Bad kalkwasser?

[dustybrannum]

I had mixed a tub using some Ms. balls pickling lime. Filled my refill tub and left approximately 4 inches in the mixing tub. The tube to refill my tank come disconnected somehow and drained the refill rub in the floor. My father at 6:30 am decided that it would be ok just to add the remainder of the mixing solution which was cloudy and clouded the tank completely. My urchins have apparently moved to the sand and are not looking well. My snails are not looking well either. My purple tang seems okay though. All these observations are as my father tells me as i am not at home but at school. He is currently mixing up 50 gallons of change water. What could he do to insure that my animals make it? should he just put all the inhabitants in the 55 gallon tub once it is made up and checked chemically? or just change out 50 gallons of water?
The full system contains approximately 220 gallons with sump and refuge. All the parameters read fine this last weekend when i checked them. Any ideas would greatly be appreciated.

 

[steve-s]

Get him to check the alk and pH. You most likely had a precip event from the lime solids entering the system. If the pH is high, a few water changes will fix it. If dangerously high, a few ounces of soda water will help bring it down as long as the alk is not up there as well. He'll most likely need to do a few 50 gal changes over the next week though.

Cheers
Steve

 

[dustybrannum]

He checked it last night and the pH was 8.6 and the alk was around 2. I have some regular buffer for the pH so I had him add it and check it over the course of the night and this morning but have not heard back from him. Last I heard there was some stressful like activity but not losses, yet.

 

[steve-s]

Don't add buffer, it will increase the pH not just the alkalinity. Depending on what time the pH was measured, 8.6 shouldn't be too much a concern but you don't want it going any higher. I would just proceed with the water changes without any additional chem supps for the time being. Once the water changes are done, the chem can be tweeked for proper balance later.

Cheers
Steve

 

[dustybrannum]

Well I ended up losing my Japanese Swallowtail and several hitchhiker crabs so far. Tank seems to have settled back into good parameters.

 

[steve-s]

Sorry for the loss

I hope it's "smooth sailing" from here on though!

Cheers
Steve

 

[dustybrannum]

Added to the lost were two mantis i had in my refuge as pets.
Everything is back to normal now after 100gallons worth of water change.
I have
Purple Tang
Lawnmower Blenny
Coral Beauty Angel
2-Tomato Clowns
Scarlet shrimp
Cleaner shrimp
2-Long spined black urchins
assorted snails, hermits, crabs

any restocking ideas? should i try and put a fish in my fuge? it is 30 gallons with 80W of NO on it and some lr and 2 inch sandbed.

 

[steve-s]

any restocking ideas?

Sky's the limit really. In a 180 gal you have plenty of choices, just depends on if the tank will be an FO or reef. Check the compatibility chart....

should i try and put a fish in my fuge? it is 30 gallons with 80W of NO on it and some lr and 2 inch sandbed.

What's the flow like and how "clean" does it usually run? The reason I ask is most are set up for further water processing as apposed to their original purpose, keeping specialized species seperate from the "community".

If for water processing, they usually do not have adequate flow and tend to be a little grungy. If not, then you easily keep some smaller species in there or even a mated pair of clowns (no anemone)

Cheers
Steve

 

[dustybrannum]

Well i have a mag 500 pumping up 4 feet with 2 elbows and a mini spray bar. Also one 295 gph powerhead. As far as type of tank i would like a fowlr mostly as this point as i would like to allow my tank to grow further and get all my systems running with less problems then in the future when i get my calcium up to a sustainable level maybe some corals other than what is on my lr.

 

[steve-s]

Well i have a mag 500 pumping up 4 feet with 2 elbows and a mini spray bar. Also one 295 gph powerhead.

It should house a few small fish then. I'd suggest keeping the stock light though. You don't want to defeat the reason for the fuge in the first place. I would also suggest non predaceous species that will leave pod populations alone.

As far as type of tank i would like a fowlr mostly as this point as i would like to allow my tank to grow further and get all my systems running with less problems then in the future when i get my calcium up to a sustainable level maybe some corals other than what is on my lr.

No worries, you seem to have well enough in hand. Even though you have/want an FOWLR for now, be sure you stock with "reef safe" guidelines in mind if that is your future goal. You don't want to have to go fishing later on in a 180 gal for a nuisance fish.

Cheers
Steve