Possible Contamination!!!

[corw314]

It has been alittle over 24 hours since I did a really stupid thing. Without thinking I grabbed my daughtors beach bucket, filled it with tap water, added declor and added it to Hermins tank, the protein skimmer was acting weriod due to evaporation. When I went to dump the remainder in the sink, I realized there looked like soap stuck on the bottom of the bucket. It's been over 24 hours and he is acting fine. Fish and shrimp are fine. I'm hoping since I didnot let the water sit, the soap did not have time to get into the water I dumped. Plus I do have a filter with carbon in the tank.

Questions = How long if Hermin was to be affected by contamination by soap would a reaction take? I would think all creatures, in the tank would have already shown some type of stress.

I plan on doing a water change this weekend. If in fact, he started reacting, would a water change have saved him??? I watched him like a hawk for an hour or two after and started to relax when he has acted normal.

I am always soooo careful with what I use in my tanks. I have many in my house, fresh and salt. I'm hoping I was lucky this time! Doesn't pay to rush!!!!

Carol

 

[Colin]

hi Carol
Whoops!

Well, it does happen! I have made silly little mistakes in the past too and we just ned to learn from them. I make sure that all my fishy stuff is kept just for that and have mercy on anyone that uses them for something that I havnt said is okay!!!!!!

I woudl leave your skimmer on 24hrs a day for a few days. Change your carbon later this week and do the water change early, today if possible. You would notice a change in behaviour pretty much staright way if something really bad was going to happen but to be on the safe side, do what i suggest above...

BTW what other stuff do you keep?
I also have a freshwater tank. It is fully planted (36"x30"x30") tank with a fluidised sand filter. the stock includes rummynoses, harlequins, Arulius barbs, rainbow shark, unidentified goby, dumerrelis angels, common plec, adonis plec, L001 plec, L264 plec, scissortails, Apistogramma cacautoides, red robin gouramies, a histrix stingray and some other stuff i am forgeting right now like FW shrimps.....

C

PS I also have a small tank with 7 Xenopus frogs and another with a Trinidad Chevron tarantula

 

[corw314]

Hi Colin

He's seems ok! Ate a humongous green crab yesterday and today at his usual pacing and watching us! Need to buy more salt today! I always leave my protein skimmer running! Is this ok?? You mentioned leaving it on since my soap thing......

Carol

PS - As far as what else I have - 45 Gal flat back hex with a 10" black ghost knife, who chooses to live in a castle!, rummy noses, silly little tetras, glow lights, banjo cat, long fin tetras. 20 gal flat back, with african cichlids ( Seriously thinking of making it another salt tank!!) Kitchen has 15 long with seahorse, pipefish, hermit crabs, all localy caught and my daughtor has a 20 high with 2 parrot cichlids in it plus we have some treefrogs, newts, tiger salamander and a baby corn snake not to mention 3 rotten cats. a dog and african grey and others here and there!!!!