Emergency Overdosed Bacto Balance

RoanokeReef

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 27, 2009
Messages
413
Reaction score
412
Location
Roanoke, VA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
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

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 11, 2024
Messages
1,575
Reaction score
1,166
Location
Sacramento
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
AI is taking over the country and killing everyone with drones
I saw that movie in the 80s

"I'll be back "

1000004196.png
 

Dan_P

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 21, 2018
Messages
7,471
Reaction score
7,856
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
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?
 

Dan_P

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 21, 2018
Messages
7,471
Reaction score
7,856
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
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.
 
OP
OP
EliMelly

EliMelly

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 22, 2022
Messages
1,078
Reaction score
1,422
Location
Los Angeles
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
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.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

Reef Chemist
View Badges
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
71,664
Reaction score
69,274
Location
Arlington, Massachusetts, United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
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.
 
OP
OP
EliMelly

EliMelly

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 22, 2022
Messages
1,078
Reaction score
1,422
Location
Los Angeles
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
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
 

crazyfishmom

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 29, 2023
Messages
2,752
Reaction score
4,431
Location
North Andover
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
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.
 

TOP 10 Trending Threads

IF YOU HAD A CAREER IN REEF-KEEPING, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING? AND WHY?

  • Selling and distributing livestock!

    Votes: 41 40.6%
  • Selling and distributing equipment!

    Votes: 13 12.9%
  • Breeding and Aquaculture!

    Votes: 43 42.6%
  • Livestock Disease and Treatment!

    Votes: 5 5.0%
  • Chemistry!

    Votes: 11 10.9%
  • Designing and Maintenance of tanks!

    Votes: 22 21.8%
  • Research and Education!

    Votes: 26 25.7%
  • Reefing Equipment and Dry Goods Creation and Manufacturing!

    Votes: 10 9.9%
  • Conservation!

    Votes: 28 27.7%
  • Other (please explain)!

    Votes: 5 5.0%
Back
Top