HELP PLEASE

[Jerimie Fry]

So, my wife decided she was going to help with my saltwater sump filtration, because I told her I was going to purchase a cheap filter pad from Wal-Mart to put in of the sections in my sump to help pick up some of the large debris. Well she decided to do this without my knowledge. Now I’m in the RED zone for sure.


She purchased some of the cheap kitchen disk scrubbers that were made with a anti-bacteria chemical agent – she added 4 pads. She put the pads in while I was working - 2 days ago. I believed it was a bacteria bloom when she called and told me there was a large white cloud filling the tank. I noted I had moved my 75 gallon tank two weeks before, because we moved houses.

I came home and saw the items she put in the sump. They had started to degrade and it took me about an hr to get it all out.

So the question of the day is, what should be done next. I am going to start a hard core water change schedule over the next three to five days, but is that going to be enough? Or has this just killed my live rock and everything?

Does anyone have any other ideas?

 

[lmforbis]

It probably has killed your rock and likely contaminated everything. I’d start by removing everything. Put all your rock in a big container like a brute trash can ( new unused) and fill with tap water. Add a power head to circulate the water around the rocks.and change the all water every day at least once. After 2-3 weeks it may be ok to start over with that rock. No guarantees though that the toxins are gone. You’ll need to replace the sand and seriously clean all the equipment.
You might be best off just cleaning all the equipment and buying some dry rock. It is cheaper than live rock. You can buy a piece or two of live rock to seed the tank.

Do you know what brand of scrubber she bought?

I have found it best to keep a hands off the tank policy to all family members.