Help I accidentally added surfactants to my tank

[grooveaquarist]

So I started a new tank setup to upgrade from my 10g nano and decided to cycle the tank with ammonium hydroxide. After days of low bacteria production I noticed the bottle stated that it contained surfactants. How do I fix this? What equipment can I keep?
It is a 20g aquarium, backpack filter, new live rock, and live sand

 

[Tahoe61]

Definitition: Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension. Wikipedia.

With that in mind, aggressive wet skimming, with use of quality charcoal and water changes.

 

[brandon429]

yep, or a total water chg is no prob, couple b2b 90% etc

 

[ReefMadScientist]

Massive water change to be safe, run carbon.

 

[grooveaquarist]

It was the kind of ammonium hydroxide that bubbled a ton when shaken. You don't think it will stay on the rock and sand?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Some may stay, but you'll remove most that is in the water with a lot of GAC and skimming.

There are many natural surfactants in a reef tank (such as phospholipids and fatty acids, even some proteins), so having very small amounts of another type is not as concern.

 

[beaslbob]

Some may stay, but you'll remove most that is in the water with a lot of GAC and skimming.

There are many natural surfactants in a reef tank (such as phospholipids and fatty acids, even some proteins), so having very small amounts of another type is not as concern.

geee

isn't that the reason skimmers work?