all of our local store aren't open yet - please can anyone give me some advise on what to do??

 

[mie]

Sounds like they all got electrocuted, Just keep the water in the bucket warm enough untill you can get to the store to buy a heater. Store like walmart has heaters and i think alot of them are 24 hours if not they open at 7 or 8. Put in the new heater and set it to the correct temp and when the bucket and tank temp match switch the fish back into the tank. Just make sure to raise the temp gradually.

 

[star]

The problem is the water stinks. It smells burnt. There is a haze in the water. If I remove most of the water and replace it with store bought salt water won't that start another cycle and kill everything?

 

[mie]

No it wont start a cycle But that being said you dont want to replace all the water do it in incriments like 20% week. If you dont have any water made up get some premade from the store. I am not sure about the burnt smell, I have never experienced this.

 

[al mc]

Changing the water will not start a new cycle as the beneficial bacteria are in the rock/sand/filter not the water column. You might get a cycle IF some of the 'other things'..crabs, snails, things that grow on the rock, died during the electrical surge. However, IMHO, I would change out the water, get everything running again, temp up etc, then acclimate the fish in the tub the same way you would acclimate them to a new tank if you just purchased them...drip, etc.
Then, test for your nitrogen cycle 2x daily for about a week, water change if needed. I would have Amquel plus handy just in case you get a 'spike' as it is a good short term 'crutch' if you do get a nitrogen spike.
Hope that helps.

PS..Observe the fish closely, esp. if you have tangs, as one cause of Lateral Line Disease is reported to be electrical current

 

[mcbdz]

Originally Posted by Al Mc
Changing the water will not start a new cycle as the beneficial bacteria are in the rock/sand/filter not the water column. You might get a cycle IF some of the 'other things'..crabs, snails, things that grow on the rock, died during the electrical surge. However, IMHO, I would change out the water, get everything running again, temp up etc, then acclimate the fish in the tub the same way you would acclimate them to a new tank if you just purchased them...drip, etc.
Then, test for your nitrogen cycle 2x daily for about a week, water change if needed. I would have Amquel plus handy just in case you get a 'spike' as it is a good short term 'crutch' if you do get a nitrogen spike.
Hope that helps.

PS..Observe the fish closely, esp. if you have tangs, as one cause of Lateral Line Disease is reported to be electrical current

Good advise.
Sorry to heard about this. Just keep a close check on water para. Also keep some water mixing in that bucket for quick changes during this next week or so and it wouldn't hurt to run some carbon either to help with any extra issues during this time.

 

[star]

Thank you for the advise guys - I finally got thru to my LSF and told them what had happened. Get this - they are baby sitting my fish for me - how fantastic is that!!
We are doing a 5 Gal water change daily and have added carbon. Hopefully within a week or two my fish can come back home.

 

[mcbdz]

Originally Posted by Star
Thank you for the advise guys - I finally got thru to my LSF and told them what had happened. Get this - they are baby sitting my fish for me - how fantastic is that!!
We are doing a 5 Gal water change daily and have added carbon. Hopefully within a week or two my fish can come back home.
Sounds like you may have a good LFS.

 

[1journeyman]

Also:
Get non-glass heaters.
Get a GFI plug

 

[star]

Yes, they are relatively new to the area and so far I love them.
I am also very happy to report that all of my fish survived. My serpent starfish was still alive when I left the lfs the only thing I am worried about was the sea cucumber - he wasn't looking to good. I don't have many or even very expensive fish, but as strange as it sounds I am very attached to them all.

 

[bjoe23]

wow, sorry to hear about this but you got kinda lucky, all your fish survived and you got a great LFS. good luck and keep us updated.

 

[al mc]

I may relocate to Georgia as that is a very nice gesture by the LFS! While they are going you a great favor I do hope that they might be keeping them in their own separate tank and not exposing them to the water shared by their livestock that is 'for sale'.