hey y'all, this was a few days ago now and the problem is fixed (i think...) but wanted tips for what I could have done:
I had just cleaned my filter socks like I usually do (o/n 1:1 bleach:water; o/n water+prime; o/n dry, plus or minus a day usually) and replaced them in the tank. I had also put in some macroalgae I ordered. Fish were swimming and eating everyone was doing great (1x royal gramma, 2x oscellaris)
I came back a couple hours later to everyone on the sandbed, sitting in the flow, gasping. I panicked - why are my fish dying??? (and why doesn't my cleaner shrimp have a care in the world???) It must be residual bleach probably? My corals were not happy about whatever was happening were all closing up. I immediately took out the socks, and noticed a little more bubble than I usually see. I poured prime in the tank and started making water immediately. This still took a little while, but eventually I tossed them in the bucket but I think it was too stressful and they continued to deteriorate. By this point I had found something online about "splashless bleach" and how the detergent will rapidly de-oxygenate the water...that probably explained the bubbles I thought. I checked the new bottle I used and bingo! it was splashless... :'( It was too late at this point to save my fish. I lost them all and I was pretty devastated. I did a 10% water change that night cause that's what I could do, and the next day I did a ~30% water change. After a few days the corals opened back up, although my ricordia doesn't seem to be in the best mood. I bought some carbon for the filters.
I took the "bad" socks and pressure-rinsed them in the shower to check, and it started foaming! It didn't show up the first time I rinsed them though? I must not have been paying attention. Anyway, I'm picking up the pieces now and will add another pair of clowns and a gramma, they are my favorite stockings. It won't be the same, though :\
was there anything else I could/should have done? Anyway to test for ...detergent(?) or do I hope it gets dissolved/evaporates/disintegrates/filtered away/diluted out?
I had just cleaned my filter socks like I usually do (o/n 1:1 bleach:water; o/n water+prime; o/n dry, plus or minus a day usually) and replaced them in the tank. I had also put in some macroalgae I ordered. Fish were swimming and eating everyone was doing great (1x royal gramma, 2x oscellaris)
I came back a couple hours later to everyone on the sandbed, sitting in the flow, gasping. I panicked - why are my fish dying??? (and why doesn't my cleaner shrimp have a care in the world???) It must be residual bleach probably? My corals were not happy about whatever was happening were all closing up. I immediately took out the socks, and noticed a little more bubble than I usually see. I poured prime in the tank and started making water immediately. This still took a little while, but eventually I tossed them in the bucket but I think it was too stressful and they continued to deteriorate. By this point I had found something online about "splashless bleach" and how the detergent will rapidly de-oxygenate the water...that probably explained the bubbles I thought. I checked the new bottle I used and bingo! it was splashless... :'( It was too late at this point to save my fish. I lost them all and I was pretty devastated. I did a 10% water change that night cause that's what I could do, and the next day I did a ~30% water change. After a few days the corals opened back up, although my ricordia doesn't seem to be in the best mood. I bought some carbon for the filters.
I took the "bad" socks and pressure-rinsed them in the shower to check, and it started foaming! It didn't show up the first time I rinsed them though? I must not have been paying attention. Anyway, I'm picking up the pieces now and will add another pair of clowns and a gramma, they are my favorite stockings. It won't be the same, though :\
was there anything else I could/should have done? Anyway to test for ...detergent(?) or do I hope it gets dissolved/evaporates/disintegrates/filtered away/diluted out?