Disaster

sps4mytank · Dec 3, 2009

So I come home to my sps dominate tank and I noticed one thing....my tank wasnt full to the brim like it normally is with water. I dropped everything and realized my return pump wasnt returning water. Well it turns out, my sea hare was sucked into the pump (atb flowstar 1800). Good thing my refuge/sump is 150 gallons otherwise I would have overflowed for sure.

ON a side note, i didnt have any corals die. I must say vortechs on battery backups are like the best inventions ever. I didnt need it in this case, but should my tank ever happen to lose power i am thankful i have the "just in case".

So do you guys think a 400 total volume system requires a "bigger" water change because my sea hare died??

I personally think its fine.

I just wanted to rant and share my experience and ask in future instances how to prevent something like this from happening again.

jay

oceanparadise1 · Dec 3, 2009

i think you will be fine, i also have about a 400 gallon system, lost a nem in a power head and my filter system cleaned it right up with no problems at all

Paul_N · Dec 3, 2009

I lost a sea hare in a 100 gallon system and never found it. Never had any issues. You'll be fine. Was the sea hare in the sump? How did it get sucked into the return pump?

stunreefer · Dec 3, 2009

You should likely be fine Jay, but a WC can only help...

sps4mytank said:
and ask in future instances how to prevent something like this from happening again.

Don't add a Sea Hare

Murfman · Dec 3, 2009

Carbon too.

Sikryd · Dec 3, 2009

That sucks! Glad nothing came out it though!

Your right on the Vortec BBU - I had my electrician wire up a generator transfer switch. I'm finishing the basement so it wasn't too hard to do. All together it probably cost me ~ $900 (generator, transfer switch, wiring) - Considering I would loose $1k+ just in fish, it'll pay for itself.

Just thought I would throw that out there to remind people when the power goes out it is nooooooooooo fun.

sps4mytank · Dec 3, 2009

yea I pretty much knew my sea hare would one day get sucked in there. Yes the sea hare was in the sump ( not enough food in the display)

I think when electricity goes out there has to be some type of fail safe.

sikyrd - with your generator is it gas powered? If so it would require you to manually turn it on or does it just come on in the event of a power outage. I currently have a gas powered generator but would love to get something similiar done like what hospitals have. I dont know whtat the costs for something like that.

wishntoboutside · Dec 3, 2009

jay... you scared the heck out of me. glad to read all is ok. i will not sleep anymore due to my sea hair(aka the sea hero) still in my tank.

sps4mytank · Dec 3, 2009

tank is fine. no losses. just wish my sea hare didnt die. But i do agree "SEA HEREOS". Man i literally had like an 80's adult show and he/she mowed it down in 2 weeks no problemo.

SDguy · Dec 3, 2009

Ack! Are you crazy, posting such a thread title!!

Sikryd · Dec 3, 2009

sps4mytank said:
yea I pretty much knew my sea hare would one day get sucked in there. Yes the sea hare was in the sump ( not enough food in the display)

I think when electricity goes out there has to be some type of fail safe.

sikyrd - with your generator is it gas powered? If so it would require you to manually turn it on or does it just come on in the event of a power outage. I currently have a gas powered generator but would love to get something similiar done like what hospitals have. I dont know whtat the costs for something like that.

Gas powered.

I'm going to start a new thread on it today/tomorrow. I'll have pictures up and everything.
After learning how the whole system works and the possibility of shocking a lineworker I decided to learn more about generators, and how to responsably hook one up.

sps4mytank · Dec 3, 2009

i would like to see the thread. I personally would like something similar to the vortech bb. For example complete power outage and no electricity. Bam everything is back up due to my power failure device that provides enough energy for XXX to run pumps and necessary equpiment