carbon dosing overdose

[dannyp02908]

Using red sea NO3O4-X. Accidentally dropped way too much in the sump. Didn't think much of it. Figured it would skim out and I have my dual reactor running 2 carbons. Come home from work today. 4 dead fish out of 7. All my corals look bad (except a giant aptaisia and colonial hydroids). Water is cloudy to the point of barely able to see the back.

Reccomendations? Too late? I'm thinking 100 percent water change. Already mixing a third of it. Any one suggest against it? No dead corals and my bta is alive but they are not looking happy. All receded.

The additive is basically methanol according to the bottle. Supposed to be a 12cc dose. More like 50 made it. Dropped the bottle. Landed in sump.

 

[afsportsguy000]

:/ sorry to hear this!

 

[Bobbofin]

I used their reef care program for four months. Didn't see any change except for some cyano so I stopped. Now I add calc, alk, mag and sometimes a teaspoon of AquaVitro Fuel weekly then do weekly water change of 6 gallons (10%).

 

[frank180reef]

hmm yes sorry to hear it

large water change is about all u can do

 

[dannyp02908]

100 percent too large frank?

I was dosing to get rid of a brown algae out break. Test were showing low nutrients but I figured they were locked in the algae. Lights out to release, dose and skim heavy with a lot of carbon. That was the idea. Instead, I did it too close to the sump and had an accident.

 

[dannyp02908]

Lost that maroon in my avatar, a domino damsel that I've had through hell and back (very peaceful too) and 2 blue chromis so far. 4 stripe damsel and yellow tang are eating. Pj not eating. Might lose him too.

 

[dannyp02908]

Another weird thing is that my water looks stagnant. Same flow as usual but nothing looks to be moving. And the water looks smokey.

 

[GaryDN]

I would do the water changes as soon as you can. I would not try to do 100% enless you plan on doing over several days

good luck

 

[beckbrass]

Water changes and carbon. I don't think I do 100% as you might be asking for more problems. I'd do 30% a day for a week till it clears. Or possibly two today. Good luck. Make sure to remOve all dead life ASAP.

 

[dannyp02908]

Thanks gary. I have a rubbermaid coming up to temp right now. I will move all livestock there temporarily. Gotta find the dead fish so the rock has to get pulled. I will do a 50 now and then several small ones based on tests and water clarity. Does anyone think the bacteria in my system is gone? Like I wiped my cycle with this? I have a half bottle of amquel on hand but don't want to have to rely on it. Got too much livestock for a cycle.

 

[frank180reef]

yes 30% a day is about right for a week, agressive but not too heavy................I dont know that carbon dosing would remove that brown algae though?

 

[dannyp02908]

Cheap API carbon good enough for now? Its what I have on hand.

 

[dannyp02908]

Frank - I guess the idea was that it would bond the nitrate and phosphate and make it skimmable. The suff I used is in my first post.

 

[JohnK]

Sounds like you got a big bacterial bloom and that drove the O2 levels way down.

Did you say the lights are off? If so, that's probably making it worse.

 

[dannyp02908]

Light are on now. What caused the bacteria? Die off from the overdose?

 

[JohnK]

Carbon dosing works by supplying organic carbon which is normally a limiting factor for bacterial growth. Supply the carbon and the bacteria takes up the carbon along with nitrate and phosphate and that's how carbon dosing lowers nutrient levels.


Hmm, now that you're asking that question, can you add a little more background to the story? How long have you been dosing this stuff? Was this the first dose, or have you been adding it for a while and then overdosed it once?

Also, is your skimmer going crazy?

 

[dannyp02908]

Was the second dose. I dosed 12cc as per the instructions. Second day, was gonna do the same thing but dropped the bottle into my sump by accident. Skimmate was abt twice as usual.

 

[JohnK]

OK. My take on it is as follows;
The overdose caused a bacterial bloom
Bacterial bloom drives down O2 levels
Fish die from low O2
Corals are irritated a little from the lot O2, but probably more because of ammonia from the dead fish

Bacterial bloom will clear
O2 will go back up as the bacterial bloom fades out
Corals will recover
Fish that haven't already died will probably be OK

I'd say don't dose anymore of the carbon source, do that 30% water change, keep the skimmer cranking, and if you can do anything to increase circulation (to fight the low O2) go for it. I'll bet the tank looks a lot better in 24 hours.

 

[dannyp02908]

Thanks john for the positive reinforcement. I am moving the corals and fish into a rubbermaid bin for now. New water but more so that I can pull the rockwork and get the dead stuff. I have a sump. That should be plent to oxygenate the water,no? My water looks stagnant, like its not moving. Like its heavy.

 

[JohnK]

Assuming I'm interpeting this correctly, it will get better on it's own as long as you get the dead fish out.