So...I'm a idiot and deaf now

rayn · Feb 13, 2016

So I'm working on my tank getting it all plumbed up and running. Things are progressing, however slow it may be. Got the drains, stripped and painted the MH fixture I have and put my bulbs in, slightly used but decent till tank is ready for light. Plumbed the return. Tank filling with water and checking for leaks. All works! Shut tank down and check for overflow into the sump, drains more then I like.

Head out to menards and look around the plumbing department for ideas to make the siphon break higher. While doing this I figure I would step the returns down from 1" to 3/4", maybe add some loc line at some point.

Get home, plumb in the return section in the tank, fire it up. Splashed out to much for my liking. Adjust, siphons back to much. Adjust....BOOM. BOOOM. Water splashed up and hit my still uncovered MH lights that have been on for a couple hours. Hot lights and cold water just don't seem to mix well together.

So now I am deaf from the minor explosion AND I have glass sinking to the bottom of my freshly filled tank. Not to mention I now NEED to buy new bulbs. :mad:

Jsieger89 · Feb 13, 2016

That sucks! Hang in there

Bunnee911 · Feb 13, 2016

Some days you are the windshield. Just not today hun.

Jlobes · Feb 13, 2016

ugh, thats terrible. hot hid lights and water DO NOT mix, i can agree/attest to that as well.

sounds like a disaster, especially with the glass in the tank. eek.

dbl · Feb 13, 2016

Absolute bummer. Sorry for the troubles but you'll have it up and running before you know it!

rayn · Feb 13, 2016

dbl said:
Absolute bummer. Sorry for the troubles but you'll have it up and running before you know it!

I hope. I haven't had a build go this screwy before. Just seems to take forever for everything this time.

melypr1985 · Feb 13, 2016

Oh boy! Sorry to hear that.

rayn · Feb 13, 2016

So now that I'm over it, best way to clean the glass out?

melypr1985 · Feb 13, 2016

rayn said:
best way to clean the glass out?

Carefully!

rayn · Feb 13, 2016

melypr1985 said:
Carefully!

Such wisdom disposed upon me!

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 13, 2016

Did the inner capsule break? That's a toxic concern due to mercury and other chemicals.

OGFrenchHorn · Feb 13, 2016

Oh man! that sucks. Sorry to hear man.

rayn · Feb 13, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Did the inner capsule break? That's a toxic concern due to mercury and other chemicals.

Actually no! I had to turn quick and unplug them as they were still lighting the tank with the exposed wires.

jdpeters · Feb 13, 2016

that does suck! i see some people on here have great success but its easy to forget that even the most experienced have probably made all the same mistakes. This is the fun in our hobby, to continue on and grow!

hybridazn · Feb 13, 2016

Yikes! That's terrible, I would try to siphon as much glass out with a big tube.

Lionfish Lair · Feb 13, 2016

Duuuuuuuuuuude! You're lucky it didn't hit your eyes!!

rayn · Feb 14, 2016

Lionfish Lair said:
Duuuuuuuuuuude! You're lucky it didn't hit your eyes!!

The plug in is under the tank, so I was basically under the tank and I think that sheilded me from the glass. Did scare the crap out of me.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 14, 2016

rayn said:
Actually no! I had to turn quick and unplug them as they were still lighting the tank with the exposed wires.

That's good to hear.

Many years ago I had two defective Coralife metal halide bulbs explode on first turning them on. Literally the inner capsule exploded taking out the outer envelop as well.

They offered me some salt mix in compensation (not a refund), but at the time their salt mix had such a bad reputation that all I used it for was ice cream making and driveway de-icing.