Accidentally pour vinegar into a tank

[cd459]

Vinegar (acetic acid) isn’t as harmful as it sounds. Depending on the buffering capacity of your water, the effects may be negligible. To be safe water changes always, but might not even be necessary

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Not sure about "fine" but for the size your aquarium should survive

It’s a trachy and wall hammer, they were ticked. I moved them to my 120 so hopefully everything will be good.

 

[Bon Koo]

A big water change and a UV sterlizer if possible. My concern is a big bacterial bloom that could suffocate your fish.

You should also not dose vinegar if you have 0 nitrates.

Can you explain me how uv sterilizer does for carbon? Thanks

 

[Adam_1992]

If you have just added an acid, shouldn’t you be worried about pH too?

 

[Crustaceon]

The problem is that is a newly cycled tank and it was tested last week barely has any nitrate by salifer

Whether it has barely any nitrates or zero nitrates creates the same problems with corals. That’ll have to get resolved soon. When it comes to vinegar dosing though, nitrates will bottom out, consume a tiny bit of phosphates and that bacterial growth will quickly die off and if you’re not skimming them out, they will release that nitrate and phosphate back into the water column, repeating the cycle until the carbon source is exhausted. This is why I say don’t do anything. Even water changes aren’t going to change the fact that there’s a bunch of vinegar in the system, figuring a 50% water change would only reduce the quantity by 50%. I think the water changes have a greater chance of stressing your tank, than the vinegar. If you’re running a skimmer, I’d shut it off for a week and let things ride.

 

[Crustaceon]

If you have just added an acid, shouldn’t you be worried about pH too?

It’ll have a very temporary effect on ph and will cause a slight reduction in alkalinity. The bacterial affect and nutrient reduction is a much greater concern.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Woke up this morning before work and the tank was “bloom” with cloudy water.

Let me hear more whether I should let it ride or water changes or a thing. Skimmer, carbon or anything else? Lights on or off?

The tank currently empty

 

[Dbichler]

Absolutely skim and ride it out if you get long white strings scrub off and good to go vinegar is not that big of a deal if it was a cup of vodka big deal

 

[h2so4hurts]

Acetic acid isn't a chemical? Ok.

20% water change if you're worried but I'd bet in a 93g the worst that will happen is a temporary, small, drop in Alk and pH (you can test these) and then maybe a short bacterial bloom. I don't think it's anything to panic over.

 

[cd459]

Acetic acid isn't a chemical? Ok.

20% water change if you're worried but I'd bet in a 93g the worst that will happen is a temporary, small, drop in Alk and pH (you can test these) and then maybe a short bacterial bloom. I don't think it's anything to panic over.

Scientifically water is also a chemical... I think he’s distinguishing between industrial chemicals like bleach, etc

 

[h2so4hurts]

Scientifically water is also a chemical... I think he’s distinguishing between industrial chemicals like bleach, etc

LOL, hate to break it to you but white vinegar (acetic acid) is an industrial chemical. People need to get over this notion that the name of a thing somehow indicates how dangerous it is.

 

[Fishbro]

Just curious what does the uv sterilizer do for vinegar

If it causes a bacterial bloom a uv sterilizer can be helpful.

 

[cd459]

LOL, hate to break it to you but white vinegar (acetic acid) is an industrial chemical. People need to get over this notion that the name of a thing somehow indicates how dangerous it is.

organic compound tho

 

[h2so4hurts]

organic compound tho

That's not an argument. It's about concentrations of things. Like, I'd worry if he said he dumped a cup of glacial acetic acid in there. Just because it's not a man-made chemical doesn't make it any more or less dangerous.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Looks like I will just do a 30g water change just for the sake of it. The only thing is kind of bothers me is that my DI cartridge needs to be replaced and it’s current reading is around 4-5. However, I have heard that is not ideal but it’s not harmful.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

Also curious if I left both corals in there, wonder if they would be ok. Again, it’s a trachyvilllia and a wall hammer that were already not doing good but recovering before my dumb mistake.

 

[Crustaceon]

Woke up this morning before work and the tank was “bloom” with cloudy water.

Let me hear more whether I should let it ride or water changes or a thing. Skimmer, carbon or anything else? Lights on or off?

The tank currently empty

I think we just established the presence of nitrates, lol. Since the tank is currently empty, I’d just skim. Once the water clears up, you can dose a little bit nitrates (seachem nitrogen is one option) to raise the tank to 5ppm. This will probably cause the water to cloud again and nitrates will likely bottom out. Repeat this cycle and continue skimming until the water remains clear and your nitrates stay at 5ppm. This will indicate all of the vinegar was used up. Your tank will then be ready for fish and you’ll have a much more “seasoned” tank that’ll be les likely to develop dinos or cyano as long as you keep nitrates at 5-15ppm and phosphates at .03-.1ppm.

 

[jda]

The organic carbon is going to cause a massive reproduction in bacteria (and other things). Oxygen will be used - definitely keep the skimmer on. Research organic carbon overdoses since it does not appear that everybody on this thread knows what they are.

There will be consequences both from the reproduction and then again in the die off.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

I think we just established the presence of nitrates, lol. Since the tank is currently empty, I’d just skim. Once the water clears up, you can dose a little bit nitrates (seachem nitrogen is one option) to raise the tank to 5ppm. This will probably cause the water to cloud again and nitrates will likely bottom out. Repeat this cycle and continue skimming until the water remains clear and your nitrates stay at 5ppm. This will indicate all of the vinegar was used up. Your tank will then be ready for fish and you’ll have a much more “seasoned” tank that’ll be les likely to develop dinos or cyano as long as you keep nitrates at 5-15ppm and phosphates at .03-.1ppm.

Sounds like a plan

 

[Spare time]

Can you explain me how uv sterilizer does for carbon? Thanks

Carbon dosing fuels bacterial growth that is removed via the skimmer as a means of nitrate and phosphate reduction (bacteria consume these to grow, and are then removed by the skimmer). Overdosing a carbon source can lead to blooms of bacteria, which often lead to cloudy water and extremely low oxygen levels. A uv sterilizer would kill the bacteria before it can drop oxygen levels to dangerous lows. I originally misread and thought he had fish which is why i suggested this.