HELP - Windex in my tank

[SnowZz]

i just set up a small salt water system tonight, no fish in it, and used every thing the guy at the store told me to use. well i accidently dunked a portion of a paper towel with windex into the tank (yes im that guy) do i need to completely dump the tank or can it be filtered out over time? what do i do? i added aqueon water conditioner already. what do i do now? is my filtered screwed also?

[AMDPhenomX4]

Why risk it? Theirs nothing alive to care for. I would dump it.

Windex most likely has soaps and other chemicals you wouldn't put in an aquarium.

Based on the 2-Butoxyethanol being rated Class 6.1 Poisonous substances on the UN hazard codes, I would dump it.

[neilanh]

Since there's nothing in the tank, don't panic just yet.

I know windex is an ammonia based product, so if you had inhabitants it would definately be an issue. I'm just not sure what else is in there to be worried about.

On the other hand, you just set it up, nothing would be lost to dump all the water and restart. no risk that way.

Hopefully someone has some experience and can help you.

Welcome to AA! I'm going to update your thread title to be a bit more specific.

[SnowZz]

i just changed all the water and did a reset what a waste of salt, just glad i didnt dump the seashell flooring in yet :p

[Zer0]

Sea shell flooring?? Do you mean crushed coral? Or crushed shells, or.. what? Do you plan to at least have some sand?

In the event that you plan to have just crushed coral and no sand, may i give you a warning?

Crushed coral, and "seashell flooring", due to their rigid shapes, will make small openings like cracks and crevices where waste and detritus will easily fall in to and will be out of your reach when you go to clean the bottom of the tank, which you will inevitably have to do when waste builds up. Your clean up crew will take care of most of the waste and detritus, but won't be able to get it all and any of it that has fallen through those tiny openings that the crushed coral so graciously provide, will cause excess nitrates in your tank, which will lead to bad water quality. What you would want is a sandbed since waste and detritus will collect at the surface instead of falling through tiny openings and will be easier for you and your clean up crew to get to.

In my opinion, i say ditch the crushed coral or the seashells, and just put a nice clean sandbed made from DRY aragonite. In a small tank, you will need all the help you can get to keep your water quality clean, and crushed coral or seashells certainly won't help you at all.

[SnowZz]

im pretty new so when u say clean up crew, go into detail, i have no plans at the moment to be setting up a reef system. i will only be doing fish until i certainly understand a salt water tank. also i will only be doing 2 clown fish.

[Zer0]

Clean up crew and crushed coral don't really have much to do with reef, but a clean up crew consists of snails, hermit crabs, other crabs, and other inverts that will eat the waste that is produced from fish, or non-eaten food when you feed your fish.

What size tank do you have?

[cagey]

CRABS and fish don"t mix in an aquarium. Nix crabs with fish. ANY crab. Hermits will kill snails just for HAHA's. Just the facts, noting but the facts.

[melosu58]

Originally Posted by cagey

CRABS and fish don"t mix in an aquarium. Nix crabs with fish. ANY crab. Hermits will kill snails just for HAHA's. Just the facts, noting but the facts.

I cant really agree with this. Yes some have had problems but alot have not. I have had several crabs in my tank over the last 12 yrs and never lost a fish to crabs. I have had Salleylightfoot crabs and emerald crabs and many small hermits and never had a problem. Not all crabs are bad.

[ryshark]

Originally Posted by melosu58

I cant really agree with this. Yes some have had problems but alot have not. I have had several crabs in my tank over the last 12 yrs and never lost a fish to crabs. I have had Salleylightfoot crabs and emerald crabs and many small hermits and never had a problem. Not all crabs are bad.

I agree with this... although they have killed off some snail, they have not attacked fish yet in my tank. It is possible for them to attach fish if they get really hungry, but I don't think it is common. I have emerald crabs, mexican red leg hermit crabs and scarlet hermit crabs.

[cagey]

OK.. I am not the end all with crab knowledge and I concede that all crabs are not bad BUT.........
Kept any snails with hermitcrabs?? I p/u 90 lbs of live rock last week from a reef tank being broke down. The reefer commented how snails would not live in his tank. Hmmmm.....when the rock was inspected b4 going into my qt I found 1 (one) little hermitcrab. Called the seller and he was unaware of that little critter. This is something I agree with:

By consensus experienced hobbyists, and knowledgeable sources agree on the following:

1. Hermit crabs are omnivores. They will eat whatever they can get their claws on. They will eat fish, snails, corals, other invertebrates as well as their 'clean up' duties of eating left over food, micro algae and even diatoms. Many reef fishes 'sleep' by lodging themselves into a crevice or hole in the live rock. Hermit have been known to attack and injure sleeping fishes. Some fish deaths have been attributed to a hermit crab attack.

2. They are aggressive. As they age they get pretty belligerent. If left underfed you can expect them to begin moving any rock they can, to get at food, as well as eating any other Marine life. As they age, they become quite aggressive. If they think a snail has a good looking shell, they'll kill it just for the shell.

3. They don't always eat what you want them to. Hermit crabs are also opportunists. That is, they will eat whatever is available and starting with what they want to eat. By the time they starve enough to get rid of some nuisance algae, they are in the mood to attack/consume other marine lifeforms -- the ones you bought to raise.

4. They are a high-profit margin item. A retailer may buy them for nickels a piece and sell them for dollars each. Because of this, the greed to get them into the hobbyist's aquarium is strong. Those who sell them want to make their money and will encourage everyone to put them into the tanks. Some are sold as 'herbivores' that will rid the tank of certain micro algae. Not.

If you check out some of the writings I referenced in the earlier post, they will address the downside to having these crabs. Hermits are interesting, but not suitable for a marine aquarium, whether fish only or reef. They are genuinely not worth the risks they pose. Their 'clean up function' are easily handled by snails and less aggressive marine life that can be chosen to get along in a reef or community fish tank.

I think their greatest value is as a natural food source for some triggers, puffers, lionfishes, wrasses, etc.

[melosu58]

That`s pretty good info even though my experience doesnt allow me to agree with it all. They are excellent scavangers and good janitors. I dont doubt from you or anyone else that they have not ever took down a fish and I know they have taken down a snail or two but mine and others experiences are that not all crabs are bad and can be kept in a SW reef tank. You are the one that made the statement "CRABS and fish don"t mix in an aquarium." Then you said "Just the facts, noting but the facts." Your statement about crabs and fish dont mix is not 100% true. I have 12 years of experience to prove that. If not 100 percent true then that cant be the facts. I just dont want other SW aquarist to think you cant have crabs in a SW tank. That`s the only reason I`m saying that. Not calling anyone a liar or wrong. Just my experience

[yetee]

Originally Posted by cagey

OK.. I am not the end all with crab knowledge and I concede that all crabs are not bad BUT.........
Kept any snails with hermitcrabs?? I p/u 90 lbs of live rock last week from a reef tank being broke down. The reefer commented how snails would not live in his tank. Hmmmm.....when the rock was inspected b4 going into my qt I found 1 (one) little hermitcrab. Called the seller and he was unaware of that little critter. This is something I agree with:

your story is missing a lot of information, sorry. But to say that he couldnt keep snails because he had one hermit crab that was killing them all is purely a guess. unless it was one of the large "no no" species for a reef (I highly doubt one scarlet hermit is capable of that) what else was in the tank? what kind of snails were they? how much food was there for them in the tank? what was the temp like in the tank? water param.? how was he aclimating them?

Do you see what I am getting at? there are multiple explanations to why he couldnt keep snails. And just for the record I keep snails and scarlet hermits and one electric blue hermit and I still have quite a few snails, granted every now and then one gets eaten because they fall upside down and cant turn back over without me helping them or a hermit wants a new shell.

[SnowZz]

heres the 2 happy new clown fish i picked up today, 5 hours later and looking happy. ones a fancy clown fish and the other is a black and white one.
the set up is small, just a 20 gallon tank. ill take the advice on the snails but wont pick them up until i get paid again. i already dropped a nice fee on this tank and set up and supplies. awesome hobby with a lot of care and interaction. by far much more beautiful fish then a regular fresh water tank.
thanks for the people who responded about my issues and didnt get side tracked and argued. i have a question about cleaning the tank and water swapping how often and when should i do it for a 20 gallon. and how much water at a time?

[yetee]

sorry didnt mean to get side tracked. glad you got everything fixed. I love the clowns, those are 2 of my favorite species. most people do a 10-20% water change every 1-2 weeks. with a tank that small it shouldnt be to bad. 2-4 gallons isnt much.

[melosu58]

I personally think we all got sidetracked. We started talking about windex in a tank at first. Then we went to Clean up crews then to clown fish. I`m sorry if I was considered arguing. I really wasnt but so be it. Your clowns look very nice and I hope they do great.

[Mitchell0605]

Nice clowns. If your lucky they might lay eggs.

[cmor1701d]

Looks like the Windex problem was solved with a water change. Glad to hear it. Nice clowns too!

[cabezon]

I will just assume since you started the tank yesterday, that you did not cycle it?

and on the issue of hermits. I got a large one with white legs that started going after the snails. I couldn't tell if he was eating the snail or just stealing food from its mouth. either way, it's in the sump now.

[SnowZz]

well im only doing what the guy at the lfs told me to do, and hes pretty geniune and i dont think he wants his fish to die. i took a sample of the water in today and he tested in front of me and my wife and show us on the chart it was perfect in all 3 test. he said it was ready to have the clowns. did i do something wrong?