How Bad Is It If Yeast-water Gets Into Your Tank?

[eschaton]

I was just vaccuming, and the cord pulled on the tube and pulled it over. I just changed my sugar/yeast mixture two days ago, so it's still really bubbly....so bubbly that around 5 inches of it shot from the tube and into the tank before I could do anything.

I've vaugely heard this is a bad thing, but I'm not clear on how bad it is exactly.

Edit: Should make it clear by five inches I mean around five inches of the water in the tubing.

 

[Themuleous]

I've never had it happen personally but you need to keep an eye on the tank as I've heard it can be bad and the kill can die (not sure why), most people tend to do large daily water changes for a few days to stop the worst happening.

Sam

 

[jimbooo]

done it a few times myself in the past. in short yeast uses up oxygen in the water hence reducing it for the fish. do a couple of 50 % water changes a day apart and add an airstone if your really worried.

in practice i only did one 50% and no airstone on the 3 or so occasions mines shot into the water. it usually happens to me when i add to much yeast and the frothy mixture blasts into the tank. i've never lost any fish to this as far as i know. no major biggie if it was only a little bit that got in.

 

[vic]

Given that you had just started the generator the level of alcohol in the reactor was likely quite low. It is the alcohol that is produced through fermentation that is the danger. A safety/overflow bottle is an alternative. Use say a one litre pop bottle (safety/overflow bottle) taped to the side of your reactor. Run the air line from the reactor into the second bottle down to about an inch from the bottom. Put a second line in the safety bottle about an inch from the top and run this to your tank. These lines need to be passed through the lid and sealed as is the outflow line from the reactor. An "stuff" that escapes the reactor will be trapped in the safety bottle. Another alternative is to drill a hole in a 2x6 that is the same size as your reactor. Place the reactor in the hole and it is unlikely that it will ever tip over again.
Cheers;