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pepper'scove

Problem after breakdown

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pepper'scove
, 02-23-2011 at 10:09 PM (2605 Views)
I'm posting this from my iPhone since it's the only Internet I get at home so I don't have pictures. My problem is that a week ago I drilled into my Biocube 14 thinking it was acrylic... To make a long story short it wasn't. I reacted too quickly and placed my fish in a 40 gal breeder tank I had turned into a sump (it had been water tested previously, but the first time it had had saltwater in it was only several hours before). It was completely new and I tried to place all my livestock and coral in it to prevent their dying due to drying out! With the exception of snails, hermits and one of my two peppermints, everything died. That includes all my coral and a favorite Halloween sea urchin (a black, orange and green pincushion).

Anyway, my clowns survived the event as well. For a few days they seemed to be about to die, the female more so than the male. However, as the days passed they seemed to be doing better... with the exception that they don't swim around that much. But now for the real issue. A couple of days ago they stopped showing any interest in food.

Tank parameters are at 0 ppm on nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia. Calcium levels are about 420 ppm. Lighting is being provided by the hood of the biocube and is on the same schedule as before the incident. The skimmer is a huge Vertex IN - 180 which pulls out tons of junk compared to what I'm used to though on such a small tank it's still weak sauce in comparison with the normal pull. I also have all the live rock from the Biocube (17 lbs) plus the bioballs from the back. I'm also running my 9W Coralife Turbo twist UV sterilizer. Tank temp is currently 80.1 degrees which is well within my normal range of 79.9-80.3 Fahrenheit. Additionally I have a maxijet 200 (the one with 160 gal/hr flow if I got my number wrong), a hydor koralia nano pointed at the surface to ensure no scum buildup, a MAG 7.5 return pump mostly feeding into the refugium section (never set up that way just the biggest section and thus where I am keeping the fish) through a SCWD wave maker device. I have also loaded some plastic Tupperware bowls full of the substrate from the old tank and have set them in the water to try and maintain the tank as much like it was as possible.

Additionally, on the day the clowns began showing a disinterest in food (after they recovered from shock they initially started eating again) I also noticed what appeared to be several dead bristle worms on the bottom of the tank. I water tested and didn't find anything amiss. Salt levels are at 1.025...

If anybody has any ideas about what's happening and what I can do to help my buddies I would appreciate it. I am very attached to these fish and it makes me sad that I have caused them so much pain all because I failed to double check the material of the tank and to listen to my gut when the bit didn't bite into the material like it should have if it was acrylic. Please, if anybody has any ideas, suggestions, or advice from a similar scenario please let me know! Oh, I also have a stainless steel clamp around a piece of hose and the clamp is touching the water slightly, could that cause problems? I appreciate all your feedback thanks!

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Tags: clownfish
Categories
‎ NEED HELP STAT! , ‎ Feeding , ‎ Water Chemistry , ‎ Questions - Need some input

Comments

  1. Blown76mav's Avatar
    What silicone did you use to make the sump? If it wasn't type1 GE silicone or the aquarium safe sold at LFS's then I would bet that would be the problem. Could also be the tupperware, not sure if that plastic is safe to leave in salt water
  2. pepper'scove's Avatar
    I used GE Silicon II but the silicone had been cured for over a month before the fish went in it. I had a person tell me they built a sump with GE II, they pointed right at it. I got the 100% clear silicone stuff. Does it really cause problems?! I'll be taking the tuperware out pronto!
  3. DJ in WV's Avatar
    there use to be a ge silicone that said aquarium safe but is was removed prob because they where selling it to tank builder under other names. Some of it has a fungicide in it which will leach into the water, so just because its 100% silicone does mean you can use it in tanks. Never heard the tupperware thing with all the people useing rubbermaid and sterilite tubs i wouldnt thing that would be the problem general anything safe for food contact wont be a problem
  4. Blown76mav's Avatar
    The type II has an anti mold fungicide in it. That is your problem. Again the type I is safe for aquariums even though it doesn't say it anymore. I've used it all my glass sump builds without any problems as have others.
  5. Sisterlimonpot's Avatar
    Yep, GE Type II is your problem, anything that says mold resistant has those antimicrobials in it to fight off mold.

    From what I was told the reason why GE I has the phrase, "not for aquarium use" is because people where trying to get compensated by the company when the seals on their large tanks failed. GE I is reef safe but it lack the strong adhesion properties that other have.
  6. 1AaronTravels's Avatar
    I believe the anti-fungal in the silicone is Arsenic, albeit just a low amount to slowly poison fish.
  7. pepper'scove's Avatar
    I have seen pictures online where people say that GE has a biocide in it and they have the silicone canister picture as proof. However, mine does not say that and it cured for about 2-3 weeks before anything was put in it. Some people say use it. Some say don't. Some say it kills only inverts. I don't know. What I do know is that all my snails lived, including the one turbo I have, and my hermits and shrimp are doing great. But the best news is that my clowns started swimming out in the tank, albeit low, and showed enough interest in food that I was encouraged. I hope that GE II doesn't cause problems because I don't currently have a way to deal with this short of giving the fish away. The fish are doing enough better that I am thinking of offering them to a friend. However, as they're not 100% yet that may do more harm than good. I really am concerned about the silicone though and, with as much money as I put into everything else I may just tear this sump apart in the future and rebuild with GE I. Thanks for all the feedback guys!
  8. pepper'scove's Avatar
    Update! I have taken steps to get my fish to a friend's tank. The transfer will occur tomorrow at which point I can begin rebuilding my sump. Pursuant to that I found an interesting tid bit of information. On the GE silicone there is a list of federal regulations which the product meets. On GE II there are no FDA codes. However, on GE I there is an FDA code which is FDA 21 CFR177.2600. This code indicates that a product is applicable for use in applications which are require food safe packaging and handling. I take this as a sign that it is safe for use in aquariums even if it doesn't say aquarium safe. Also, it's curious absence from GE II leads me to believe that anyone who says they have used GE II on their aquarium was either lying or lucky. I wish I had gotton better advice on the first go round. But then, I'm new to this and I suppose that we all have to learn at some point. Lesson learned, thanks again for steering me in the right direction!
  9. pepper'scove's Avatar
    I should add to this. While GE I may have the code mentioned above, Momentive 100 series silicone is far preferable. Momentive 108 is clear and Momentive 103 is black. They both carry a max tensile strength of 400 psi and a shear strength of 200 psi. This is the only silicone I would recommend that anybody use. All the GE stuff is just asking for trouble. For the sake of reference here's the link to the datasheet for this stuff:

    http://www.momentiveperformancemater...eets/1773.html

    Again, don't use GE I or GE II. Since making this post over a year ago I have learned a good bit about different silicones and I suggest you guys let my experience be enough to teach you what to do and what not to do. Please don't do to your fish what I nearly did to mine!
  10. pepper'scove's Avatar
    Also, my fish made it to my friend's house just fine and lived in his tank for awhile. However, one of them got stuck on a heater and... The other lived for a good bit longer before meeting some mysterious demise at the hand of my friend's tank sitter. So yeah... use the right silicone the first time!
  11. Blown76mav's Avatar
    Sorry still gonna say GE I is ok to use, been using it for over 6 years no problems. The ONLY time I've even heard of problems is with the GE II. Any 100% silicone is the same and as long as there isn't a anti mold agent in it, its ok.
  12. pepper'scove's Avatar
    Blown76mav, glad to see you around! Just thought I'd mention that GE I is FDA approved for food safe storage (which essentially means reef safe), it's just not as strong as the Momentive 100 Series (formerly a GE product listed as aquarium safe). So I'm not saying you "can't" use the GE I or GE II, afterall, plenty of people claim to be using both problem free; however, I did a bunch of research on this (including several calls to Momentive) and I feel like Momentive 100 Series silicone is the best option. I'd use GE I in a pinch, but given the option to order Momentive or just pick up some GE I, I'd pass on the GE I. I still feel terrible about what ended up happening to the critters in my tank and as far as the fish are concerned I believe that the GE II was to blame. To this day my friends at school and my fiance feel the need to remind me of this disaster (probably a good thing since it keeps me focused on the safety of my once and future critters).