Emergency Overdosed Bacto Balance

[RoanokeReef]

I bottomed out with phosphates. I officially moved out my corals to a friends tank, I’m running carbon, skimmer, and a UV plus doing a water change now. I will be blacking the tank out as well to prevent further growth.

I wouldn't go through the trouble of blacking out the tank. I'd just skim real wet and you'll probably be fine.

 

[Solo McReefer]

AI is taking over the country and killing everyone with drones

I saw that movie in the 80s

"I'll be back "

 

[Dan_P]

Hello,

I overdosed Bacto balance by inputting the calculation to chat gpt. I have a 200 gallon total tank this was my first day dosing and I dosed 50 ml. I just turned on my UV and plan on doing a 20% water change. Anything else that I should do to save the corals?

I have some acros, torches, and softies…

How much of an overdose is 50 mL?

 

[jackson6745]

How much of an overdose is 50 mL?

Max dose on a 200g is like 7ml, most guys dosing 3-5ml.

 

[Hans-Werner]

How much of an overdose is 50 mL?

Yes, 200 gall. is a little less than 760 l which would be 7.6 ml maximum recommended dosage. @EliMelly overdosed by 6.6 fold.

 

[Dan_P]

Max dose on a 200g is like 7ml, most guys dosing 3-5ml.

Since this stuff is a secret blend (which always receives my provisional rating of snake oil) we don’t know what’s in it or what’s behind the recommended dose. Let’s assume its a dilute “soup” of dissolvec organic carbon. By adding about 7x the recommended dose, you probably gave the bacteria in your aquarium a banquet. No big deal.

You might want to peek at the ammonia level over the next couple days and maybe look at the nitrate level just to be informed about any spikes in nitrate being associated with the overdose.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I agree, no big deal.

 

[exnisstech]

I saw that movie in the 80s

"I'll be back "

Similar. I'm listening to a book series called Age of Embers by Ryan Schow. There is Quantum computer taking charge of everything so a bit more involved than just a few androids.

 

[EliMelly]

Watch the skimmer, empty it if necessary, look for signs of a bacterial bloom and for good aeration.

If no signs of a bacterial bloom show up it is unlikely you will get into bigger problems. There have been a few similar and some of them more severe accidents and I can't recall one which really ended bad.

The bacterial processing of our Tropic Marin carbon source seems to be more slowly than the more usual carbon sources which is an advantage to avoid swings in oxygen concentrations and catastrophic results in case of such accidents.

There is already a bacteria bloom.

 

[EliMelly]

My phosphates dropped to 0, I am hoping I do not get Dino’s…

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Just feed more or dose nutrients as needed. I don’t really think a bacterial bloom is a dino situation, even with low nutrients.

 

[EliMelly]

Just feed more or dose nutrients as needed. I don’t really think a bacterial bloom is a dino situation, even with low nutrients.

What nutrients would you suggest dosing? Would reefroids and food do the trick?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What nutrients would you suggest dosing? Would reefroids and food do the trick?

Yes. Ammonia/nitrate and phosphate are the bottoming out concern, in general.

 

[EliMelly]

Yes. Ammonia/nitrate and phosphate are the bottoming out concern, in general.

Amazing I just tested, skimmer and water change worked wonders. Water is clear again, algae is down, phosphates .09 and nitrates 25!!!! Woooooo

 

[EliMelly]

Thank you everyone for all your help.

 

[crazyfishmom]

Bacto balance contains some nitrogen and phosphate so it shouldn’t lead to bottoming out. If you had overdosed elimi NP that might be a bit more of a worry but you should be okay. In my mind the risk of a Cyano outbreak by disrupting the bacterial balance in your tank is a greater risk than bottoming out. Crossing fingers that all goes well.