Urgent help!!!

[Andre.nicolau]

Hello,

I have a 60g tank with 20g sump 3 weeks old. It has only sand and rock. The problem is that today a small battery powered light that I have dropped on the sump and some liquid got out. It stayed there for probably 2 hours and aparentely the filterwatte (synthetic fiber mechanical filtration) held most of it. I changed the filterwatte and, as far as I can see, everything is ok. Whatelse should I do??? Please help me!!!!!!!

 

[Andre.nicolau]

The ph is stable, it means not much acid dropped. Should I be worried with toxic material for when I put livestock?

 

[gemini9]

You mean... like a flashlight or something?

 

[newjack0000]

that's a tuffy. I would be worried about toxins. I don't think this is a usual case.
I would not put a fish or coral in there yet. I would do 20% WCs. about 4 or 5 times 3 days apart. Then monitor your nitrate cycle. When your ready I would put in some inverts and make sure they survive for a week. I don't know what you would test for foreign toxins.

 

[newjack0000]

If you wanted to be 100% safe I would do a 100% WC and restart it. That would suck though. Wait for second opinions before anything incase someone has experienced this. Change any mechanical filter you immediately.

 

[Andre.nicolau]

Yes, just like a flashlight. I don't plan to add livestock untill may 6. Do you think it will be ok by then? The NH4 is 0 and NO2 is reducing (the tank is 3 weeks old). I added some carbon...

 

[reeffirstaid]

Did the battery corrode, or explode in the flashlight?

 

[Andre.nicolau]

It corrode a little... one aaa battery

 

[gemini9]

Eek!

 

[Andre.nicolau]

Anybody had a similar experience?

 

[Naiad]

I would suggest a poly filter pad. It is designed to pull out heavy metals which is what the battery would have leaked.

P.s this is on top of a nice water change. Don't panic you are not the first that has had a battery in the tank. It is not as bad as it may first seem.