help!!! mercury!!!

[sshindell]

That is too bad. Don't let it get you down. Regroup and tell us when you are ready for free frags.

 

[FutureInterest]

ooo wow man. I guess turning off the return pump and cleaning the sump was not an option? I don't know what corals you keep, but I've stuff that needs fragging you're welcome to any of it.

 

[jade76]

thanks everyone...im not sure what im gonna do. It makes me wanna vomit. Im gonna try doing another 50% water change...and clean the tank.this might be my last post for awhile.....

 

[sshindell]

We have ALL been there.....I once lost my entire 400 gallon due to hyposalinity. It will pass.

 

[dannybradley]

Give me a call, I can probably lend a hand tonight. PM'd.

 

[wbholwell]

I'm curious- what type / brand of heater was it? Are you planning on contacting the manufacturer?

 

[jade76]

its a rena cal toplight 100w. yeah I guess I could contact the manf....

 

[tnyga]

If theres andthing I can do man let me know

 

[FutureInterest]

From the looks of the pics, it seems not all the corals are dead. Don't give up on them, you'll be surprised how resilient they are. I still think you should disconnect the return pump and clean the sump of any residual mercury. That and some major water changes for your display.

 

[drnecropolis]

Sucks man! I have just a few things that are cut and growing out, you are welcome to them... I kept wondering why everyone was talking about therometers when it was a heater,,,,lol. I would contact rena, and buy a titanium heater..

 

[saltwater junky]

i feel your pain i just got my 125 back from the dead a while ago, except i lost everything except my open brain so stick in there man, i will frag you a few things when your ready.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

I would HIGHLY doubt there is mercury in any heaters we use.

 

[jade76]

as I just found out, so right you are ...its copper..

 

[navyreefer]

Wow that sucks.....Now you have to worry about the tank also. So sorry for your loss.

Anything you need?

 

[jade76]

so..I need everyones input....what now? Of course Im gonna pull all the dead corals out and do multiple water changes, but my questions come in here...Is my LR ruined or gonna hold the copper? what about my sand bed? whats the best proceedure for going foward from this point?

 

[lorenk]

Jeff, sounds like its time for an upgrade!

 

[roland jacques]

Was it a heater or a thermometer that blew up? Is there mercury in heaters?

 

[roland jacques]

Ive used lots of carbon and Polyfilters when heater have blown for me.

 

[cameron]

jade76;124694 wrote: so..I need everyones input....what now? Of course Im gonna pull all the dead corals out and do multiple water changes, but my questions come in here...Is my LR ruined or gonna hold the copper? what about my sand bed? whats the best proceedure for going foward from this point?

Copper is bad. If you want to run a mixed reef, you likely should start over. This could make an OK FO (without live rock) or a great fish QT tank, but I think you will be fighting copper problems for a long time to come in the tank itself. I would certainly ditch the live rock as it is tainted forever IMO. There are probably things you can run in the tank to extract enough copper to use it, but I have known tanks to get copper in them and really never gets out.

 

[dannybradley]

The heater contains copper components. That possibility would be the same as the case with the brass check valve used. I saw the heater and tank tonight. It looks more of an electrical shock with the heater actually burning and releasing toxins via smoke. The copper peice used was very small and the only sign of anything was rust that more than likely occured over time rather than within the hour of exposure. The company sent me one of those heaters when they released that redesign. It leaked and rusted internally.

Something very similar happened with my friend's tank and a powerhead. A 90% water change saved just about everything, although we got to it within 30min of it happening.