Frustrated

georgiajams · 06-12-2005, 12:07 PM

My 17 month old crawled behind the tank and pulled the kalkwasser dosing tube from the sump and left it on the carpet. Practically all week it has been dosing kalkwasser on my carpet without my knowledge. Just enough to keep the carpet wet, but go undetected. Then it started stinking... and I discovered the wet carpet.

I tried to steam clean the area yesterday and it seems like it just made things worse by causing a stain (maybe the soap reacted with the kalkwasser?). The area is still drying... I have the fan going... but it reeks terribly. I can't live like this. Things like this seriously make me want to downgrade again and just keep my 40B and/or a nano (in a non-carpeted area).

theplatypus · 06-12-2005, 12:10 PM

hang in there. One day you'll look back and laugh.

goodfortune · 06-12-2005, 01:27 PM

Sorry to hear of it Chris; have you tried vinegar? I figure since Kalk has such a high pH, using a vinegar solution will help to get it out. Of course, vinegar may add to the smell for the time being.

- Michael

Mafiaman · 06-12-2005, 01:32 PM

Mike has the right Idea, and do it as soon as possible to prevent bleaching.
White vinegar

seaspook · 06-12-2005, 01:38 PM

all carpet cleaners have a high pH, there is a special LOW pH carpet rinse that you can buy from a janitorial supply company, should be less than 5 bucks.

the vinegar would do the same thing, but then you have that smell to deal with

alan

georgiajams · 06-13-2005, 08:12 AM

Good call guys. We tried a solution of vinegar and baking soda, which is helping with both the stain and the smell. Still musty down there, but hopefully it will pass. We'll keep working at it.

yousuredo · 06-13-2005, 08:46 AM

great news, hope all ends up well......

goodfortune · 06-13-2005, 12:06 PM

It's good to hear that you are making progress

I was afraid that since vinegar is an organic acid, the mold and other microbes would have used it as a food source to make things stink even more; it's good that that is not happening. If it does happen later on, try using some lime-away or CLR, as they are both inorganic acids (weak HCl solution, I believe). Of course, it helps that the area is drying out, as microbes need mositure to thrive.

Unfortunately, accidents seem to be a part of reefkeeping; I should know, as I've had mishaps which involved wood floors!!!

- Michael

georgiajams · 06-13-2005, 09:57 PM

Report: My wife, who despises housework and merely puts up with my reefkeeping, kept at the scrubbing with the vinegar and baking soda solution today. She has one more area to go, but all the treated areas look great and the smell is gone. Yeah!

Mafiaman · 06-14-2005, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by georgiajams

My wife, who despises housework and merely puts up with my reefkeeping, kept at the scrubbing with the vinegar and baking soda solution today. She has one more area to go, but all the treated areas look great and the smell is gone. Yeah!

Good Woman! ( oops: Is my Bobby Riggs showing?) LOL

Loverotties · 06-14-2005, 11:00 AM

Oh no sounds like she has something in mine , after this is done!