Help appreciated.

AndyL · #1 11-04-2007, 01:41 AM

Dont wait for RO - Mix up some temporary w/c water with tap water, start doing some big water changes... Make sure you're running fresh carbon, and if you've got some Prime - start dosing it at the recommended rates for neutralizing ammonia...

However the damage is already done - best you can do now is to try to keep down the ammonia spikes and keep everyone as comfortable as possible.

There's actually a fair bit of info out there on alcohol (vodka) in reefs, might be worth a read to see prognosis etc.

Zylumn · #2 11-04-2007, 01:53 AM

There is approx 50 gal total volume each setup. My initial change was 10 g each. I noticed my fish were doing good not hyperventilating or acting strange. My reef now all my corals and clams are completely withdrawn so I have done an additional 20 g water change on it and thanks andyl I used 10 g of tap water. I have another 5g r/o nearly done and another 5g salt and temp nearly done. You can see the liqueur residue on the inside glass. I am going to try and wipe that out with paper towel.
kevin

Delphinus · #3 11-04-2007, 02:28 AM

I would put carbon on, indeed, forget about RO, tap water is fine.

Did someone break in and vandalize your place? I'm really sorry to hear this, good luck sorting it out.

It's entirely possible that the film is bacterial. People actually do dose vodka into their reefs as it's a carbon source for bacteria to metabolize nitrates and phosphates, and it's a common occurence that if they overdose, that the bacteria forms a white film and the tanks are literally cloudy. But the usual prognosis is that it clears in a day or two and the nitrates and phosphates have disappeared. Soooo ... I've got my fingers crossed for you.

AndyL · #4 11-04-2007, 02:36 AM

On second thought...

Major issue besides the initial die-off from the overdose, is the bacterial bloom - and the resulting ammonia spike when it ends... May be worth considering dosing some vodka in order to prolong the bloom - and "weening" the system off the carbon, so the bloom doesn't have a mass die off - to reduce associated carbon spike...

Zylumn · #5 11-04-2007, 02:33 AM

You can see through my fowler now but my fish are starting to stress with the water changes. I have a fluval 205 I am going to try and set up with carbon and wait a couple of hours on any more changes. When I wiped the inside glass it was like an out break of cyano. In my reef my feather dusters come out for a second to test and then close up again. I will continue water changes in the reef but will slow down. I dislike salt mixing in the tank so I will mix and heat again for 1 hour.
Thanks all for the help it has been a horrible day and I hope to possibly explain later.
Kevin

Delphinus · #6 11-04-2007, 02:39 AM

You should try your hardest to match the temperature and salinities of the incoming and outgoing water, that will help ease your fish a little.

Also, fresh salt is quite caustic. Do let it mix before using it.

In an emergency, the best way to mix salt in a hurry is use a drill and a paint mixer attachment. This method of mixing salt oxygenates it or oxidizes it (or something - there's some in depth article about it you can read one day if you're interested, but for now don't worry about the theory). Anyhow with this method, mix for a couple minutes and then your water can be used right away. I don't know where you live but if you're in the south you're welcome to borrow one of mine, I have 2 that I use for just this purpose (emergency saltwater making) - they have never touched paint in their life.

Delphinus · #7 11-04-2007, 02:41 AM

I guess I sort of worded that poorly - technically even if you don't live in the south you're still welcome to borrow it - it's just that I live very far south and thus if you're in the north it will be a very long drive.

Zylumn · #8 11-04-2007, 03:15 AM

Thank you Tony I got a 203 not a fluval 205 up and running with zeo-carb in all 3 levels. I have changed 80% in the fowler and 100% in the reef. My nass snails are out now in the fowler but in the reef they are staying embedded in the sand.

To shed light on why there is booze in my tanks is my wife and I left for the weekend and our (no longer trusted 17 y/o) decided to have a few friends over. His party was crashed by a calgary gang of punks and a vehicle and our house was heavily damaged, as was our son received a total of 37 stitches and I thought this only happened in GVTA and GTA.

Delphinus · #9 11-04-2007, 03:19 AM

I hope he recovers well. Best of luck.

Man it's like kids needs to hire bouncers and rent-a-cops if they want to throw a party. The stories I hear are terrible!

Van-rookie · #10 11-04-2007, 03:24 AM

Kevin,

I know how you feel.
My nephew (who is staying with me) decided to have a "little" party with some friends while I was working last week. It ended up with me getting some bills for the 911 and dry cleaning the carpet in the lobby building.

And now he is already wondering around again with his friends

Have to send him back to his parents