Possible tank crash after water change

[Doob]

Halp. I did a 5 gallon water change in my JBJ 45 this evening. As soon as I added the new water ALL of my coral and anemone retracted. Snails seem to be falling over. All of the rocks and coral were covered in white strings, sorry I have no pics on the rocks, but the chaeto in the reactor is still covered in them. See pic below.

I've been battling Dino's, I have a media reactor running as a fuge with chaeto, and I've managed to contain the Dino's to there. Before the water change, I removed the chaeto and soaked it in some fresh water for a few minutes. This is the 3rd time I've done this with no problems, 1st water change since the Dino's though. Then replaced most of the chaeto into the reactor. So I though maybe it was die off, no ammonia reading though.

Then I remember seeing the temp spike a degree while adding the new water, which is not Norma at all, usually I loose .2-.3°. So I check out the heater that I brought the new water to temp with.

I just realized on my own. It's copper poisoning isn't it?

 

[Doob]

 

[Doob]

Clownfish is doing some rather violent twitching, so if most not have been a light dose.

 

[cmcoker]

Clownfish is doing some rather violent twitching, so if most not have been a light dose.

I think you are on the right track with copper. Do you have carbon? I'd run as much as you can right now.

 

[TylerS]

If you have any you could try poly filter.

 

[Doob]

I have fresh carbon in. Recommended amount.

I do have poly filter. I'll throw some in. Getting ready to do another 5 gallon change, hopefully for the better. I don't know what all is contaminated.

 

[Doob]

I also have my QT warming up for the clowns. They're the only fish acting weird though. I don't want to move everyone and cause unnecessary stress.

Snails and crabs are done moving. Thinking about moving my shrimp at least.

Is this the end? I'll have to get all new rock and equipment right?

 

[cmcoker]

I also have my QT warming up for the clowns. They're the only fish acting weird though. I don't want to move everyone and cause unnecessary stress.

Snails and crabs are done moving. Thinking about moving my shrimp at least.

Is this the end? I'll have to get all new rock and equipment right?

Might pull all the inverts you can to a separate holding container. Don't want an ammonia spike..

I'd see what the poly filter pulls out. If it's turning blue, I'd get some cuprisorb to run in your filter and see if you can get it all out. Nice thing is cuprisorb can be recharged with muriatic acid if need be.

 

[SandJ]

Have you checked for stray voltage?
During a water change, the heater could come out of the water and be damaged. This may cause stray voltage.

Edited: so is the heater pictured from the display, or the water mixing tank? Is it damaged? Can't exactly tell what is going on in the photo.

 

[Doob]

Have you checked for stray voltage?
During a water change, the heater could come out of the water and be damaged. This may cause stray voltage.

Edited: so is the heater pictured from the display, or the water mixing tank? Is it damaged? Can't exactly tell what is going on in the photo.

This is the heater from the mixing bucket. It seems the wire coating has become brittle from repeated wetting/drying. The wire kind of broke, and exposed the copper wire to the freshly mixed water.

 

[Aerixx]

I'd do more than a 5 gallon water change on your 45 gal, at least 15 gallons of new water if it was me, probably more. Sorry about your problems, I understand how that feels.

 

[taintstick]

50% water change, change and clean all chemical and mechanical filtration and set to high. Keep a close eye and change your water every couple of days as everything progresses. Once everything is back to normal, replace and clean everything again, just to rid any extra dookiness.
This is what I would do... all the water is contaminated, gots to be removed haha
Sorry to hear the misfortune, good luck and I know things will come back fella.

 

[taintstick]

Oh, just a thought, I wouldn't think you are dosing anything because of your livestock. But if you happen to run dosers, I would shut those off since you will be changing the water a lot.

 

[Doob]

5 gallons is all I had.

I have cuprisorb and salt on the way.

My favia looks surprising this morning. It's been up eating. And there are crabs and snails still alive.

 

[wkscott]

Doubt this is copper poisoning. Fish can handle a small amount of copper. That's why it's used in their medication for parasites. Parasites are inverts. If you have copper poisoning most likely all of your inverts would have died before the fish showed any signs. Inverts handle electricity better than fish do, so my guess as @SandJ mentioned, you have stray voltage and it's not coming from the water change heater. Check your other heater, wave pumps, and return pump.

 

[Doob]

Doubt this is copper poisoning. Fish can handle a small amount of copper. That's why it's used in their medication for parasites. Parasites are inverts. If you have copper poisoning most likely all of your inverts would have died before the fish showed any signs. Inverts handle electricity better than fish do, so my guess as @SandJ mentioned, you have stray voltage and it's not coming from the water change heater. Check your other heater, wave pumps, and return pump.

I think the clown was just being a clown. No other fish showed symptoms. All fish were still alive this morning.

Stray voltage wouldn't have started because a water change, it would had to have been a heck of a coincidence.

The polyfilter should tell if it's copper or not. I have never purposfully dealt with copper before, but I assume even trace amounts will cause a color change givin enough time.

 

[pickupman66]

Ill second on this not being copper poisioning. there was no where near long enough exposure of the water. In addition, if you have a properly setup GFCI, it should have triped immediately here. that is the scary part.

 

[Doob]

Ill second on this not being copper poisioning. there was no where near long enough exposure of the water. In addition, if you have a properly setup GFCI, it should have triped immediately here. that is the scary part.

It wasn't plugged in near the tank. The living room in an unprotected circuit. Rest assured I have not overlooked this mistake.

 

[Doob]

Poly filter after ~20 hours. Aqua to dark blue means copper or copper salts.

This has a green tint but that's not a listed result. I'm going to say it's aqua.

Anyone have experience with this / opinion?

 

[Doob]

Oh yeah, it's copper.