DIY co2 disaster.

[dotswithchemicals]

Well, my friend and I made DIY co2 systems with a 2lter pop bottle with sugar and yeast and overnight I left it to do its thing and my whole tank was cloudy the next day; couldn't even see my fish. Now a day later after a few water changes my tank there is the co2 goop everywhere. I decided to move my fish to my 55 and my plants are still covered in it. Is there a way I can save my plants, or are they ruined?

The tank is a 20 gallon and is still super foggy with just random co2 goop floating around in it. Do I have to take all the water out and start clean?

Thanks in advance..

 

[dotswithchemicals]

The co2 came out from the bottle pretty fast, but overnight my dog knocked it over so I'm not sure if that set it off faster? Or is it supposed to go slow?

 

[somethingsfishy]

Can you post a picture? Did you put in a second bottle to use as a bubble counter/overflow?

 

[dotswithchemicals]

I'll try uploading my photos.

I only have one bottle. My friend and I used a website and it didn't say another about another bottle.

 

[dotswithchemicals]

 

[dotswithchemicals]

I only have my iPod for photos, but I'm sure you can get the idea there.

It doesn't get my plants too well, though... but whats floating in my 20 gallon is all over my plants that are just laying in my 15 gallon thats cycling. They are what I'm most worried about since they cost a lot of money. :S

 

[Jscoggins]

OMG...I have never seen anything like that before...how full did you fill the bottle...did you make sure you left a couple of inches between the top of the bottle and the water level? Did you use a check valve?

 

[dotswithchemicals]

I should have left about 3 inches from the top, yeah. But no check valve. o.- I heard they were good to use, but not necessary... I feel wrong about that now.

Anyone know about the plants? Should I just try to scrub it off? It's plants like swords, cambonia, red luwigia, dwarf hair grass and dwarf baby tears, one other red plant that I cant name.. but I'd really like to save them if they're ruined! ><

 

[Langerz]

Sounds like u got some sugar water into the tank, there will some yeast in there too, the whole tank will be fermenting, great for a brewer not so good for aquariums. Take the plants out and wash them, put them in the other. Youll prob have to rinse your whole tank.

 

[dotswithchemicals]

Sounds like u got some sugar water into the tank, there will some yeast in there too, the whole tank will be fermenting, great for a brewer not so good for aquariums. Take the plants out and wash them, put them in the other. Youll prob have to rinse your whole tank.

That's what I plan on doing now. Gonna just do a whole new landscape with my 20 gallon tomorrow. The stuff is so thick my bio-wheel wont even turn.. also gotta get a new filter bag. I'll be trying my dirt aquarium tomorrow instead of in a few weeks, then... then co2 when I know more about it. Then I'll have to spend more money on dwarf baby tears. x_x

But thanks!

 

[Batt4Christ]

Bottle laid over, yeast mixture got blown through the air tube into the tank. That is what you have - and you have live yeast floating around your tank. That's what the "goop" is - yeast colonies.

I have had a yeast backup in my tank before. NO fun, but not lethal to any inhabitants. Just do a big water change. Use your finger to gently wipe off the plants, re-fill the tank. Do another water change, refill the tank.

If still a bit cloudy (quite possible) - then put a few drops of one of those "water clarifier" products. They are just chemicals that cause the fine particles to essentially coagulate into particles big enough to be caught in your filter. IT will quickly cause pads in HOB filters to plug up - but on the positive side - the stuff will finally be gone.

 

[aqua_chem]

Those water clarifiers probably wont work on a bacterial bloom; they're more designed for particulates in the water, like from fresh fluorite.


As others have stated, your problem is caused by your yeast brew getting into your tank. One of the fixes for this is a partially filled bottle that separates the brew and tank. This also prevents the brew from 'burping' into your tank.

But yea, water changes and time. Try to vacuum all the gunk that you can.