Help! ATO mishap

[Koddie Doo]

I was topping off my tank and my pump started sucking up the Kalk slush on the bottom of the resivor into the tank. Now my tank is super cloudy and everything is closed up. What should I do. I am making or water but won't have much for a while.

[Koddie Doo]

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/60081575@N06/12667537074/" title="image by kmw504, on Flickr"><img src="https://v4s.yimg.com/sk/3761/12667537074_2b51a90774.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="image"></a>

[cbashaw]

This from an old reef keeping article that may help.

***
The following important points should help in dealing with a limewater overdose:

1. Don't panic! These overdoses do not usually cause a tank to crash.

2. The primary concern is pH. If the pH is 8.6 or lower, you need not do anything. If the pH is above 8.6, then reducing the pH is the priority. Direct addition of vinegar or soda water is a good way to accomplish this goal. Either one mL of distilled white vinegar, or six mL of soda water, per gallon of tank water will give an initial pH drop of about 0.3 pH units. Add either to a high flow area that is away from organisms (e.g., a sump).

3. Do not bother to measure calcium or alkalinity while the tank is cloudy. The solid calcium carbonate particles will dissolve in an alkalinity test, and all of the carbonate in them will be counted as if it were in solution and part of "alkalinity." The same may happen to some extent with calcium tests. Wait until the water clears, and at that point, alkalinity is more likely to be low than high. Calcium will likely be mostly unchanged.

4. The particles themselves will typically settle out and disappear from view over a period of 1-4 days. They do not appear to cause long term detrimental effects to tank organisms.

5. Water changes are not necessarily beneficial or needed in response to a limewater overdose.

[Koddie Doo]

Thanks,

I Have read that I should not panic.... yeah right..
kill the lights: check,
Add an air stone: check,
I have to check the PH....
pump up the skimmer....
Increase flow..

Should not crash the tank.... we will see. Water change not a must....

needless to say I am freaking out!

[Koddie Doo]

pH is at 8.6... looks like here come the vinegar...

[Koddie Doo]

Put in 50ml of vinagar and got ph down to 8.4 so I think I am out of the danger zone. Running twice as much carbon as normal and new. Hope I can ride this out