I Broke One of My Reefing Rules! DOH!

[budsreef]

I did a major clean of my refugium a while back and because of some changes I made I had a new diatom, cyano and algae bloom on the glass. I waited out the diatoms, treated for the cyano and scraped the algae off the glass. I did about a 90% water change and then added it back into my system. Once the water started flowing through, a lot of detritus kicked up which didn't really bother me since it was going to go to the sump through a filter sock and be removed anyway.

At some point I had the bright idea of running a syphon from the refugium to the sump through another filter sock that I would just take out and clean immediately. I got tired of standing there holding the hose so I set the input to the syphon so it hung just under a power head and as the detritus got pulled to the power head it went into the syphon. The other end went down to my sump into a temporary filter sock and I just stood there watching it do exactly what I wanted it to do.

Rule: Never Leave a syphon running unattended!

After watching it for about ten minutes I walked away into the other room to start a new batch of saltwater. I was gone just a couple of minutes but it was long enough for the end of the hose in the sump to see me leave, pull itself out of the sump and crawl across the floor. I came back to find about 5 gallons of saltwater on the floor. DOH!

 

[cr500_af]

I break the "never leave your RO running unattended for long periods" Sunday during my daughter's birthday party. MrsNecropolis came out to the grill and told me I might want to go in and check it. Doh!

 

[budsreef]

I need to get one of those "water on the floor detectors" and connect it to my Apex.

 

[gnashty]

I do it all the time - now i put a garden hose timer on my RO and it is working flawlessly - no more flooded garage - when my float switch in the RO floats the back pressure made it leak at the RO unit

 

[twocute2b4u]

Bud, you are a hoot - I needed that laugh

 

[ralph atl]

yeah, you aren't the only one....

 

[jennm]

If I had a dollar for every spill/overflow/flood/forgot water was running here at the shop, I'd be able to retire young.

Here, we call that, "Pulling an Eric". My friend Eric used to help us here, and he was the worst for leaving things unattended. Eric's best friend was the mop & bucket! :lol:

Jenn

 

[tuckdaway]

I keep a five gallon wet dry vacuum in the basement for exactly that reason. Have used it three times the last time was 20 gallons. 20 gallons on a basement floor is a lot of water. With the wet/ dry had it up in a few minutes. Carpet is another story. If you have carpet better not walk away.

I recall bud your basement isn't finished so I guess your episode wasn't too bad.

 

[courterbobby]

Ha I did this last night! I started a siphon to fill up my rotifer holding containers, filled em up and just drooped the hose back over the edge of the tote and walked away. 3 in the morning I realized what I did and BAM 5g on the floor

 

[budsreef]

Yes, it is unfinished, but the tank stands are all bare wood that soaks the water very quickly and it's difficult to dry underneath them. But I just ran a fan for a couple of days and hopefully all is OK.

Tuckdaway;527931 wrote: I keep a five gallon wet dry vacuum in the basement for exactly that reason. Have used it three times the last time was 20 gallons. 20 gallons on a basement floor is a lot of water. With the wet/ dry had it up in a few minutes. Carpet is another story. If you have carpet better not walk away.

I recall bud your basement isn't finished so I guess your episode wasn't too bad.

 

[budsreef]

DOH! :doh:

courterbobby;527943 wrote: Ha I did this last night! I started a siphon to fill up my rotifer holding containers, filled em up and just drooped the hose back over the edge of the tote and walked away. 3 in the morning I realized what I did and BAM 5g on the floor

 

[musicalocean]

Its ok Bud Im guilty too Left my RO unit going all night and woke up to a flooded living room and a very mad husband I always wanted tile anyway LOL

 

[rbredding]

five gallons is childs play... I emptied my entire sump and refugium into the base cabinet (and consequently the floor)...

I feel your pain, brother...

 

[musicalocean]

LOL me too

 

[weaglereefer]

Psh, I left my 150gpd RO/DI unit on for 9 hours while I was at work one day...

 

[drnecropolis]

I left mine running into a 30 gallon trashcan on a friday and went to Gulf Shores... I was able to cut it off finally.. Monday at about 7pm..

 

[bobz]

Can't even remember how many times I flooded the basement floor now! Probably won't be the last either.
Z