Seriously need assistance!!! CLR USED IN AQUARIUM

[Alan11122]

Would really like an experienced person to give some much needed advice.
I had a very old 35 gallon tank that I made the extremely rookie mistake of cleaning with a small amount of CLR and then hosed it out very well but also had used it on the canopy or lid of the tank and rinsed off under the tap with hot water. The real problem is now after doing the research my dumba** should of before using chemicals in an aquarium I have hooked up a new filter and heater along with new gravel is everything going to be garbage or is there a way to save them by soaking in vinegar or bleach etc or is this a lesson learned at a painful price

Advice greatly appreciated!! But please refrain from ridicule I have already suffered enough

 

[brennae]

I did the same thing a long time ago, before we had Internet at my house. I ended up putting fish in the tank and they lived.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Alan11122]

Much appreciated unfortunately I don't have the no internet excuse for my stupidity lol I feel like a real dummy now... maybe I can try afew Zerba Danio see how they do worried I'll just kill them although their a cheap fish it's pretty unethical : /

 

[fish wrangler]

How small of an amount did you use? I would think if it was not in the tank very long you can remove all the water and fill it back up with no side effects. If you do this make sure you rinse off any/all decor and gravel.
Hope this helps

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[RedDevil83]

I would rinse everything off for hours personally lol. Vinegar is a safe solution to go if your doing what you say, but you need to have an established bio load to house your fish in before you carelessly put them in the tank, test kits, dechlorification, etc.

Sent from my SM-G360T1 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[coralbandit]

Run carbon if possible and change it every other day for a week or so.
If no carbon then just make large waterchanges until you feel comfortable.
The CLR is not the end of the world if you rinsed well IMO.
Give a couple cheap fish a try.

 

[Fresh2o]

Here is the MSDS on the product. I don't know how to interpret it, especially the toxicological/environmental information.
Rinse. Rinse. Rinse.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[RedDevil83]

Maybe feeder fish, really cheap

Sent from my SM-G360T1 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Alan11122]

How small of an amount did you use? I would think if it was not in the tank very long you can remove all the water and fill it back up with no side effects. If you do this make sure you rinse off any/all decor and gravel.
Hope this helps

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

About the amount the cap could hold already had water and vinegar in the bottom of the tank should of used more vinegar and let it soak!!

 

[Alan11122]

I would rinse everything off for hours personally lol. Vinegar is a safe solution to go if your doing what you say, but you need to have an established bio load to house your fish in before you carelessly put them in the tank, test kits, dechlorification, etc.

Sent from my SM-G360T1 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

Do you think the Vinegar would be enough to remove all traces of the CLR. I was considering bleach but wasn't sure if it would make matters worse...

Thanks for all the replies btw much appreciated!!!

 

[fish wrangler]

Rinse and water changes like reccomended.

I would stay away from feeders just because what would you do with them if they live?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[coralbandit]

I saw no mention of vinegar or bleach in the MSDS sheet.
It even specifically said dilution with water for small spills was recommended.
"No special clean up"
They considered a small spill 1 gallon!
If you rinsed as you say I still think you are not in as bad a position as you think.
I would think you are going to get better results with massive waterchanges or carbon,
IF there is anything in the water itself.
Vinegar is just a more friendly 'acid' and probably not going to do much to either of the 2 acids in the CLR.
Bleach is used to disinfect so I can see no use for it at all in this application.

 

[PNWaquarist]

Rinse with 7 tank volumes of water and run carbon in your filter. IIRC, CLR is relatively water-soluble.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Alan11122]

Well people got me thinking maybe it isn't as bad as I predicted. I think I will allow three zebra danios to be crash test dummies. If there was CLR in the water would they be belly up instantly/tomorrow or slow and painful over a couple days before I try this?

 

[Coyne]

As a general rule, mixing bleach with other household cleaners is a bad idea. It sounds like you rinsed it out pretty well though , so I doubt anything would come of it in this particular situation (other than now you'd have to worry about bleach in your water).

I've used a cleaning product called Barkeepers Friend to clean up tough hard water stains in an aquarium. I just made sure I was super thorough when I rinsed it out... and then I rinsed it out again.

Running a carbon filter wouldn't be a bad idea. If nothing else it'll give you some peace of mind.


Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

 

[coralbandit]

The amount of CLR will determine the death rate in the beginning...


I'm going to guess your tank is not cycled yet so going for a fish in cycling method you could just start practicing your waterchanges now at 15-20 gallons at a clip.
With fish in a uncycled tank this could easily be a daily activity for you for a couple weeks easy anyways!
You want info on fishless cycling(no water changes) or on fish in cycling??

 

[Alan11122]

As a general rule, mixing bleach with other household cleaners is a bad idea. It sounds like you rinsed it out pretty well though , so I doubt anything would come of it in this particular situation (other than now you'd have to worry about bleach in your water).

I've used a cleaning product called Barkeepers Friend to clean up tough hard water stains in an aquarium. I just made sure I was super thorough when I rinsed it out... and then I rinsed it out again.

Running a carbon filter wouldn't be a bad idea. If nothing else it'll give you some peace of mind.


Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

Filter is an Aqueon Quietflow 30 which has carbon in the cartridge. Just curious right now if the water did have traces of CLR and I wanted to use some test fish how long would they last?

Thanks again for the replies everyone much appreciated!

 

[Alan11122]

The amount of CLR will determine the death rate in the beginning...


I'm going to guess your tank is not cycled yet so going for a fish in cycling method you could just start practicing your waterchanges now at 15-20 gallons at a clip.
With fish in a uncycled tank this could easily be a daily activity for you for a couple weeks easy anyways!
You want info on fishless cycling(no water changes) or on fish in cycling??

Good point that's what I'm worried about slow and painful death! Was going to try a fish in cycle with zebra danio found this website with a simple guide hopefully posting other fish websites isn't breaking forum rules.

Tips for Cycling Your New Aquarium - The First Tank Guide - Getting Your Fish Tank Up and Running with Minimal Headaches

 

[fish wrangler]

Good point that's what I'm worried about slow and painful death! Was going to try a fish in cycle with zebra danio found this website with a simple guide hopefully posting other fish websites isn't breaking forum rules.

Tips for Cycling Your New Aquarium - The First Tank Guide - Getting Your Fish Tank Up and Running with Minimal Headaches

I recommend you try this cycle. Less water changes involved this way and less testing. http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...guide-and-faq-to-fishless-cycling-148283.html

 

[coralbandit]

^+1^ with fish wrangler.
Your own link mentions you might encounter some disease issues after cycling!
A fishless cycle is quicker 95% of the time,has no needed waterchanges when done properly,and leaves the keeper completely ready to stock their tank(no matter the size) 100% all at once!
Possibly doing the fishless cycle is a good way to be sure your water is not contaminated as the BB(beneficial bacteria) you will be growing during the cycle will not live if water is not safe for fish??