Chemiclean Nuked tank!

I used the product not because I had some sort of issue I was even really trying to fix, but because I had it lying around and had recently watched this youtube video. According to the guy's son that invented it chemiclean isn't supposed to use erythromycin or kill any beneficial bacteria....
watch


I also mistakenly didn't keep the skimmer going seeing as he said to turn off. I did however have flow going through an overflow system to sump and an air pump running. MAybe it needed more but per the calculator referenced im at around 83 gallons and used 8 level scoops.
 
may I ask why this is?

You have to be careful with Food and the Waste that comes after the Food.

With Lowered Beneficial Bacteria in the Tank there is Less Bacteria to Process the Waste so it is much much easier to Get an Ammonia Spike which would cause problems.

Look at it this way

After using Chemi-Clean Treat Your Tank like it is a Newly Set Up Tank that is very very sensitive (I don't care if the tank is 10 Years Old. Pretend you Just Set it up Yesterday and Take Care of it Like a Tank that was Just Set Up).

As I am sure most of you know Newly Set Tanks are Much Much Much more Prone to Ammonia and Nitrite Spikes because there is Not Much Beneficial Bacteria.

When you set up a New Tank you Have to be very careful how much you feed.

You start feeding very little and slowly ramp up your feeding to safely cycle a tank.

My Friend Used Chemi-Clean but kept doing his same "Power Feeding" Regimin as though his Tank was not being treated with Chemi-Clean.

He Blames the Chemi-Clean for Killing his Coral.

My Theory was his Overfeeding Killed the Coral.

He is too scared to use Chemi-Clean anymore though so I can't really Test My Theory Though :(
 
You have to be careful with Food and the Waste that comes after the Food.

With Lowered Beneficial Bacteria in the Tank there is Less Bacteria to Process the Waste so it is much much easier to Get an Ammonia Spike which would cause problems.

Look at it this way.

After using Chemi-Clean Treat Your Tank like it is a Newly Set Up Tank that is very very sensitive (I don't care if the tank is 10 Years Old. Pretend you Just Set it up Yesterday and Take Care of it Like a Tank that was Just Set Up.

As I am sure most of you know Newly Set Tanks are Much Much Much more Prone to Ammonia and Nitrite Spikes because there is Not Much Beneficial Bacteria.

When you set up a New Tank you Have to be very careful how much you feed.

You start feeding very little and slowly ramp up your feeding to safely cycle a tank.

My Friend Used Chemi-Clean but kept doing his same "Power Feeding" Regimin as though his Tank was not being treated with Chemi-Clean.

He Blames the Chem-Clean for Killing his Coral.

My Theory was his Overfeeding Killed the Coral.

He is too scared to use Chemi-Clean anymore though so I can't really Test My Theory Though :(
I get all that.

are you saying the OP has an ammonia spike or bacteria bloom?
 
I get all that.

are you saying the OP has an ammonia spike or bacteria bloom?

Oh Sorry.

I am not saying anything about the OP as Every Situation is Different and Every Tank is Different.

I was just commenting on what I noticed from my Friends Situation which I am much more familiar with than the OP.

I am just saying that Overfeeding is something that people overlook because it is not mentioned on the Package or in Videos like the One Posted Above.

I am merely reminding people not to overfeed (I Stress not Feeding for 4 Days Total Then Slowly Ramping Up Your Feeding after the Treatment to Help Reduce any Potential Problems).

The OP Didn't Mention anything about his Feeding during all of this.

Hopefully he will Post that Info.
 
Oh Sorry.

I am not saying anything about the OP as Every Situation is Different and Every Tank is Different.

I was just commenting on what I noticed from my Friends Situation which I am much more familiar with than the OP.

I am just saying that Overfeeding is something that people overlook because it is not mentioned on the Package or in Videos like the One Posted Above.

I am merely reminding people not to overfeed (I Stress not Feeding for 4 Days Total Then Slowly Ramping Up Your Feeding after the Treatment to Help Reduce any Potential Problems).

I do not think that the OP Mentioned anything about his Feeding during all of this.

Hopefully he will Post that Info.
I won't say that overfeeding couldn't be a factor. I would think that many people overfeed their tanks and since the instructions don't include stopping or limiting feedings, that they would continue to overfeed. Despite this, only a fraction of tanks seem to suffer mass die offs. If overfeeding were a primary cause I would think more people would see their tanks collapse.
 
In 48 hours chemiclean has almost ruined my entire tank. Sps are whiting out zoas may be ok but closed. Used 8 spoon fulls for a 75 gallon tank with 30 gallon sump. All I was trying to do was clean things a little, no major outbreak of anything! I'm absolutely sick
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You may of overdosed. I scoop per 10 gallons of actual water. You have rock work and coral that take up space, so you do not have 75g of water in your tank. Plus you do not have 30 gallons of water in your sump. I would go a little more conservative next time. 5-6 scoops if really required. It is difficult to guess from your pics.
 
I fed 1 cube of mysis in the last 48 hours to 8 fish

Not saying that that was the problem but I always tell people not to feed anything.

I know many people that think their fish will die If they don't get fed everyday to which I tell them that I know people that Feed their fish once a week and they are fine. So not feeding your fish for a few days isn't going to harm them.

It takes time for beneficial bacteria to grow.

I read somewhere it can double every day.

1 goes to 2, 2 goes to 4, 4 goes to 8 - 1 Million to 2 Million, etc.

So After Treatment You do a Water Change and use Carbon (Both Take out the Chemi-Clean).

Then Your Beneficial Bacteria that you Lost from the Chemi-Clean Will Start to Grow Back Again.

So before people start feeding the full amount I say

Day After Treatment - Sprinkle in Just a Few Pellets.
Day 2 - Sprinkle in a Few More
Day 3 - Pellets then add Your Frozen Food (Partial Amount)
Day 4 - Pellets then a Little More Frozen than the Day Before.

Eventually you will get enough Beneficial Bacteria Back in the Tank to Do Your Full Feeding Feeding without any Issues like you did before using the Chemi-Clean.

The Slower you go the less likely you will have an issue.

I think that for most tanks this is not an Issue.

Because most people do no have issues with Chemi-Clean but I see a Few Pop up Every Now and Then.

I think the Issues are from People

1. Don't use the Airstone
2. Love to Powerfeed their Fish and Coral

I feel if everyone followed those 2 Tips we wouldn't see threads saying Chemi-Clean Crashed my Tank!
 
Not saying that that was the problem but I always tell people not to feed anything.

I know many people that think their fish will die If they don't get fed everyday to which I tell them that I know people that Feed their fish once a week and they are fine. So not feeding your fish for a few days isn't going to harm them.

It takes time for beneficial bacteria to grow.

I read somewhere it can double every day.

1 goes to 2, 2 goes to 4, 4 goes to 8 - 1 Million to 2 Million, etc.

So After Treatment You do a Water Change and use Carbon (Both Take out the Chemi-Clean).

Then Your Beneficial Bacteria that you Lost from the Chemi-Clean Will Start to Grow Back Again.

So before people start feeding the full amount I say

Day After Treatment - Sprinkle in Just a Few Pellets.
Day 2 - Sprinkle in a Few More
Day 3 - Pellets then add Your Frozen Food (Partial Amount)
Day 4 - Pellets then a Little More Frozen than the Day Before.

Eventually you will get enough Beneficial Bacteria Back in the Tank to Do Your Full Feeding Feeding without any Issues like you did before using the Chemi-Clean.

The Slower you go the less likely you will have an issue.

I think that for most tanks this is not an Issue.

Because most people do no have issues with Chemi-Clean but I see a Few Pop up Every Now and Then.

I think the Issues are from People

1. Don't use the Airstone
2. Love to Powerfeed their Fish and Coral

I feel if everyone followed those 2 Tips we wouldn't see threads saying Chemi-Clean Crashed my Tank!

What do you say to the guy who's dad invented the stuff saying it doesn't kill beneficial bacteria and even doesn't use erythromycin?

I used air and did not power feed for the record.
 
You may of overdosed. I scoop per 10 gallons of actual water. You have rock work and coral that take up space, so you do not have 75g of water in your tank. Plus you do not have 30 gallons of water in your sump. I would go a little more conservative next time. 5-6 scoops if really required. It is difficult to guess from your pics.

Not saying it wasn't overdose but I used to Chem-Clean a 29 Gallon Tank.

I never factored in Rock, Coral, Equipment, etc.

I put in more than Recommended on Top of that.

29 Gallon Tank Got 3 Scoops.

Never had an Issue.
 
Its still an antibiotic, it still kills bacteria, your tank could have a dominant strain that suffered although they claim "doesnt kill benefitial bacteria" .. you dosed an antibiotic and stuff went south fast, you added an airstone so its not 02(along with your equipment) better get all traces of that stuff out off the water and just hope for the best bud.
 
Oh Sorry.

I am not saying anything about the OP as Every Situation is Different and Every Tank is Different.

I was just commenting on what I noticed from my Friends Situation which I am much more familiar with than the OP.

I am just saying that Overfeeding is something that people overlook because it is not mentioned on the Package or in Videos like the One Posted Above.

I am merely reminding people not to overfeed (I Stress not Feeding for 4 Days Total Then Slowly Ramping Up Your Feeding after the Treatment to Help Reduce any Potential Problems).

The OP Didn't Mention anything about his Feeding during all of this.

Hopefully he will Post that Info.
K

I fed 1 cube of mysis in the last 48 hours to 8 fish
yea your fine.
What do you say to the guy who's dad invented the stuff saying it doesn't kill beneficial bacteria and even doesn't use erythromycin?

I used air and did not power feed for the record.
yea its a bit confusing with some of the posts. Every tank is different. look back at this link.
http://www.captivereefs.com/forum/chemistry/boyds-chemiclean-how-does-work-21275/#.V-FkgZgrKUk
theres a difference in bacteria. theres 2 types considered by most to be benificial. chem wont kill those. but theres A LOT of bacteria it may kill. some of those are beneficial but possible not in the textbook hobbyist sense. that may be the problem.


this
Its still an antibiotic, it still kills bacteria, your tank could have a dominant strain that suffered although they claim "doesnt kill benefitial bacteria" .. you dosed an antibiotic and stuff went south fast, you added an airstone so its not 02(along with your equipment) better get all traces of that stuff out off the water and just hope for the best bud.
 
What do you say to the guy who's dad invented the stuff saying it doesn't kill beneficial bacteria and even doesn't use erythromycin?

I used air and did not power feed for the record.

I would say

1. Never believe everything you hear or read. Remember this guy is trying to sell you something. It is his job and his family and livelyhood depend on it. If he said it kills beneficial people would get scared and be less likely to buy it.

I see this at the LFS to Prove my Point.

I am at the LFS. Another Customer Says to LFS Guy. I have this Red Stuff all over my Sand how do I get Rid of it? Shows them a Pic on their Phone. They say it is Slime Algae and the Easiest way to get rid of it is Chemi-Clean. Customer says great all I do is add this and it vanishes (Customer is Super Happy). They take out Wallet to But it. LFS Worker says do you have an airstone? Customers says why. Well it Depletes Oxygen and People have killed their fish before from not using an Airstone so I really really recommend you use an Airstone. Happy Customer is now scared customer and puts the Box of Chemi-Clean back on the Shelf. Says what else can I do to get rid of it? The LFS told me 9 times out of 10 they loose the sale on Chemi-Clean when they tell their customers that.

So don't you think if Boyd said hey be careful this Kills Beneficial Bacteria and Could Give you an Ammonia Spike they are going to sell a lot less Product?

2. Chemi-Clean Kills Bacteria. Most People think Slime Algae is an Algae but actually it is Bacteria. So Chemi-Clean uses some Chemical to Kill of Bacteria. What is Beneficial Bacteria? Obviously it is also Bacteria. So Chemi-Clean is going to Affect it.
 
Fwiw, dont quote me on this but theres a study somewhere on chemiclean, it contains traces of erythromycin
Then can we get the BBB, consumer reports and the justice system in on this for a class action law suit on devious statements suggesting this doesnt contain EM? Lol
 
I would say

1. Never believe everything you hear or read. Remember this guy is trying to sell you something. It is his job and his family and livelyhood depend on it. If he said it kills beneficial people would get scared and be less likely to buy it.

I see this at the LFS to Prove my Point.

I am at the LFS. Another Customer Says to LFS Guy. I have this Red Stuff all over my Sand how do I get Rid of it? Shows them a Pic on their Phone. They say it is Slime Algae and the Easiest way to get rid of it is Chemi-Clean. Customer says great all I do is add this and it vanishes (Customer is Super Happy). They take out Wallet to But it. LFS Worker says do you have an airstone? Customers says why. Well it Depletes Oxygen and People have killed their fish before from not using an Airstone so I really really recommend you use an Airstone. Happy Customer is now scared customer and puts the Box of Chemi-Clean back on the Shelf. Says what else can I do to get rid of it? The LFS told me 9 times out of 10 they loose the sale on Chemi-Clean when they tell their customers that.

So don't you think if Boyd said hey be careful this Kills Beneficial Bacteria and Could Give you an Ammonia Spike they are going to sell a lot less Product?

2. Chemi-Clean Kills Bacteria. Most People think Slime Algae is an Algae but actually it is Bacteria. So Chemi-Clean uses some Chemical to Kill of Bacteria. What is Beneficial Bacteria? Obviously it is also Bacteria. So Chemi-Clean is going to Affect it.


So if we can't trust the guy that makes the product....AWESOME :)

So far I am 50/50 on using this. I used it once and from what I remember everything went fine, this was in a 55 gallon tank with 30 sump. This time I use it 5 years later and it APPEARS that it caused all my SPS to drastically fade/white out. HOPEFULLY a majority will pull through, but the coming week will probably tell that tale. I will certainly be keeping everyone up to date.
 
So if we can't trust the guy that makes the product....AWESOME :)

So far I am 50/50 on using this. I used it once and from what I remember everything went fine, this was in a 55 gallon tank with 30 sump. This time I use it 5 years later and it APPEARS that it caused all my SPS to drastically fade/white out. HOPEFULLY a majority will pull through, but the coming week will probably tell that tale. I will certainly be keeping everyone up to date.

I am not saying don't trust people.

I am just saying keep that in mind when dealing with somebody try to sell you something.

They probably are telling the truth but sometimes people lie or tell half truths.
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
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