Cloudy water, worried stuff from CO2 system got in?

[Rosemary]

The water in my frog tank is suddenly very cloudy (white).

Specs:

5 gal
HOB filter
heated low 70s F
occupants: 2 ADFs
plants: Java fern, crypt, dwarf anubias
Hagen CO2 system
25% water change every 1-2 weeks

The tank has been set up since late July 2005. Never had cloudy water before (though lots of black algae ).

The CO2 system has been in use since January or February; a few days ago I refilled the sugar/yeast/etc mixture.

I am very worried that maybe some of the sugar and yeast got up the tube from the CO2 system--is that possible, and could that cause this cloudiness? Are my frogs in danger, and how can I help them?

Should I temporarily move them into my son's betta tank (10 gal, only occupant is the betta)? Normally I don't like the idea of ADFs with bettas since the bettas are so much faster at finding bloodworms than the frogs, but maybe they're worse off in the cloudy tank?

Please help!

Test results (added on edit)
pH: 6
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 0

Water conditioners: Amquel+ and Kordon's NovAqua+[/b]

 

[malkore]

Yes, its possible that the mixture shot up the tube and into the tank. your test results don't show ammonia or nitrite, so it doesn't look like a mini-cycle/bacterial bloom.
And with the warmer summer months, a DIY CO2 system is going to 'run hot' and produce CO2 at more rapid pace. if the bottle was shaken ever so lightly, or got knocked over for a second, that's more than enough time to trigger an explosive CO2 blast that'd launch some of the mixture up in the tank.

I would move them temporarily, and do a very large water change...90% keep the filter sponges wet (possibly in the betta tank). Refill and dechlor, and put them back in.

Since they are frogs, they're probably gonna be a little more tolerant to the DIY gunk. If they aren't acting funny yet, they should be fine...no permanent damage (maybe no temporary damage either).

 

[Rosemary]

Thanks, malkore.

I had done a 50% water change yesterday but today the pH was even worse (5.5! ) and there is a vinegary smell in the tank so I'm sure that you're right about the mixture getting into the tank. (And, the bottle had fallen over.)

I did a 90% water change as you suggested and I am happy to say the frogs were vigorous in resisting capture. I'll keep testing and doing water changes until everything's back to normal but I'm much less worried about the frogs now.

Thanks again, I appreciate your words of wisdom.

 

[malkore]

hmmm, it shouldn't drop pH like that, and if it smelled like anything, it should be alcohol, as the process of yeast eating sugar converts it into alochol molecules (ethyl alcohol to be precise).

I would take the hose from the bottle and soak it/rinse it in hot water for a few mins to get all the residue out of it.
maybe another big water change tomorrow if the pH isn't back to normal or it clouds up again.

As long as the filter sponges stay wet, you can technically change every last drop of water in the tank without issues.