HELP heater exploded!

[Privateye]

I recall hearing that broken heaters can be a source of antimony. It came up when we found a system with high antimony, but the busted heaters were just one proposed source.

We didn't notice any effects from the elevated antimony, but the system didn't have corals. Other inverts, but not corals.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

So all the inhabitants are doing good?

I had this happen in the early 2000's and lost a lot of my coral.

 

[MasterClassReefs]

Need some advice my heater a hyger 600 watt exploded in my reef tank.

Loud bang and sparks in the tank, immediately unplugged the heater and pulled out the tube. The glass tube had completely separated from the cord and everything that was inside the heater blew out all over my reef tank.

I immediately started siphoning the debris through a 1 micron sock and spent 2 hours getting every last shard I could see out of the tank. Tank is barebottom so that was easy. There was some type of white sand and shiny metal flakes all over the tank.

Water is now clear, fish acting ok so far. I have a large bag of carbon running and am mixing water now to do a 50% water change.

Is my tank going to survive and what else can I do?

Thanks

Another Hygger nightmare. Im seeing this far too often.

 

[TheDuude]

I recall hearing that broken heaters can be a source of antimony. It came up when we found a system with high antimony, but the busted heaters were just one proposed source.

We didn't notice any effects from the elevated antimony, but the system didn't have corals. Other inverts, but not corals.

Running two bags of cuprisorb and heavy carbon. Hoping they will remove if anything leached into water.

 

[TheDuude]

So all the inhabitants are doing good?

I had this happen in the early 2000's and lost a lot of my coral.

So far everything is doing good aside from a toadstool that was near the heater that now has white spots. I'm wondering if these spots are actually burn marks or maybe a reaction to whatever was blown all over the tank after the heater exploded.