Nuked my tank. Need help please.

lsboogie

lsboogie

Member
I made a huge mistake and now my tank is in the process of nuking.
I went to get a poly-fil pad and got the wrong one. I got a foam pad made of polyurethane.
Next day I had four missing fish, a rose nem shriveled up to a golf ball size, torch coral half melted and an aggitated leather.
Last night I changed apx 20 gallons of water (was all the new salt water I had already made) and added what little carbon I had.
Tanks are a 75g and a 25g linked together to a 20gish sump.
This morning I pulled out a carcass.
What do I do?
I have just set up a 125g but its not done with the cycle. Remaining fish are swimming but don't look real happy. More fresh water is mixing. Going to get more carbon today.
I set up the 125g because I have enjoyed and had good luck with the other tank. I fawked up.
What do I do?
Help...
 
lsboogie

lsboogie

Member
wal-mart. I'm not sure if that was the cause but I put it in the day before all this happened. Could be alot of things i guess.
How much water can I change out without making the problem worse?
Going to get some more carbon running in there, you think that will help?
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Was this pad you got from the pet section? If so probably just a replacement sponge for some filter or another and I cannot see it being your problem. Can't say if carbon will help or not because you have not given enough information on what you tank parameters are.
Things like tests for ammonia, nitrites, Ph, Sg, termperature. Those would be a good start here.
 
lsboogie

lsboogie

Member
Not from the pet section, from the fabric section. I picked up the wrong bag, was suspose to get polyester thread poly-fil and I got and used polyurethane foam poly-fil.
I started testing water but after the first two tests (ammonia, nitrite) came back at tier 3 readings I just started doing the water change. Salinity is 1.024. temp is 78.7. Thats all I have for now. Was gonna run the full spectrum of tests but I got all panicy (run around in a circle kind of panicy) and started doing the water changes.
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Ah now I see. Did this polyurethane contain some kind of fire retardant or bactericide? Check the package if you can. Yes major water changes and running carbon here. Seems you may have added something toxic to the environment.
 
novahobbies

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
Ah, there must have been some sort of fire retardant applied to it. Polyurethane is by itself a chemically inert platic (more so than polyester in fact...) but sometimes it's easy to miss the fine print on the labels. Can't really recommend more than has already been stated -- big water changes + a good sized bag of carbon. Good luck!!!
....Oh, and do your best to find and remove any other piscine cadavers you may have in there. That's only going to exacerbate the issue.
 
S

shrimpy brains

Guest
Wow, that sucks! I nuked a tank years ago by mixing change water in a container that had fertilizer in it! It's a terrible feeling!
If you have a lfs, go and ask them for a filter that takes out toxins. I don't remember what they are called, but they should know!
 
lsboogie

lsboogie

Member
Went to LFS and bought some water. Did a 50% change and have more salt brewing at home to do another 50% change tonight. Removed my chaeto as I was worried it might have absorbed toxins. Removed my phosban stuff from my reactor and filled it with carbon. Will change out the carbon everyday for a weekish then go 3 days and replace. Plan on doing 25% water changes every three days for the next two weeks or so. Lost my Blue spot (favorite fish) last night but did have my diamond goby that I thought was dead reappear and go right back to work. Remaining corals and fish all puffed up, swimming around and eating well. Only one fish left un accounted for.
Could have been much worse but confirmed body count to date:
1. Bluespot Jawfish
2. Flame hawk
3. One head of torch coral
4. Numerous snails
5. Feeling that I know what I'm doing....
 
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