CO2 overdose

[Aptasia]

Yesterday, I awoke to find every visible fish in my 180 reef floating or stuck under rocks. The non visible fish were nowhere to be found all day! To my horror, the CO2 was gushing full force in the bubble counter. The Ultralife regulator with solenoid has been in use for 5 years without a single problem. Why would the flow just open up automatically, with no reason? The flow gauge showed zero when the problem was first identified.

The fish that were found floating, were put in a hospital tank. They are fully recovered, thank God! With a massive water change, the other missing fish appeared the next day. The CO2 overdose really must have put them under.....It's a miracle that they all survived!

I haven't touched the CO2 unit yet, to see what may be the problem. Perhaps it's the solenoid, although I wouldn't know what to check for.

Any and all suggestions would be thankfully accepted.

 

[Anonymous]

Hello Aptasia, I'm sorry to hear such a mishap bringing you here. I can't help you with this particular problem, as I've never used CO2 in any manner, but there are plenty here who have extensive experience.

This should give it a bump.

 

[mgk65]

Was there a needle wheel on the unit? Typical set up is regulator - solenoid - needle valve. If the solenoid failed, the needle valve should keep the CO2 from gushing.

Sounds like the needle valve or solenoid failed, as electronic equipment does at times, unfortunately.

mgk

 

[Anonymous]

One of the reasons I will NEVER let a controller touch my reactor, or a solinoid for that matter, I use a needle valve flowmeter ONLY

 

[danmhippo]

Besides water change, I would put an airpump and airstone (coarse) in the tank to help dissipate excess CO2 out of water.

 

[Robin Goodfellow]

hi.
I am a bit surprised at what you observed, but glad that everybody is fine.

Without more detained description of your setup, it is difficult to know what could have went wrong. Majority of setup is descripted by mgk65 and it will take a failure on both the needle valve and solenoid to give you the potential problem you suspected. However, in most calcium reactor setup, the regulator and needle valve is setup to operate 24/7, and the use of solenoid is just to save some CO2 and alleviate the pH swing that don't really affect fish that much.

CO2 will usually dissappear if you dose your reactor output to high flow area, such as the sump. It is another safeguard if you let the output drip in the sump or high flow area.

In very rare case in which the CO2 affect the pH so much that fish starts to float, by removing the CO2 source and heavy circulation/aeration (with window open and a fan on the floor...CO2 is pretty heavy and sink) usually take care of the problem pretty fast without water change. Water change may shock the fish, and usually can not be done as quickly.

 

[Aptasia]

I really appreciate the timely, and thoughtful suggestions from all who posted replies. I have definetely put to use all the advice that you guys have passed on to me. Everything, from aerating the water to displace any CO2 that may still be around....to checking my needle valve/solenoid for possible failure(Why the flow gauge read Zero, with massive flow is the big question)....maybe try some other alternate method of controlling the CO2 flow.

Thanks again, and best wishes to all.

Regards,

Aptasia

 

[Anonymous]

Aptasia, you are SPITTIN' DISTANCE from me!

Guadalahabra ring a bell?