i hate my roommates

[flasher1]

i went to disney for two days knowing that my roommates were going to throw a party and they said they would cover everything up so no a-hole could pour anything in the tank. My roommates told me that everything was ok everything is living and well.

I come home and my water is a milky white color with an 8.3 pH level (I keep my pH around 8.1). Seeing as my water was crystal clear on the day of the party, I am assuming that someone put something in the fish tank to turn it white the next day. I also come to find out that my roommates dosed to much calcium/alkalinity into my tank.

My fish were all alive, but one of my corals had bleached and died which leads me to believe that something is wrong. I did an emergency 5 gallon water change in a 50 gallon tank, but the water is still milky.

This leads me to a couple of questions:
1. has anyones water turned milky white over night, and if so, what was the cause of it?

2. has anyone had any foreign party objects poured into a tank and survived it?

 

[jsl6v8]

I would do another 5-10 gallons of water change, I've had my ph up mix turn my water a strange white color but it normally goes away and the bottle says that if it doesn't do a 30% water change. Change out another 10 gallons of water if you have some bacterial supplement stuff put some of it in as well.

 

[Sk8r]

run carbon: that will help a multitude of 'accidents.' Run polypad in case [God forbid] someone dropped a penny into your tank. If it turns bluish, search your tank. Alcohol and sugar [most drinks] will do things with the sandbed, but not lethally. And I'd start looking for a new apartment: sounds like your roomies are not good babysitters, and possibly are less so after a few.

 

[flasher1]

I run carbon, protein skimmer, sock, 60 lbs of rock, 60 lbs of sand. I already searched for metal and found nothing.

Oh yea, my RBTA all of a sudden looks pretty pathetic.

 

[jsl6v8]

that may be your milky white problem, if an anemone gets stressed they can release all there inside stuff (sorry I don't know the name) and I believe it comes out white, and the anemone could have done that due to a sudden change in PH, I don't have anemones but I have read up a little on them so take my words with some salt. With someone possibly putting something foreign into your tank I don't know that you could really test for it after all test kits weren't made for strange things being in your tank just normal things. I'd say change out the water wait and see, and don't drop that PH back down to quickly 8.3 is a good place for PH anyway.

 

[taketz]

I had a FO tank that had all sorts of things poured into it during parties I had and nothing every really died due to it.

Just water changes and carbon is what I'd reccomend.

 

[chrisstie]

If you left very clear directions a monkey could follow, I'd have your roommates reimburse you for the coral. If they felt they were smart enough to take care of your tank and assured you they could and failed...

yeah i'd also look for new roomates, that sucks

I hope everything turns out okay. Don't be afraid to do another 5 gal every day\other day for a few days to clear out the milky stuff on a 50g i dont think it'd be ovedoing it too fast

 

[mflamb]

Dirty Harry (Clint Eastwood) had a couple of friends who took care of these kind of problems. He carried both friends in one hand....LOL....

 

[lusenut2]

It looks like your questions have been answered about the tank. Now I want to know why you didnt stay home for a party. Disney is there year round but good parties dont happen all the time.

 

[cschweitzer]

Whenever I have any serious problems, I like to do at least 50% water change the day it is realized and about 150-200% changeout over the next week. If it's something bad, your talking about the whole water being contaminated...taking 10% of a dangerous chemical out(not necissarily saying it's that) will have little effect. I think stress of the H20 change is a lot better than possible poisoning.

 

[waterfaller1]

The reason your tank turned milky was from precipitation due to the overdose of CA, not something foreign. A PH of 8.3 will not cause this, and is not out of line.

 

[flasher1]

im not worried about my pH being 8.3 because i know this is within a normal range, i am worried about the sudden jump in it.

 

[markandkristen]

i agree on the massive water change. i would do 50% if able. and wet skimm if you can some of that water change out.

 

[markandkristen]

might be a bacterial bloom if they did pour a carbon source (sugar) especially from a drink. which should go away. in a few days but i woud still do the massive water change.

 

[cwegescheide]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9735203#post9735203 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mflamb
Dirty Harry (Clint Eastwood) had a couple of friends who took care of these kind of problems. He carried both friends in one hand....LOL....

Now now Mike...

 

[chrisstie]

Didn't I read somewhere about people using small doses of sugar to help reduce nitrates? i think its time for a chem lesson for me soon

 

[cwegescheide]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9739197#post9739197 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by flasher1
im not worried about my pH being 8.3 because i know this is within a normal range, i am worried about the sudden jump in it.

Naaa a jump from 8.1 - 8.3 I don't think is any big deal at all. My PH swings from 8.1 - 8.4 daily and my sps are fine. They must have WAY overdosed your 2 part to turn you tank milky white. I think its your 2 part that has precipitated in your tank. I've seen a lot of people do it on here. Sometimes their corals don't respond too well to it. Most of the time they bounce back though. The OD in alk probably did temporarily jack up your PH thru the roof though. I've accidently dont it with kalk a few times and my ph got as high as 11.something for a short time with no reall ill effects. Not to say your partying roomies didn't do something not good to your tank though.

 

[flasher1]

my protein skimmer is going nuts right now, 20 oz of skimmate in a day. It normally pulls about 5-6

 

[lifesworksataol]

the same thing happened when my anem took a dive - you should be fine - i would say dont stress and do not change to much - but who knows - carbon and some water changes would be good- but i wouldnt over do it - but thats just me

 

[mflamb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9740481#post9740481 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chrisstie
Didn't I read somewhere about people using small doses of sugar to help reduce nitrates? i think its time for a chem lesson for me soon

The sugar is a carbon source for the denitrifying bacteria, which increases their multiplication and resulting nutrient demand. Be careful.