this is me
Well-Known Member
There's something about the sump and kids urinating in it. I guess they can't resist the sound of water flowing and needed to go. I mean, I feel like that sometime too when I'm in the fish room.
Urgh seriously.
- Build Thread
- Thread starter Sarah24!
- Start date
- Tagged users None
OP
OP
Sarah24!
2500 Club Member
Hello,
So after a 24 hour period roughly I tested my water again.
The ammonia was at 0, nitrate are at 0 and nitrates 0. The phosphate are right where they should be. The ph was 8.2 still which is good. I turned one of the canister filters off the water microfilter. The carbon canister is still up and running along w my uv sterilizater. Any other suggestions to make sure I don’t have any issues?
Thanks
Sarah
So after a 24 hour period roughly I tested my water again.
The ammonia was at 0, nitrate are at 0 and nitrates 0. The phosphate are right where they should be. The ph was 8.2 still which is good. I turned one of the canister filters off the water microfilter. The carbon canister is still up and running along w my uv sterilizater. Any other suggestions to make sure I don’t have any issues?
Thanks
Sarah
Porpoise Hork
Well-Known Member
As long as all your levels are good, no more tinkle in the sump and all the tank inhabitants are acting normal then you should be good to go. The carbon is probably done all it can at this point. If you switch to Purigen you can run that stuff for weeks before it needs regenerating compared to carbon that exhausts itself and is of little use after a short period of time.
OP
OP
Sarah24!
2500 Club Member
Good afternoon,
Yes, I agree with every one my brother was lazy and irresponsible. However, as kicking him out is very appealing right now, I can’t. My niece and nephews have no place to go and I love them and adore them so much.
My brother needs to find his own place and job and if it was just him, I’d probably ask him to stay with my parents. It’s the kiddos that melt my heart, even after they assume my salt water tank is a toilet. Just really tuff not sure what to do, my parents had to kick him out also. I just can’t punish the children at all. I know my brother is going through a very hard time, but he has to move on.
Yes, I agree with every one my brother was lazy and irresponsible. However, as kicking him out is very appealing right now, I can’t. My niece and nephews have no place to go and I love them and adore them so much.
My brother needs to find his own place and job and if it was just him, I’d probably ask him to stay with my parents. It’s the kiddos that melt my heart, even after they assume my salt water tank is a toilet. Just really tuff not sure what to do, my parents had to kick him out also. I just can’t punish the children at all. I know my brother is going through a very hard time, but he has to move on.
lmm1967
Well-Known Member
I swear on whatever makes you believe this is true.....
In the early 80's - I knew of a seasoned gentleman that ran a tank service for businesses that would actually urinate in a tank when he first set it up as a source of Ammonia to get the cycle started quick.
And I am not making this up.
In the early 80's - I knew of a seasoned gentleman that ran a tank service for businesses that would actually urinate in a tank when he first set it up as a source of Ammonia to get the cycle started quick.
And I am not making this up.
OP
OP
Sarah24!
2500 Club Member
Good afternoon,
Lol gosh that just makes me cringe, and I work in the ER and, I see way worse things. Just knowing I’m sticking my hands in someone’s urine grosses me out. Yes, I know everything about it etc, but of all the places lol. I suppose if it was your own tank and your own urine lol maybe, hmmmm nope even then not a chance for me.
I’m curious to know why people did this, just seems odd. I mean my nephews’ excuse was “but aunt Sarah, your bathrooms are all upstairs, and we didn’t want to miss any of the smurfs” which was said by the three year old. Now the five year old lol bless his heart said lol omg “ Aunt Sarah it’s better than on the floor in the corner, or my pants”, then says my daddy says people pee in the ocean all the time, and it feeds the fishies”. I couldn’t help but laugh, and of course my brother went to go hide from me.
Lol gosh that just makes me cringe, and I work in the ER and, I see way worse things. Just knowing I’m sticking my hands in someone’s urine grosses me out. Yes, I know everything about it etc, but of all the places lol. I suppose if it was your own tank and your own urine lol maybe, hmmmm nope even then not a chance for me.
I’m curious to know why people did this, just seems odd. I mean my nephews’ excuse was “but aunt Sarah, your bathrooms are all upstairs, and we didn’t want to miss any of the smurfs” which was said by the three year old. Now the five year old lol bless his heart said lol omg “ Aunt Sarah it’s better than on the floor in the corner, or my pants”, then says my daddy says people pee in the ocean all the time, and it feeds the fishies”. I couldn’t help but laugh, and of course my brother went to go hide from me.
Reef Jeff
Active Member
Well if sticking your hands in urine grosses you out, you will like this story. I worked as a counselor for a drug and alcohol rehab back in the day. I had a caseload of 10 adolescents. We had a juice machine in the activities building. One day during a therapy group we were addressing all the kids about their behavior. One of the kids stated, "I have to get honest. I peed in the juice machine right before Mr. [my name] took a drink of juice". 
I couldn't spit enough for weeks after that. It was pay back for everything I did as a kid. Gotta love kids.
I couldn't spit enough for weeks after that. It was pay back for everything I did as a kid. Gotta love kids.
ajhudson15
Valuable Member
As big as your tank is it would take a lot to throw it off enough to make a big problem. I have a 220 gallon tank and 40 gal sump and that thing is almost indestructible. my kids have managed to dump almost 2 bottles of baby powder in it on 2 different occasions.
Dom
Full Time Reef Keeper
Based on how the nitrifying bacteria colony grows based on the bio load, I'd guess that your nephew's mischief will cause the colony to grow to handle the bio load.
That being said, I'd be interested in hearing your amnoia test results.
IMO, I would prepare 60 gallons for a water change and do 10% wait 24 hours and then another 10%.
That being said, I'd be interested in hearing your amnoia test results.
IMO, I would prepare 60 gallons for a water change and do 10% wait 24 hours and then another 10%.
OP
OP
Sarah24!
2500 Club Member
Hello all,
The first water test showed my ammonia at 0.25, the rest was at 0. I did a 60 gallon water change and then I also drained the entire sump tank as well. I ran two magnum 350 canister, one for 24 hours which had the water micro filter in it, the other was straight carbon. I ran it for almost 72 hours straight. I tested my water yesterday and today at my lfs, in which my ammonia was at 0, nitrite was at 0, nitrate was at 0, and I didn’t not have any phosphates. The ph was at 8.2, and my calcium was 460, and eeek my alk was at 15. So I won’t dose alk till Saturday, but will keep dosing the calcium.
Yes kids are so adorable and lovely they just make me smile. But they do the silliest things.
OP
OP
Sarah24!
2500 Club Member
Lol omg gosh that is so me, and I am actually watching that movie as I write this. Plus Maui is going to pee on me again here shortly as I try to figure out how to wayfind. So love this movie. I can sing all the songs by heart, and my favorite is your welcome.
cracker
5000 Club Member
Tell your Bro that your tank weighs over a ton & if his beloved brats broke the glass in some way they would be ripped to shreds with razor sharp glass & rock with over a ton of pressure behind it. Tell him if they poisoned the tank & killed thousands of dollars worth of fish & corals. I bet he would watch them more closely.
I laud your understanding & love but that's too much .
I laud your understanding & love but that's too much .
OP
OP
Sarah24!
2500 Club Member
Good evening,
My brother and I had a heart to heart talk, which is hard because I’m super nice. He didn’t really grasp what I was saying, his first response was “it can’t be any worse than what we already do to the ocean and reefs, and they do just fine”. He called me a drama queen and over reacting.
Which I then kinda vented to my father, in which in turn he chewed his behind pretty good. My father told him that, “If he didn’t want to find a new place tomorrow then he better straighten up.” I’m just so busy between work and graduating school, I don’t have time to babysit his children (which I don’t mind, I adore them, but I don’t wanna babysit him).
He then apologized to me, and I did tell him the dangers of
My saltwater tank and that I’d be devastated if anything ever happened to them, and I could never forgive myself. Lucky he is only here till the end of May, or until he does this again then he is out sooner. (His kiddos can always stay). But so far everyone in my family has kinda kicked him out. He sadly takes advantage of family and I’m the only one who has not asked him to pay rent etc. But, after he kept using all the food and not buying any. I had to put my tiny foot down. I just feel bad because, I don’t want my nephews to go hungry, or him really, but it’s soooo expensive. Sorry for the vent my friends didn’t mean to.
My brother and I had a heart to heart talk, which is hard because I’m super nice. He didn’t really grasp what I was saying, his first response was “it can’t be any worse than what we already do to the ocean and reefs, and they do just fine”. He called me a drama queen and over reacting.
Which I then kinda vented to my father, in which in turn he chewed his behind pretty good. My father told him that, “If he didn’t want to find a new place tomorrow then he better straighten up.” I’m just so busy between work and graduating school, I don’t have time to babysit his children (which I don’t mind, I adore them, but I don’t wanna babysit him).
He then apologized to me, and I did tell him the dangers of
My saltwater tank and that I’d be devastated if anything ever happened to them, and I could never forgive myself. Lucky he is only here till the end of May, or until he does this again then he is out sooner. (His kiddos can always stay). But so far everyone in my family has kinda kicked him out. He sadly takes advantage of family and I’m the only one who has not asked him to pay rent etc. But, after he kept using all the food and not buying any. I had to put my tiny foot down. I just feel bad because, I don’t want my nephews to go hungry, or him really, but it’s soooo expensive. Sorry for the vent my friends didn’t mean to.
Last edited:
Brew12
Electrical Gru
I'm sure many of us have relatives like this. It speaks well to your character that you have handled this situation as well as you have. And you know, just because we keep reef tanks doesn't mean that is the only thing we should talk about.
NY_Caveman
likes words, fish and arbitrary statistics
You have already been nice letting them stay free. No need to feel guilty if you are taken advantage of regardless of his situation. The best thing you can do for him now is set an example of firmness and responsibility.
