My Nano Saltwater Aquarium Overheated, Will My Coral Kenya Tree Surviv

[hopelessowner]

I recently was given a nano tank which was set up by an aquarium store. The only instructions I received with this tank was to add R/O water if the salinity was high and to add salt water if the salinity was low. The tank might be 1-2 gallons tops. I haven't had to heat the tank because it has been warm enough in my house. With the air conditioning on a few days ago, the water got down to 68 degrees. I dropped in a small heater and watched the water warm up to about 72-74 degrees and the thermostat shut off. I was in the room for an hour without any issue for an hours I heated the water slowly and everything was fine until I left the room for 20-25 minutes to answer my phone. Somehow the heater came on and when I went back the water was about 95. I cooled the water by scooping it out into a pan and using ziplock frozen peas from my freezer, I cooled the water down a pan at a time. I lowered the temperature and my fish was stressed out but seemed ok. The amazing coral Kenya tree slumped over and went from a fleshy yellow to a purplish gray. The fish later died but the crab was fine. I have left the coral kenya alone for a couple of days but today I moved it using the eraser end of a pencil and I propped it up slowly and I could feel that it was adjusting to being moved and it stood upright for a little while then slowly slumped over again. Today it actually looked like parts of it might be turning back to its normal fleshy yellowish color but other parts still look purplish and kinda dead. Did I kill it or do you think it could survive? Also is there anything I can do to try to help it survive? I wish I could give you specifics about the tank but I dont know what the pH, salinity etc etc, A good book suggestion would also be appreciated.

Can i save my coral kenya tree and do I need to feed it plankton? Some people say to try that and others dont HELP.

 

[sorgan]

Ouch! Something went wrong there didn't it
First and foremost this is better of in the salty side as it will get more hits from us lot (we tend not to drift away from the sea that often )

First of all your coral may recover, softies are hard as nails and put up with alot before finally kicking it but knowing all we can about where it lived will help.
Can you tell use-
Your water parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, SG etc. If you don't test it's something you will need to start doing)
Lighting
Tank volume
Flow etc
From here we can advise you on the best path.

Mods what's the chance of getting this shifted?

 

[hopelessowner]

Ouch! Something went wrong there didn't it
First and foremost this is better of in the salty side as it will get more hits from us lot (we tend not to drift away from the sea that often )

First of all your coral may recover, softies are hard as nails and put up with alot before finally kicking it but knowing all we can about where it lived will help.
Can you tell use-
Your water parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, SG etc. If you don't test it's something you will need to start doing)
Lighting
Tank volume
Flow etc
From here we can advise you on the best path.

Mods what's the chance of getting this shifted?

We took water samples to our local pet store and decided to get an 8 gal tank to replace the 2 gal. one. We replaced all the water added live rock, new sand, a few plants and relocated the small crab. The Coral Kenya looked much better this evening and I am pretty sure that it will survive! The only thing the pet store guy said was that the nitrates were way too high and the sample turned bright red. I am buying a testing kit next week. I figure we should be good since we bought 10 gal if water froim the aquarium shop and set up an entire new tank. The other nano shrimp tank had water with high nitrates also so he suggested to change half the water and wait a week and change another 25 %-50% then once I get the test kit for the saltwater I can test the tanks and bring in water samples so they can double check and make sure I tested correctly. Thank you so much for answering my question. I will update this and let you know if the Kenya thrives or bites the dust. So far I am really encouraged that it will live!

 

[sorgan]

hells bells mate no wonder it went wrong! 2g (9lt) is a tank that i wouldnt be able to keep stable and i know most of the tricks due to the corals i keep, 8g isnt alot better but is workable.
now you have a whole 31lt of water we can start talking care, could you start a journal thread in the marine section so we can all give advise?

whike i am here i will add a few points -
plants? what kind are we talking? obviously very few plants will tolerate marine conditions, do you mean algae? if so can you post a picture?
if you have only just added live rock you may get a cycle, if this happens your kenya tree is likely to die. dont worry to much as if its gonna happen you cant do much about it.

like i said please go to the marine section and start a thread, pictures of everything and equipment lists would be great and from there we can get you sorted right out.

 

[hopelessowner]

I'M NOT SURE WHAT A CYCLE IS... but the Coral Kenya looks droopy and purplish again today- probably worse than its looked since I overheated the tank. I will move this topic to the marine section if I can.

 

[sorgan]

Just start a new thread over their and we will get you sorted out