Pump went out

Tbird165 · Jan 13, 2016

I came home at lunch to find my pump from the sump went out. How long can a tank stand with very little water movement? I put a small filter from a 10 gallon I had laying around in the tank to move some water around in the tank

143MPCo · Jan 13, 2016

I personally wouldn't let it sit for more than few hours like that, air or lack thereof in the water column is a bigger concern. How big is the system?

[HASHTAG]#reefsquad[/HASHTAG] any recommendations?

Tbird165 · Jan 13, 2016

It's a 55 gallon tank with a 10 gal sump

143MPCo · Jan 13, 2016

how long do you foresee it sitting that way, do you have an airstone and pump you can throw in for the time being?

143MPCo · Jan 13, 2016

also aim a power head at the surface of the water to aid in gas exchange?

kschweer · Jan 13, 2016

Definitely point the power head towards the surface. You should be ok for a little while depending on how much of a bio load you have.

143MPCo · Jan 13, 2016

is the issue that you don't have the means to replace the pump quicky?

in a pinch, I've used pond pumps from Lowes to to keep tanks up and running, just be aware that some have metal drive shafts.

Tbird165 · Jan 13, 2016

143MPCo said:
is the issue that you don't have the means to replace the pump quicky?

in a pinch, I've used pond pumps from Lowes to to keep tanks up and running, just be aware that some have metal drive shafts.

It's going to sit about 5 hours until I get off work. I have a small hob filter that I had laying around that I threw on the tank to move water around

143MPCo · Jan 13, 2016

Tbird165 said:
It's going to sit about 5 hours until I get off work. I have a small hob filter that I had laying around that I threw on the tank to move water around

as long as you have some water movement aiding in gas exchange you should be okay!

Shep · Jan 13, 2016

I think you will be ok for the 5 hours you are at work, beyond that you might start running into issues.

Tbird165 · Jan 13, 2016

Thanks I would hate to have everything die

Diesel · Jan 13, 2016

If you can turn the light off by remote through APEX or something that would help too.
Mean while at work you can contact or Google a LFS for a replacement or mention it in you local reef club forum if some one has something that can help you out or what.