CO2 Gone Amok

LCGoldman · #1 10/05/2006, 07:17 PM

Came home tonight to find my bubble counter going beserk.

Fish are in distress (nice going AGAIN Lonnie)...

I just did a water change using whatever water I had on hand...

Making another batch right now.

Any other suggestions for how I can recitify what I'm sure is a major drop in pH?

Thanks in advance.

Spracklcat · #2 10/05/2006, 08:01 PM

if You have some kalkwasser mix around, take a half teaspoon or so, mix it with about 1/2 cup tank water, and dump it in the tank. (it will be cloudy, but trust me, everything will be fine--

Test your pH and also your alk too Lonster--make sure your alk is up.

good luck and keep us posted--

LCGoldman · #3 10/05/2006, 09:11 PM

I frantically searched, and thankfully I do have some kalkwasswer. Mixing it now, and about to dump in. Can I dump in to the sump or directly in to the display tank?

eboonaman · #4 10/05/2006, 09:19 PM

I would be safe and dump it into the sump, you don't want to "burn" any coral's if it's not mixed completly..
all the best..

LCGoldman · #5 10/05/2006, 09:23 PM

I already dumped it in the display tank. Patience alas is not my middle name anymore.

I'm still going to do another 15g water change as soon as the water is available too.

eboonaman · #6 10/05/2006, 09:33 PM

I hear that!!
if I remember my discus days ...I think it ok to go from low ph to high fast but not the other way ...
you should be fine after the h2O change... I would if possible point the power head toward the surface to dissipate and exchange any gases over night. JMO.

LCGoldman · #7 10/05/2006, 10:15 PM

I just checked the pH (brand new kit... I buy 'em... I should really use them once in a while I guess).

I'm horrible at matching up the colors (you should see some of the ties I wear --- well, at least until someone thankfully catches it before I walk out the door).

The pH appears to be 8.0 (at least in the 7.8 to 8.2 range).

One more 15g water change and I'll call it a night.

Did lose the six-line wrasse

A few others still in distress, but seem to be getting better.

Spracklcat · #8 10/06/2006, 03:12 AM

For adding the kalk "slurry", yes it seems extreme, but I was told you can do it that way (fast and easy, I do it nightly), and I've never had a single bad thing happen--nothing burns at all, it just mixes in. Someone we know did it in an aquaculture greenhouse for years.

You know, duh, why didn't I think of this sooner--add an airstone too and bump the oxygen levels.

what symptoms are the fish showing? Are they gasping or breathing heavy? If so the O2 will help that.

And 8.0 isn't too bad at all--you'll recover from that quick. Keep ading the kalk and some pH bufffer if you have--

jnfallon · #9 10/06/2006, 09:33 AM

Sorry, Lonnie.

I don't know how to say this without seeming like a know-it-all (which I'm definately not), but my aquacontroller is set to turn off co2 solenoid if tank ph gets below 7.85. (It's also set to turn off co2 if effluent ph gets below 6.4)

I could never keep things alive for long if I didnt have a computer watching everything for me, and correctling for the countless "little things".

I know its an expensive hobby, but literally I would never set up another tank without one.

LCGoldman · #10 10/06/2006, 01:17 PM

Happy Day... relatively speaking I suppose.

I lost the six line wrasse as mentioned yesterday, and today I found the yellow-tailed blue damsel dead (he was one of my very original fish. I'd estimate he was at least 10 years old).

All in all though everyone is swimming around happily --- including the flame fin tang. The only fish unaccounted for is the clown tang (who hasn't been seen for about a week).

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions and support

Spracklcat · #11 10/06/2006, 01:41 PM

Oh, Lon, I am sorry-- it is never fun losing a fish you've had for so long. Seems like things are settling a bit though--

LCGoldman · #12 10/06/2006, 04:18 PM

yes... thanks for the very fast response Christine.

By the way, if you haven't signed the magazine yet I want your name front and center.... Use the "C" as a starting point

onegreenray · #13 10/06/2006, 06:17 PM

sorry to hear it lonster. i think you wnted that damsel gone didn't you.........?

LCGoldman · #14 10/06/2006, 07:11 PM

Nah... lucky for me my two damsels never got aggressive. He was a cute damsel. They nicknamed him "Tiny".

xinumaster · #15 10/06/2006, 07:20 PM

Lucky you got your tank back to stabilized. Mine I lost everything from a kalkwasser dissaster.

LCGoldman · #16 10/06/2006, 08:45 PM

Sorry to hear about your loss.... mine was too much CO2 getting in to the system though, not a kalkwasswer issue. Though, thanks to Christine's tip, the kalkwasser quickly restored the pH to acceptable levels.

Spracklcat · #17 10/07/2006, 06:36 AM

It's signed Lon, inside. So glad everything is getting better.

Hey someday I have to find something good to trade you for a frag of that beautiful Seriatopora (birdsnest)--

LCGoldman · #18 10/07/2006, 01:12 PM

Christine,

Next time we cross paths you'll get a nice frag of the birdnest (I can't even pronouce, much less type Seriatopora) gratis.

Spracklcat · #19 10/09/2006, 08:40 AM

happy girl

onegreenray · #20 10/09/2006, 05:58 PM

looks like i need another of the milli lonster. mine fell of the live rock and got lost.

LCGoldman · #21 10/09/2006, 06:02 PM

Ray,

I have a lot more where that frag came from

Lonnie

P.S. when I first read your post you make it sound like a really rare and exotic coral LOL