How many AA batteries to run (or ruin) a tank?

[thbrewst]

Sooooo, I was doing the nightly (most nights) quick checkout of my tank last night when I noticed something strange in my return. A battery powered flourecent light that I had been using for my cabinet had broken loose of the velcro and fallen into the return. No telling how long it had been there (no more than 24 hours). I immediately reached in to pull it out, but as I was lifting it this 'black' water started to come out of it. So I quickly removed it from the tank and immediately turned off the return pump.

After cursing for a few minutes I siphoned all of the water our of the return section of the tank. I then added a water conditioner, refilled the return with RO and started it back up. The skimmer immediately started to foam like crazy (assuming from the conditioner I put in), but I let it do this for about 45 mins assuming that it was taking out some bad stuff along with the solution I added.

Other than the tank water being a little cloudy I did not see any obvious affects from this issue. I figured the first place I would see a problem would be the shrimp or snails as they would presumably be most sensative to any type of odd metal compounds in the water. I did not have any water prepped for a water change (lesson learned), but it should be ready tonight (brewing at home right now).

So, any other thoughts of things I should do or things to look out for? At this point I really don't know what, if anything, bad actually went in to the water.

 

[budsreef]

That really sucks! If you can get ahold of the poly filter that removes toxins try running it. Also if you have carbon get it running.

 

[thbrewst]

Budsreef;628917 wrote: That really sucks! If you can get ahold of the poly filter that removes toxins try running it. Also if you have carbon get it running.

Funny enough I do have a carbon reactor that I have not set-up yet. Looks like I have 2 projects tonight.

Thanks.

 

[ichthyoid]

+1 the carbon, it won't hurt.

The 'black water' as you call it is an acidic electrolyte from inside the battery that produces the battery voltage. More than anything else, it has used up a LOT of your water's buffering capacity, so you are likely to have a drop in pH. To prevent this I recommend a large water change ASAP.

The metal components have already eroded to whatever extent possible, likely not all that much. Whatever damage the metals would do has likely been done. I think maybe you got lucky.

 

[lifestudent]

Budsreef;628917 wrote: That really sucks! If you can get ahold of the poly filter that removes toxins try running it. Also if you have carbon get it running.

I agree.

Polyfilter pulls out all kinds of metals like copper.

 

[thbrewst]

any local places sell Polyfilter?

 

[gnashty]

Optimum does and I think pets unlimited does as well

 

[thbrewst]

gnashty;628960 wrote: Optimum does and I think pets unlimited does as well

Pets Unlimited, the one near Windy Hill? That's close to my work, so that would be great.

 

[snowmansnow]

how big is the tank?

 

[thbrewst]

SnowManSnow;629013 wrote: how big is the tank?

175 tank, ~25 of water in the sump.

I added the Polyfilter and did a water change. So far all corals, fish and inverts seem OK. Still getting a ton of foam in the skimmer so I have had to turn it off most of the time.

 

[ichthyoid]

thbrewst;629142 wrote: 175 tank, ~25 of water in the sump.

I added the Polyfilter and did a water change. So far all corals, fish and inverts seem OK. Still getting a ton of foam in the skimmer so I have had to turn it off most of the time.

That would be from surfactants in the electrolyte spilled from the battery. (soaps/detergents are surfactants, but not all surfactants are detergents)

The Carbon and Polyfilter will help. I suggest that you try to run the skimmer even if you have to turn it down a bit to keep the foam from overflowing. It is just trying to pull out the stuff, let it.