Emergency Oops - Advice would be nice

[Mrs Smith]

So we went to top off the tank, and accidentally grabbed the wrong contained... (dark room, moving fast.)

Accidentally "topped off" with our kalk mix (1 gal:1tbsp), and Andy didn't notice until the sludge splashed in. So it was a tad more concentrated, I'm guessing.

So now, pH is about 8.8, water is exceptionally cloudy. Lights are off, and we'd appreciate any advice about pH extremes. He's planning to add a bit of vinegar to try to counteract the kalk.

Thoughts? Oh, and we're out of RO water. Could make a quick trip out, but with my wrist screwed up, I can't lift much. Great, one eh?

Danielle

[binylee]

Change your water fast. That's the only way to neutralize the kalk.

[asmith]

We have been slowly adding vinegar and testing ever few minutes. It has dropped back down to around 8.0. Hopefully we won't have any lasting effects. I have now marked my kalk bucket with a giant black "K" so I don't make that mistake again. We will probably let things settle for a couple of horurs and add a little buffer to help stabilize it.

So far things seem to be ok as far as livestock goes.

Andrew

[Jeremy1973]

If you need help haulling water for water changes, give me a call. I would be happy to drive up and help you guys out.

[Mrs Smith]

Recheck puts it at 8.1 with lights on. So far so good. In fact, everything save for our poor Orange Linkia looks great. Tips of 2 legs are a bit burned, but this one is tough so we'll see.

I know the effects of pH swings on humans, but we shall have to wait to see if there are any lasting effects on the tank. Fish look find, corals fine too. These are the moments when I give thanks for not going with an SPS reef.

Danielle

[Doug1]

Danielle., I am inclined to say make up a batch of new SW and be ready to to do a big WC, tho I think a couple 10% changes for the next couple days ought to suffice unless it looks like its really going south.
I am more concerned with getting the acid/base back in equilibrium, did you get precip from adding the acetic acid?
FWIW it might be worth rigging a bakin soda, CO2 generator rather than adding vinegar, things to think about, tho I know it will not happen again

[Mrs Smith]

No, didn't get any precipitation when I added the vinegar, but I added it in the sump where I could kill the return pump if need be. I also added it in tablespoon increments over some time, testing both in the sump and the main tank. The pH is holding steady at 8.2 (although as many times as I've tested it, the colors are starting to look funny now.)

We will be doing some water changes over the next few days and adding buffer. I really hated to use the vinegar, but couldn't think of anything that would act quickly, and Andy had read of people using it in their kalk mixes. I did titrate it slowly hoping to not overshoot it, and we'll be adding buffer here in a bit.

Now why baking soda? I think I'm overshooting the problem here, because the thing that pops into my mind is the way the body manages alkalosis and acidosis through respiration. I usually make problems too complicated...

We normally use B-Ionic, so there was at least some buffer in the water... And no, it won't happen again. I'm honestly surprised it happened in the first place.

Sheesh. What a night. And I think I mostly posted here for reassurance. The Linkia still doesn't look great, but he's boogying all over the tank as per usual. ("Moving" really isn't a good term, so he's either "teleporting" or "boogying.")

Maybe I'll go take a bath. In non-salt water. (Andy left out the part when the Mag 9 came loose in the middle of all of this and sprayed down the entire room.)

Danielle

[Doug1]

Danielle, sorry I made this more complicated, sounds like the 2 of you have a firm handle on the situation
When I mentioned the baking soda, I envisioned a makeshift CO2 generator powered by bakink soda and vinegar water in a 2 liter pop bottle with a piece of rigid airline tubing siliconed(premeditated) or duct taped(Oh S**t) and air line tubing feeding said CO2 into tank thru an airstone, to give constant but gradual relief
Does that make sense?

[Jeremy1973]

Like I wrote earlier..if you two need any help, I am free to come up and help ya out!