Following the 2 weeks’ work in lower Manhattan, New York (6/18-30), I was vacationing in Washington D.C. and Philadelphia (7/1-8). After I am back home on July 9 evening from this 3 week trip to US, I believe there had been a severe tsunami inside my 24”x12”x9” reef tank at home. All 3 fish dead, 3 shrimps cooked, green algae grew dark and hairy, and water was ammonia-contaminated, de-oxygenated and covered with a thick layer of protein giving out strong smell of flesh. The ammonia alert indicator re-emphasized the hopelessness for any living things. Standing there and looking at the fish tank, I noticed that the bio-filtering system was unplugged [so bio-recycling has not been operating for weeks]. I could instantly certify there was no hope (and no need) at all to rescue anything inside the reef tank. I just let them decay till I have time to clean up the aftermath. I decided to seal the tank with cling wrap. Usually I only cling wrap un-finished tiramisu but this time the smelly reef.
July 15, 2006, Saturday, 10:30am - the reef tank is being dismantled. The whole life-span of this reef-keeping hobby/project is 18 months, since January 12, 2005 when I brought my fish tank home. Totally 350 liters of water and 8225 grams of salts were used to do 24 water changes. Unaccounted amount of reef supplements, fish food, pH stabilizers and nitro-bacteria were mixed to the water throughout the life-span of the project. Many habitants have been around for more than 9 months and the Lawnmower Blenny has been around for 16 months.
No comments:
Post a Comment