Airborne Toxin Concerns 9/13/06
Hi crew, hope all is well with you. <Is, and hope the same is for you.>  I have a question about using things that emit fumes and scents etc. around my reef tank. <Generally a bad thing.> I have a 150 gallon reef in my living room that is a large great room situation that also is connected with my kitchen. <I'm jealous.>
My concern is that I have read many places about noxious fumes and stuff like cleaning products being pulled into the system via the filtration and aeration. <Can happen.>  I am now concerned every time anything gets into the air in this room and indeed in the house.  So I was wondering if you could give me a more complete idea what is a problem and what isn't. <Will try to give general guidelines.>  For example, is it okay if I fry foods in the same room? <Sure> Is it okay to use scented candles in the room or any room in the house? <Usually, some of the bug repellent ones I might be concerned with, but if you are using those in the house you have bigger problems ;)> Is it okay to use cleaning products in the same room? <Well, in reality this is a necessity.  Just try to use non-aerosol variety when possible, and ventilate the room as much as possible when using either type.> What about hair spray in the other room? <Probably fine since the 80s are long gone.> As you can see I have become quite paranoid about this but do not want to be obsessive so any more specific help would be great.
Thanks
Debi
<It is a real concern, have heard of issues with this fairly often, often involving nail polish remover it seems, so be especially careful with that.  Otherwise use products in moderation around the tank and ventilate the room when using these products.  Generally good for you too, since some of these things can be quite nasty.  Basically anything that is toxic to you or bugs is a no-no, food smells, candle smoke, and non-toxic cleaning supplies are fine, in moderation of course. Heavy duty cleaning supplies, toxic chemicals, cigarette smoke, and pest repellants use should be limited around the tank as much as possible.  If their use cannot be avoided, turn off the skimmer since this is where most aeration takes place.>
<Chris>   

Bleached coral rocks
I had Bryopsis taking over my tank. I took out the infested rock and bleached it.  what do I need to do before I can place it back in my tank? << I wouldn't. >> I do not want to introduce bleach to my system. << Exactly.  With all the money we invest in our systems, I wouldn't risk the health of the animals to something like bleach.  Instead I'd look for different ways of fixing the problem next time, and this time just use the rocks as home decorations. >> the tank has been very well established and holds a lot of difficult to keep corals. << Again, another reason to not risk the introduction of the bleached rocks.  I'd just count them as a loss and move on. >>
PED, concord
<<  Blundell  >> <... can be easily rinsed in freshwater and just allowed to air dry for a day or two... or liberal amounts of DeChlor or similar product (sodium thiosulfate, hyposulfite... applied. Bob Fenner, who wonders where AdamB got his labcoat>
 

Toxic Tank
Hello Bob. I have a 55gal. marine aquarium which seems to be toxic to most species of fish. Most new arrivals die within a few days. The water tests perfectly ; no ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate. The pH is about 8.2, calcium about 350 and the alkalinity is about 4meq/l. I have a trickle filter, protein skimmer, and I run U.V.. The SG is about 1.021 at about 78 degrees. I also run a coil denitrator. I've heard that this type of unit can produce toxins. Is this true? 
<Yes, a possibility... Would like to know what types of fishes tried, order, ease of death, appearances/behavior... but no, more important to press on, give suggestions/path for most likely chance of improvement... Have you tried changing all, as in 100% of the water out?... If this did not improve your survivability, I would look for evidence of outright poisoning... tramp metal (a clamp? thermometer?), soaps/detergents, even window cleaner getting into the system.... Is your water adequately aerated? No sign of oil film on the surface?... Perhaps the livestock themselves have been of poor initial quality? Maybe try some of the hardier Damsel species from another location this next time with the all-new water... relate back to me what happens >
I would appreciate any information you can offer. Thanks.
<And I do appreciate the opportunity to aid you in this endeavor. Bob Fenner>

Re: Aquarium Problems
Bob (love your web site)
Thank you for taking the time to consider my problems, and directing me to your web site for more information. I think the one thing I am guilty of is using the window cleaner on the glass. It has ammonia in it. 
<Ah, yes... a very common cause of almost-instant poisoning of aquarium life...>
That's about all I can figure, based on what I have learned from your section entitled "Toxic Water Situations". I have since purchased some glass cleaner made specifically for cleaning aquarium glass.
<Good to read>
I do have another question / problem. I have a Scolymia (sp) Coral in my tank. Over the weekend I purchased an Eibli Angelfish. He's very well acclimated in the tank now, but seems to like to occasionally nip at that particular coral. He doesn't bother any of the other corals in the tank at all. Is there any way of getting him to leave that coral alone??
<Perhaps by offering some more live rock, foods... Centropyges of all species do tend to pick on large polyp stony corals>
Thanks again.... Pat Marren
<Be chatting my friend. Bob Fenner>

Protecting tank from chemicals, toxins??
Hi Bob,
This is the 40 gallon gal here. Glad to see that the Q&A are back up to it's usual. This is a community of sorts and we all need each other right now especially I feel.
<Agreed>
Anyway, getting back to the critters, Saturday I will be having my kitchen floor done (including doing the sub floor). I am worried that there will be strong chemicals including petroleum distillates that may hurt my creatures. The tank is in the LR (living room not live rock :-))! I have a fan or two and a stove fan, A/C and big windows in the LR.
<Hmm>
Tank critters include the Kole tang, 2 Clarkiis, the Midas Blenny, a few Turbos, a feather duster, a Rhodactis cluster, a stripped mushroom cluster, plate coral, and a Cleaner shrimp-- plus the refugium and LR critters.
Do you have any ideas on protecting the tank? I really don't have another place for the critters (QT also in living room to be on GFI). Or should I be concerned? Also I may have some painting done, but it will be spot painting perhaps. When the floor gets finished I can finally put the place up for sale!
<I usually turn off air pumps, pumps period, and cover with damp (not soaking wet towels during the application, drying time if possible>
BTW, the floor got damaged because I was running the TWP and forgot about it as it is so slow.
<Yikes, have to add this to my "reasons" for not liking this device...>
Or maybe it is my great age. :-} If anybody has one of these it is cheap insurance to buy a flood alarm (about $10 from the hardware store). This is costing about $1000!! (I guess though were are having a LOT of training in perspective right now.)
<Yes, but still no need to lose assets. Sorry to hear of your spill. Bob Fenner, who has had more than his share.>
Your friend and fan,
--des

Re: Tank Toxicity, Triggerfish
Hi Bob,
Welcome back, and I hope Tijuana was grand... or was that Cancun?
<The latter and a sprint to Cozumel>
I had a situation (as described below) when you were in Mexico. Many thanks to Steve for his excellent advice. You gentlemen perform a great service to aquarists and their pets alike.
<Thank you>
(after the tide contamination)
Here's what I did: I performed 2 50% water changes, 2 days apart. After the first, my Atlantic blue tang showed serious amounts of his ever-present ich.
Just before my Tide debacle, I began raising the salinity with my weekly water changes from 1.020, and was about 1.021 when this incident happened. I had lowered it to fight the ich about 6 weeks earlier. I now lowered the SG to 1.019 over the 2 changes, and added another 25lb of very cured live rock, and a bunch of Caulerpa. Yesterday and this morning, the tang looked better than I've seen him in months. He had been getting very pale overnight, and this morning had crescent pale patches on his sides, like I believe he should.
<Yes... and do change considerably during dark/sleeping times>
Of the guests in my 72 gallon, (3 hermit crabs, 1 maroon clownfish 5", 1 lionfish 8", 1 blue tang 5", 8 snails, 1 very small and sickly quadricolor anemone, chocolate chip star, and brittle star) who do you believe would be the first to show the long-term affects of my possible (ok, ok.. probable) poisoning?
<Depending on type/cause... the snails, crabs, anemone...>
My choco appears to have lost a little weight, but I think I might just be paranoid. Also, do you have a suggestion on how long I should hang on to the anemone who has lost a number of tentacles from his move, but still has a number that are bulbous?
<Hang on? As long as it's alive>
I don't want to throw a viable creature away, I don't want his death to add even more pollutants into my system and kill more livestock. My clown paid attention to it the first few days, but has abandoned it - making me believe that it is doomed.
<Not necessarily>
Additionally, I've been planning on adding 2 more fish to my system. I'm thinking that a Sufflamen albicaudatus would be my best choice for my next addition.
<I would not add a triggerfish to this mix>
I'm still not extremely confident that I can properly keep more difficult specimens - and my occasional stupidity clearly reminds me whenever I gain confidence. I would also like to add a large angel, but I would wait a few months. I'm not too awfully concerned about the eventual size of the fish, because I've been itching for a much larger aquarium anyway. So, how long do you believe I should wait before adding my next fish? Would it be advisable to set my q-tank up awhile, or should I put off any additions for more than a month?
<Get the larger tank, up and running first>
Also, out of curiosity, I've been hand-feeding my maroon clown. Is this practice common?
<Yes, common enough>
I was very surprised - just after feeding one day, a krill was pinned up against some LR, so I reached in and picked it out, and the clown swam over to my hand, so I just handed the food to him. He eagerly grabbed it.
Thanks in advance for your always knowledgeable advice.
And, if you make it to Arizona to do any reef diving, look me up.
<Mmm, am out to the Desert Marine Aquarium Society in a few months. Bob Fenner>

Fish poisoning (chlorine, cleaning ornaments FAQs)
Bob, I have been a long time fan of your website, but I’m having difficultly finding a solution to my problem…
I have a 72gal tank and recently did a water change along with cleaning my décor. I did the same as I always have in the past, but this time my fish (all young [1 ½ “ – 2 ½ “]) all started to act erratic within seconds. My Flame Hawk fish was almost killed immediately, both my Blue and Yellow Tang laid on the bottom with quick, heavy gill movements. I pulled out the Hawk fish, first, in an effort to save him; attempts were in vain. Next I moved both tangs and my Porcupine Puffer to a reef tank that I’ve been cycling (nothing it but live rock). My Trigger didn’t show any ill affects and I left him in the tank as I quickly pulled 50% water out of the tank and added new water. The trigger remained active and aware. I lost my Yellow Tang as he lay on the bottom of my reef tank and slowly stop grasping. Both my Blue Tang and Puffer Gasped heavily but slowly showed signs of improvement (little movements around the tank from time to time). I did another 20% water change last night and put the Puffer back into the main tank with my Trigger who was still doing well. This morning the Puffer is swimming around A LITTLE but still breathing heavy. I did yet another 20% water change today and tried a little feeding… the Trigger ate, the puffer didn’t. My Blue Tang is looking pretty good still in the reef tank as he explores his environment from time to time. I am currently preparing for another 20% water change, trying to dilute whatever it might have been.
My guess is that when I bleached my corals (as I have done MANY times in the past), I didn’t clean them well enough before re-introducing them to the main tank. 
<Very, too common>
My Trigger never really showed MUCH of a reaction to this problem, and seems to be fine… I hope this means water conditions are reasonable now. My question is: The Puffer and Tang, both show a little improvement, but both still have HEAVY gill movements. Is there anything that I can/should do to relieve this? Methylene blue claims to detoxify nitrite and cyanide poisoning, should I use a bath of this assuming that a toxin poisoning has taken place; how long do I leave them in the bath?
<I wouldn't move any of the livestock... more stressful than it's worth. Do increase aeration, circulation, leave all as is (including NOT changing the water... the chlorine from the bleach is all gone by now... and feed sparingly... the fishes will recover or not on their own otherwise at this point>
Can the Heavy gill movement remain a permanent result of this incident?
Should I continue my water changes and introduce my Tang back to the tank? 
<Not permanent, no water changes, replace the fish to the main tank>
Please help me out, I feel bad for my fish and want to alleviate their sufferings.
Thank you,
Mark
(I live here in S.D., you can give ma a call if you think that you can help better over the phone)
<Be chatting. Bob Fenner>