Sodium Hydroxide in bleach…ugh

[cdnco2004]

After treating fish for uronema and possibly other ailments and failing, I was encouraged to sterilize with bleach and start over. It’s a 625 g tank. I took out much of my rock to bleach separately. About 100 pounds remains in DT with sand. I treated with 11/2 - 2 g’s about 27 hours ago. Was going to leave it in for 4-5 days but am now concerned with seal integrity and cant keep up with the suds being produced even at very low flow rate! Help!

Do not use Low Splash bleach. It has other additives which you are now seeing. You need to use activated charcoal to remove it all from the water.

 

[Flame2hawk]

Do not use Low Splash bleach. It has other additives which you are now seeing. You need to use activated charcoal to remove it all from the water.

I totally know about the low splash bleach now, after the fact. I have been using activated carbon and poly filter with little improvement……even hooked up a canister filter with lots of activated carbon to go along with all the carbon in the water flow of my sump which is powered by 2 Vectra L2’s. Also have 2 extra large skimmers going…..It was way more soap than anyone I’ve consulted expected. No way it can sustain life. I can see no other way then draining it again as all other methods are just not working. I’m sure if we waited weeks or even months it would eventually take out the soap and in fact the soap will eventually dilute. However I have some expensive fish waiting to go back into the tank and containers all over the condo . Just don't have several weeks or even months. I’ve already drained it once and rinsed several times and left it to dry out for 10 days after the last rinse. Still have too much soap. It was a terrible mistake to use the wrong bleach…..

 

[cdnco2004]

Lots of water changes

 

[Flame2hawk]

Lots of water changes

I suspect one additional drain and rinse after being on carbon for a week should give it a good boost…..still may need more water changes after….ugh yes 635 g;s of Rodi and salt every time. ….wish there was a better sure and fast way. I’m certainly at a cross road with this hobby….

 

[LadAShark]

Clorox Splash-less Bleach, Fresh Meadow Cleaner Rating

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I am not sure this is what you used, but the ingredients are probably similar.

Some things I would consider trying:
activated carbon powder (cheaper and higher surface area, we would be using this in our reefs if it didn't get everywhere)
pool chlorinating fluid (which I recommend for use instead of most bleach, it's about the same price and it's purely 10% sodium hypochlorite; there's a decent chance a sodium hypochlorite solution will free up what was already originally in a sodium hypochlorite solution)
If you want to be absolutely certain you get all of it off, I would apply something like dawn dishwashing detergent (get one with the least additives), rinse/wipe off, pool chlorinating fluid, rinse/wipe off, then activated carbon powder mixed with water (which should act as both a flocculant and chemical removal). Once this is fully done, if you still feel uncomfortable before starting back up, I would first fill the system with rodi water, then add calcium carbonate powder (optional, but will help in the following as a flocculant and a surface for bacteria) and add purple non sulfur bacteria, which are both good in reefs and excellent for bioremediation. Let wait until bacterial film occurs, then you should be able to increase the salinity and continue on reefing as if nothing happened.

This would be the least intensive, easiest, and most accessible almost guaranteed way to prevent future issues, while still being relatively cheap.

 

[Flame2hawk]

Well my issue is removing what is already in the water. Did an additional large water change and continued to run lots of carbon. Looks like things are on the rebound as fish are happy and acting normal again…..Think I escaped the major error of using the wrong bleach. Live and learn. Thanks all for your assistance!

 

[Idech]

I suspect one additional drain and rinse after being on carbon for a week should give it a good boost…..still may need more water changes after….ugh yes 635 g;s of Rodi and salt every time. ….wish there was a better sure and fast way. I’m certainly at a cross road with this hobby….

Why don’t you just use tap water, filling and emptying with a python for rinsing ?

 

[Flame2hawk]

Why don’t you just use tap water, filling and emptying with a python for rinsing ?

I did rinse with tap water several times before filling with RO. Anyway looks like it’s behind me now….thank goodness. Thx

 

[LadAShark]

Why don’t you just use tap water, filling and emptying with a python for rinsing ?

It sounds like everything is resolved now, but just as a heads up, this will not remove all surfactants. It takes some mix of solvents, chemical changes, biodegradation, ad/absorbents to properly deal with surfactants much of the time, though rinsing does a lot of work for sure.

In fact, some types of surfactants are some of the most challenging "forever chemicals," to deal with.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I did rinse with tap water several times before filling with RO. Anyway looks like it’s behind me now….thank goodness. Thx

Glad to hear that.

 

[Flame2hawk]

Glad to hear that.

It sounds like everything is resolved now, but just as a heads up, this will not remove all surfactants. It takes some mix of solvents, chemical changes, biodegradation, ad/absorbents to properly deal with surfactants much of the time, though rinsing does a lot of work for sure.

In fact, some types of surfactants are some of the most challenging "forever chemicals," to deal with.

In addition to several rinses with tap water, also filled tank with RO water, filtered with carbon and polyfilter pads fro a week, then did 50% water change and consumed with carbon and poly filter pads until yesterday, 9-9-23. Thanks goodness it did the trick as all fish are doing very well.