Reef Central Online Community

Home Forum Here you can view your subscribed threads, work with private messages and edit your profile and preferences View New Posts View Today's Posts

Find other members Frequently Asked Questions Search Reefkeeping ...an online magazine for marine aquarists Support our sponsors and mention Reef Central

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community Archives > General Interest Forums > Reef Discussion

 
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 11/07/2005, 04:00 PM
kabboord kabboord is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: St. Pete, Florida
Posts: 550
Reefkeeping pt. II

Alright, everyone seemed to find a little humor in my post several months ago about how I managed to fry a bunch of monti caps (they have all since recovered) by adding some turbo calcium straight to my tank, one night after some drinking. After that incident atleast I could claim alcohal was involved. With this one I cannot.
Let me further say that I think I have a very good understanding of syphons, I employ them regularly to aid with my reefkeeping and (notwithstanding this event) am good at noticing unintentional syphons and the flooding they can cause. Now I will guide you through my thought process.

My 90 gallon reef never has any algae. My water is always pristeen and absolutely nutrient free. I clean the glass maybe once every two weeks. But I love trigger fish, and had to get a niger trigger, he eats pieces of silver sides. I've never had a desire to have anything beyond a yellow tang in my reef. I reef for the corals, corals like clean water. Fish have to eat, fish poo, they make the water dirty. But under pressure from my girl, and all my guests that go, "Awsome tank, but wheres the fish" I decided to add a sixline, the niger trigger, and a gramma. And while my lone flame angel and yellow tang seemed fat and happy grazing off the various natural processes, I certainly wasn't going to starve my new inhabitants.

So while tweeking my feeding regiment, and a fading DI cartrige I found myself with some unsightly algae on the bottom of my bare bottom 90 gallon reef. Regular syphoning didnt seem to get it completely out or with the quickness I desired. My solution, my trusty Big@ss Rigid shopvac. This is the biggest model they make.

Now, the diameter of the vaccumm tube is about 2 inches.

I figure, the little vaccum mechanism will suck up the algae at a good rate and with the force needed to get the bottom clean.

I had 35 gallons of good saltwater mixed up and ready to go and figured the vaccuming would get about 10 gallons out, and my water change system would take care of the rest.

Now, I could claim that what was about to happen, I thought would be prevented by some kind of mechanism on the vaccumm. But, I actually looked at it and saw that it creates a vaccum in the large "tub". So I don't have any excuse for my stupidity. I'm sure you all see whats going to happen.

Now, because of my rock work, and coral growth I had to place the nozzel on the bottom and then hook up the hose. I could not just pull it out due to my hood.

I throw on the switch. some algae starts getting sucked up.
Within 3 seconds a massive syphon forms; in the 2inch diameter hose.
Within 5 seconds, 20 gallons is gone, and now my shopvac is overflowing into the living room.

7 seconds I reach the '35' gallon water change mark on the tank.

Panicking, turning off the vaccumm doesn't work.

I rip the nozzle out of tank, after roughly 40 gallons are drained in about 10 seconds; 20 of which are now sloshing across my livinig room for.

15 seconds girlfriend starts incessant *****ing.

20 seconds, I really need a plug of skoal.

Suffice to say I spend the reminder of my night taking out all the rugs (thank god I have tile) and vaccumming up the remainer of the water.

Yes I know what I did was stupid. I figured some ya'll would get a kick out of this. And if I can save one man (though I'm sure the reefcentral readership is much more intelligent than me) from this kind of mess, the post served its purpose.

-John
__________________
Where is my mind? Where is my mind? Where is my mind? Way out in the waters, see it swimmin? I was swimmin in the carribean, animals were hiding behind the rock, except the little fish...

Last edited by geo; 11/07/2005 at 05:14 PM.
  #2  
Old 11/07/2005, 04:18 PM
tunaluver tunaluver is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: sioux falls, sd
Posts: 189
ive done some stupid things to. this makes me feel not alone thank you

Last edited by geo; 11/07/2005 at 05:13 PM.
  #3  
Old 11/07/2005, 04:21 PM
gkarshens gkarshens is offline
Will work 4 corals
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,908
Dude that is one of the funniest things I've read in a long time! That needs to go in a movie!
__________________
Gabriel

So shoot me!
  #4  
Old 11/07/2005, 04:25 PM
greenbean36191 greenbean36191 is offline
Soul of a Sailor
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Huntsville/ Auburn, AL
Posts: 7,859


I've had plenty of stupid siphon mishaps myself, but none quite that big. Congrats.
__________________
Lanikai, kahakai nani, aloha no au ia 'oe. A hui hou kakou.

Last edited by geo; 11/07/2005 at 05:12 PM.
  #5  
Old 11/07/2005, 04:43 PM
alten78 alten78 is offline
Gold Digger
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Cleveland, OH
Posts: 697
hmmmmm i think i feel a tad bit better after forgetting to turn off the water before hooking up my ro/di unit...nope nevermind

Im pretty sure we all have made some boneheaded mistakes, as long as there is no harm done its worth a good laugh
__________________
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Then find a person where life gave them vodka and have a party. ~ Ron White
  #6  
Old 11/07/2005, 04:57 PM
jeffbrig jeffbrig is offline
In over my head!
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 5,122
I was mixing a batch of saltwater the other day in a large rubbermaid tub with a mag5. The pump has about 10' of vinyl hose on the output, as I use it to pump the water into the tank during water changes. Can you see where this is heading yet? The tubing made its way out of the bin and onto the floor, with the pump running full blast. Lesson learned....
__________________
Beware the power of stupid people in large groups.....
  #7  
Old 11/07/2005, 05:01 PM
discocarp discocarp is offline
stop the insults, please
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Winter Park, FL, USA
Posts: 1,061
Tile is my best friend too!!!! Nothing else has turned major disasters into minor disasters so many times for me!
  #8  
Old 11/07/2005, 05:25 PM
Morgandy Morgandy is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Cleveland, OH
Posts: 1,153
Quote:
Originally posted by discocarp
Tile is my best friend too!!!! Nothing else has turned major disasters into minor disasters so many times for me!
We'd have 100 new carpet installs if not for tile! I have been pondering getting a new shop-vac hose, nice and clean, to suck the beejesus out of a monster crab that is wreaking havoc on my tank. Eating my LR and coralline to death, killed all SPS. He evades every trap, contraption, trying to corner him by filling his escape routes with sponges, etc. But now, no, I don't think I'll risk the shop-vac.

So funny, but so sorry!!
__________________
Amy.
  #9  
Old 11/07/2005, 05:51 PM
Lordhelmet Lordhelmet is offline
No Bonds in Oakland!!!!!!
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Fremont, CA
Posts: 1,564

That couldn't be funnier. was your livestock hurt at all?
__________________
Guns don't kill people, Chuck Norris kills people.
  #10  
Old 11/07/2005, 08:16 PM
kabboord kabboord is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: St. Pete, Florida
Posts: 550
The livestock appears fine. I cleaned all the shopvac hose very well before begining incase any water made its way back in.
I hope the dry-wall fairs as well.
__________________
Where is my mind? Where is my mind? Where is my mind? Way out in the waters, see it swimmin? I was swimmin in the carribean, animals were hiding behind the rock, except the little fish...
 

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:07 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef Central™ Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2009