Chemiclean Havoc

[sbash]

So, after seeing many positive posts about Chemiclean, I thought I would try it out. I had some red cyano building up pretty badly in one of my systems. It started to appear when I didn't maintain my GFO for a month or so... anyway, it didn't receded after changing my gfo, so I looked into this product.

Now, almost at the 48 hour mark, most of my zoas/palys are closed up, half of the sps has RTN and will probably be toast by tomorrow. Not RTN as I have seen in the past, the tissue has bleached and erroded so quickly, the polyps are still visible and not sure what to do. Most of what isn't dying is pretty ticked off too...

Is this a result of the chemiclean or a toxin being released from the cyano?

On another interesting note, most of the aptasia seems to be dying...

I'm prepping for a large water change right now and I have turned back on all my filtration and started running carbon. My skimmer wasn't running for two reasons, the first being an equipment issue that trips my surge protector (so system shuts off every now and then, causing the skimmer to wig out), the second being most of the posts I read about said to turn it off as it will overflow due to the increase in surface tension. Anyway, the aeration was limited to my two dursos and the running pumps (and powerheads).

Does anyone have an explanation?

pH 8
Nitrates < 2
Posphates 0
Calcium 420
Alk 10.2 dKh (at bit high, it would have creeped up from my daily dosing).

 

[Rispa]

What's the water Ph?

 

[sbash]

What's the water Ph?

8.0

 

[brandon429]

If you have a nano, see this thread below for mighty easy fix:

 

[danschoenherr]

I have used Chemiclean multiple times, and if anything, zoas and palys looked much better within hours. I did take my skimmer cup off so there was still added oxygenation and put it back online after 24 hours per instructions, as well as taking carbon offline and doing a 20% water change after 48 hours.
Any chance of a stray voltage issue??

 

[brandon429]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/bacterial-bloom.413320/#post-4873720

 

[sbash]

If you have a nano, see this thread below for mighty easy fix:

It's not a nano, about 160 gallons in water volume

I have used Chemiclean multiple times, and if anything, zoas and palys looked much better within hours. I did take my skimmer cup off so there was still added oxygenation and put it back online after 24 hours per instructions, as well as taking carbon offline and doing a 20% water change after 48 hours.
Any chance of a stray voltage issue??

It is a split system, and both are affected so It is unlikely to be a stray voltage issue (also, the same species are affected in both tanks). That said, I can't detect any stray voltage...

 

[14 foot reef]

So, after seeing many positive posts about Chemiclean, I thought I would try it out. I had some red cyano building up pretty badly in one of my systems. It started to appear when I didn't maintain my GFO for a month or so... anyway, it didn't receded after changing my gfo, so I looked into this product.

Now, almost at the 48 hour mark, most of my zoas/palys are closed up, half of the sps has RTN and will probably be toast by tomorrow. Not RTN as I have seen in the past, the tissue has bleached and erroded so quickly, the polyps are still visible and not sure what to do. Most of what isn't dying is pretty ticked off too...

Is this a result of the chemiclean or a toxin being released from the cyano?

On another interesting note, most of the aptasia seems to be dying...

I'm prepping for a large water change right now and I have turned back on all my filtration and started running carbon. My skimmer wasn't running for two reasons, the first being an equipment issue that trips my surge protector (so system shuts off every now and then, causing the skimmer to wig out), the second being most of the posts I read about said to turn it off as it will overflow due to the increase in surface tension.

Does anyone have an explanation?

Most likely lack of oxygen, I always open skimmer gate valve full to allow Zero back pressure so its just water in water out. Right on the instructions they explain how important over aerating is. Get skimmer running wide open.

Sorry for the bad luck, I just used it on my 850 gallon system and it worked flawless !!!!!

As it has the 10 - 12 previous times I've used it. Get some aeration going asap

 

[sbash]

Most likely lack of oxygen, I always open skimmer gate valve full to allow Zero back pressure so its just water in water out. Right on the instructions they explain how important over aerating is. Get skimmer running wide open.

Sorry for the bad luck, I just used it on my 850 gallon system and it worked flawless !!!!!

As it has the 10 - 12 previous times I've used it. Get some aeration going asap

Well, so far this is the most likely reason. Although the system has two dursos, which provide as much aeration as an airstone. I have turned the skimmer back on. I would also expect the pH to be much lower if this was the case, but the pH likely did drop a bit (I didn't test pH before hand, so it is hard to say exactly).

 

[sbash]

Also, wouldn't the fish show signs of low oxygen?

 

[reeferfoxx]

Were you running gfo with chemiclean?

 

[sbash]

Were you running gfo with chemiclean?

No, I shut it off before dosing the Chemiclean. However, I have turned it back on now...

 

[reeferfoxx]

No, I shut it off before dosing the Chemiclean. However, I have turned it back on now...

What is your po4 and no3?

 

[sbash]

What is your po4 and no3?

Phosphates are not detectable. Nitrates are no higher than 2. Both using salifert test.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Phosphates are not detectable. Nitrates are no higher than 2. Both using salifert test.

I would work on getting nutrients back up. Calcifying coral need phosphate to produce their skeletons. The uptake is in the form of calcium phosphate precipitation.

With a lack of proper aeration and inorganic nutrients, you've left your tank starving of nutrients, and possibly O2. The pH drop could have been quick.

 

[jsker]

I have time where the cyano was growing on the tips of the corals, and when I treated with cyano remover the cyano came off and looked as thought three was RTN.

I would also say to follow the direction to a "T" and I always add an air stone even though I have two gyres moving water on the top of my system.

 

[chinw76]

Honestly, I don't know how its possible. I just ran 1.5 times the recommended dose for my reefer 250, and treated for 72 hours. I had carbon, gfo and skimmer off. Maxspect gyres added enough oxygen to the tank from surface agitation. I did a 50% water change after that and my problem of green cyano was gone. I included a picture before and after.

 

[chinw76]

Sorry, some how it posted pictures multiple times.

 

[chinw76]

All my corals and fish were doing well during the full treatment.

 

[sbash]

I would work on getting nutrients back up. Calcifying coral need phosphate to produce their skeletons. The uptake is in the form of calcium phosphate precipitation.

With a lack of proper aeration and inorganic nutrients, you've left your tank starving of nutrients, and possibly O2. The pH drop could have been quick.

I guarantee it is not a nutrient issue, per se. UNLESS, the chemiclean messes with the nutrients/chemistry there. Before the chemiclean, I had AMAZING growth and colour; I.E. this has been my most successful reef. That said it is a grow out tank, so there is some ugly algae and such. The cyano started to take over my egg crate frag racks, so I had do get aggressive... I've also dealt with nutrient issues before, and this TN is different than I have seen before, the corals died back, this is some crazy full on tissue flaking off...

Lack of aeration is still the running theory, but like I mentioned above two dursos creates a lot of aeration. There was also some foam build up in the sump. I would like to compare some TN photos from a system with low aeration.

The pH was 8. Not sure what it was before the Chemiclean, but it wouldn't have dropped enough (i.e. down to 8) to cause problems, would it? I've read that daily swings could be from 8.2 to below 8 without issue?

I have time where the cyano was growing on the tips of the corals, and when I treated with cyano remover the cyano came off and looked as thought three was RTN.

I would also say to follow the direction to a "T" and I always add an air stone even though I have two gyres moving water on the top of my system.

Yeah, algae and such on the tips is par for the course with these issues.

Honestly, I don't know how its possible. I just ran 1.5 times the recommended dose for my reefer 250, and treated for 72 hours. I had carbon, gfo and skimmer off. Maxspect gyres added enough oxygen to the tank from surface agitation. I did a 50% water change after that and my problem of green cyano was gone. I included a picture before and after.

So, does this discount aeration as the issue?

The plot thickens...