Vodka overdose

Sweet Lew · Feb 9, 2017

I have a 90 gal. Reef. My timer malfunctioned and dumped 1/2 gallon of vodka into my tank. My ammonia is super high. Help please.

Webslinger · Feb 9, 2017

very large water change

wkscott · Feb 9, 2017

Get a product similar to Amquel Ammonia detoxifier. This will bind up the ammonia but won't remove it. This will buy you a little time. Do a large at least 50 % or more water change. Get the detoxifier in as quickly as possible. Every minute counts with ammonia poisoning. Good luck.

zachxlutz · Feb 9, 2017

You definitely want to bind that ammonia with a product like Seachem AmGuard and then start doing massive water changes.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 9, 2017

Sweet Lew said:
I have a 90 gal. Reef. My timer malfunctioned and dumped 1/2 gallon of vodka into my tank. My ammonia is super high. Help please.

Ammonia is high? I can't imagine why that is unless there was so much ethanol is directly killed something.

Keep aeration maxed as low O2 is the biggest concern, IMO.

Water changes will help, but after a few days the ethanol will probably be gone, if not faster.

Sweet Lew · Feb 9, 2017

That's what's in the red on my seneye monitor. 5ppm Nh3

JimWelsh · Feb 9, 2017

Sweet Lew said:
That's what's in the red on my seneye monitor. 5ppm Nh3

I wonder if it is possible that much ethanol could interfere somehow with the Seneye's method. Have you tried another ammonia test, such as API?

GoVols · Feb 9, 2017

Sweet Lew said:
That's what's in the red on my seneye monitor. 5ppm Nh3

Are you seeing any symptoms in your display like cloudy water from a bacteria bloom or cyano?

Sweet Lew · Feb 11, 2017

Yes very cloudy. It's starting to clear up now

Sweet Lew · Feb 11, 2017

JimWelsh said:
I wonder if it is possible that much ethanol could interfere somehow with the Seneye's method. Have you tried another ammonia test, such as API?

No I havent

GoVols · Feb 11, 2017

Sweet Lew said:
Yes very cloudy. It's starting to clear up now

Is your livestock looking OK?

GoVols · Feb 11, 2017

@Sweet Lew
I feel for you.
Fyi. I achieved a massive carbon over dose with Tropic Marin Bioactif salt mix one time. Heartbreack City.
It was user error but it was the first and last time that I will ever use a salt mix with a carbon source in it.

rami barghout · Apr 27, 2019

GoVols said:
@Sweet Lew
I feel for you.
Fyi. I achieved a massive carbon over dose with Tropic Marin Bioactif salt mix one time. Heartbreack City.
It was user error but it was the first and last time that I will ever use a salt mix with a carbon source in it.

I've been using this salt for a year no ill effects