HELP!! Emergency! Digital Thermometer/ Battery Fell Into Tank

[hunkydory]

I'm really in need of some advice here. I am in the process of setting up a reef tank. I do not have any live rock in yet. I am also establishing a 30 gallon refugium that I initially seeded with 120 lbs of live sand and has been in the process of cycling. I normally have the two connected via a pump and gravity return back to the main tank (a Red Sea Max 130D). Today I disconnected them to repair a PVC drip. About twelve hours later I discovered that my digital thermometer had dropped into the refugium, leaking some corroded metals into the refugium. The tanks are currently not connected and I am 90% sure that the thermometer dropped in after I disconnected them.

Do I need to throw everything in the refugium out (120lbs of live sand)? Should I just wash the sand and remove all the water. The main tank has the ability to filter with carbon and GFO, but I haven't connected them. Please help!!!!

[williewilliams]

I would pull it back out of the tank. It is not supposed to be in there. You probally should have done this a while ago prior to posting this "EMERGENCY"

[whodeydan76]

my digital thermo has fallen in my tank and sat for a couple days before I noticed it laying in there. I just grabbed it out and pulled it apart and put it in a bag of rice. It worked fine. Your rocks and live sand are a big filtration system... they will help get anything that is in your water (that your mechanical filtration missed) out. I wouldnt worry too much.

[SushiGirl]

I would pull it back out of the tank. It is not supposed to be in there. You probally should have done this a while ago prior to posting this "EMERGENCY"

Don't know where you get the idea he didn't already pull it out of the tank. He was asking if, after discovering it & removing it, it ruined the sand in the fuge.

Hunkydory, I think like Dan said you're probably fine. You said it leached corroded metals into the fuge, which metals and how did you determine that? I would think if you're that worried, you'd probably want to clean the sand & replace the water. If you're only a little worried, change the water. Really it's going to be a personal preference thing since we have no way of knowing what, if anything, leached into the water. I myself (being a little paranoid), would change the water & run some polyfilter to see if it shows anything -- and if it does keep running it until it doesn't.

[Painted skin]

If you are worried or want to be on the safe side, do a large WC and run CupriSorb to take care of any possible metal.

[Breadman03]

You might read is FAQ list and decide if you want to run some.

http://www.poly-bio-marine.com/faq.htm

[h2hiero]

If you are worried about electrocution in your tank in the future put a grounding rod under the sand.

[hunkydory]

Well I knew it had leaked because the water had turned brown and a brown sludge was coming out of the digital thermometer. The water looked like it had a brown algae bloom.

Since I am just starting I decided to err on the safe side and drain the tank, toss the sand and soak the tank in 5% muriatic acid. I am debating on wiping it down with acetone afterwards (with many rinses before and afterwards)

I really appreciate the feedback. I am new and just don't want to always be wondering when I inevitably have a coral fail whether it would be because of this scenario. Any other advice would be appreciated!

[Painted skin]

If you are worried about electrocution in your tank in the future put a grounding rod under the sand.

You can't get electrocution from a small lithium battery dropping into the tank, unless it's the plug in type..

[SushiGirl]

Muriatic acid is sufficient. I wouldn't put acetone anywhere near a tank, regardless of how many rinses.