Another Classic Tank Stress Freakout

Matt Rogers · 05-09-2005, 09:24 PM

Well it's been a while since I totally spazzed.

That changed tonight... no weird screams like last time, but still drove me to the edge...

Came home to my skimmer cup absolutely full. Didn't see any die off in the tank so it is a bit of a mystery...

Turned off skimmer pump, emptied cup and turned the skimmer back on... I don't know about you, but I always cringe when I turn any pumps off - my experiences have shown that they don't always want to turn back on - tonight was a slight variation - it turned back on too RATTLE RATTLE RATTLE.

Unplugged it, plugged it back in. Several times. NO LUCK! :mad:

So that's when the fun started...

I quickly discovered that the cord for the skimmer pump was at the bottom of the cord jungle!

Pulling it out spilled water from return line on to the jungle of cords and tore half my electrical out!!

Had to move everything in my 10 gallon little sump to get the pump out...

Took it apart, clean as a whistle! I could hear the pump laughing at me!

Put it back together. No more rattle. Everything back to normal.. except me!!

I did learn something... rather than turning off the pump to lower bubble level in skimmer to remove cup. Just remove the air silencer on the venturi. Sooooo much easier. Aquariums are really peaceful aren't they?

mojoreef · 05-09-2005, 10:02 PM

Ahhh reef equipment revenge!! I have seen and experenced it many times. You need to show them hows in charge. My first approach would have been to hit it with something prior to removal, most times this kind of intimidation does the trick and keeps other components in line. If you arent sucessful thier must be a price paid for the pain experenced by you. Several methods I have used include the helecopter spin with fake release, the trip and dump into the garbage can (this can be a very good physc. lesson) the vinager bath, may not be needled but it will learn from it, or the tried and tested scream, hold the pump about 3 inches from your mouth and let out your best war scream...works everytime

hope it helps

Mike

Bruce · 05-09-2005, 10:03 PM

wait...did u say that water spilled on all ur cords? w00t...i did that and then i tried to pull em out...ZAP...i got it good

Matt Rogers · 05-09-2005, 10:10 PM

Yeah Bruce, but luckily I have the power strips mounted vertically in the stand.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojoreef

Ahhh reef equipment revenge!! I have seen and experenced it many times. You need to show them hows in charge. My first approach would have been to hit it with something prior to removal, most times this kind of intimidation does the trick and keeps other components in line. If you arent sucessful thier must be a price paid for the pain experenced by you. Several methods I have used include the helecopter spin with fake release, the trip and dump into the garbage can (this can be a very good physc. lesson) the vinager bath, may not be needled but it will learn from it, or the tried and tested scream, hold the pump about 3 inches from your mouth and let out your best war scream...works everytime

hope it helps

Mike

Mike that is the funniest post I've read in while. Classic.

seawillow · 05-10-2005, 03:41 AM

Oh Matt...I'm so glad to hear that I'm not the only one who does things the hard way...gotta love all this darned electrical equipment...it is a wonder that we all don't get fried....lol.....

Jay · 05-10-2005, 04:17 AM

I came home from ork the other day to the smell of melted plastic in my house. After running everywhere looking for the source I found it. You know the safty dip that you must put in your electricle cords from your tank to check the drip that follows the electricle cord down from the tank to the powerstrip. Well I read about these ND IGNORED THE WARNING. THE STRIP WAS SIZZLING AND SMOKING! It almost melted...most certainly was going to catch fire. WHY DOES MY FIRE ALARM BLOW WHILE MAKING TOAST AND NOT WHEN THERE IS A ELECTRICLE FIRE IN PROGRESS IS BEYOND ME....what a #$%^&*ing joke that alarm is. To let you all know I have mounted my powertrips to the wall now and have the happy little dip in the chord.

Jay

skennelly · 05-10-2005, 07:15 AM

Matt,
I ran into a similar problem on New Year's day. I unplugged my return pump, I was making sure my sump could handle the overflow of water in the case of a power outage. I plugged my return pump back in and all it did was click, click, click....I cleaned it and same thing. I tore almost all my plumbing apart looking for a clog and I also had to go to my future mother in laws house for dinner and it was only an hour away. Turns out it was my checkvalve that was sticking. I was 45 minutes late to dinner and my pants where wet.......good thing they new I was messing around with the tank.

Jason McKenzie · 05-10-2005, 07:55 AM

OH, you mean coming home from work and looking at your tank isn't supposed to invoke that reaction each and every day

J

Matt Rogers · 05-10-2005, 08:46 AM

Yeah really. Sounds like freakouts are pretty common around here.

Birdlady · 05-10-2005, 11:49 AM

Drip Loops are of the UTMOST importance IMHO!!!

Last month I dropped my sump light into the water....sizzle smoke smoke!!

I also dropped a live extention cord in there once as well!

I use power strips with fuses and switches. When I drop something into the water, FIRST THING I DO IS THROW THE SWITCH!!!! and turn of the power. THEN I go fishing for said item!

My Tunze's have an alarm when they don't turn back on....so add that Matt , to your story! Shaking powerhead, kicking it, cursing it, all the while it is WOOOOOOT WOOOOOOT WOOOOOOT WOOOOOOT!!!!