I'm ready to quit

[Ruth]

Before I kill myself. Ok last weekend I had the electrician out because I have to put in a new breaker box because for some reason the one I have is too small. Anyway he had to shut the power off for 3 hours - no problem I fired up my generator and ran my closed loops for flow on both large tanks and the return pump on the 44 cube. For some reason my return pump on my 230g backsyphoned (it has never done this before) and before I noticed it my sump had overflowed onto the floor. In my haste to bail some water out of the sump (not thinking to simply plug the return pump into my generator) I knocked the coralife PC fixture into the sump completely submerging it. Dried it all off and left overnight - plugged it in and........big pop and that is fried. Got the water from the overflowing sump cleaned up and then noticed that one of my tunze 6100 was not working - turns out the controller is crapped out in all but one plugin. Then the next day my controller box on my Tunze 6200 on my 190g tank starts squeeling - after much experimenting it is the powerhead itself.
This weekend I did my usual weekly water change on my 190 and being a good girl I tore the skimmer apart and really cleaned it (gross). I thought I had it dialed in properly so outside I go to fill up bird feeders. Come back in and there is approx. 15 gallons of water that the skimmer has kicked out completely overflowing my collection bucket and - you guessed it - all over my floor! GD it but 10 gallons of water covers a lot of area when it is on the floor. So now I am just sitting at my computor and not moving and not doing anything else - period!
If this belongs in the lounge could a mod please move it. Thanks for reading my rant! Now someone please feel sorry for me and agree to sell me some SPS frags when I am down in Vancouver at Christmas!:smilecol:

[Beverly]

OMG! I thought I was having a bad aquarium day, but nothing like yours. No spilled water, thank goodness, and no dead equipment. Ruth, you have my unending sympathies :(

[Ken]

Hi Ruth, so sorry to hear of this. You have my sympathy as well. My suggestion is clean it up, prepare to spend more money and make a wish list. I have power bars that get water spill on it before, I usually toss them in the garbage, I won't even try to dry them out. Regards Ken

[Andy]

Hi Ruth

Sorry to hear of your troubles. The squeeling sound coming out of the controller usually means that your powerhead needs cleaning. I've had that happen to me a few times. I take the impeller out and soak the whole powerhead including impeller in straight vinegar. That usually does the trick.

[Ruth]

Thanks Andy and I tried that - twice. Took it all apart including impeller and soaked in vinegar overnight. I am pretty sure it is either the powerhead or the impeller is cracked. If I plug it in then it will sometimes turn quite slowly and then it is like it gets stuck. I have looked and can't see a crack in the magnet but it has to be there - either that or something in the impeller shaft that I can't see or feel is binding it.
They are going to replace it for me because it is only about 3 months old. How was the holiday by the way? More relaxing than my last 2 weeks have been I bet. I have the travel agent trying to find me a 2 week package in Belize for March so am really pumped about that!

[Delphinus]

Sorry to hear of your troubles!! Man that's no fun, good luck sorting it out!!

Belize, eh? Should do the trick. Just remember this handy phrase: Quattro piña colada, por favor, señor.

[Ruth]

Oh I'll get it sorted out Tony - just have to sulk and pout a little first. I was ready to ask for that drink in any language this afternoon I tell you - and I don't drink! I have not travelled very much (except to some places for work that most people probably wouldn't consider) and am going by myself so am a little nervous but it should be fun!

[christyf5]

Sorry to hear of your troubles!! Man that's no fun, good luck sorting it out!!

Belize, eh? Should do the trick. Just remember this handy phrase: Quattro piña colada, por favor, señor.

You don't have to speak spanish in Belize,plain old english will do :p

Ruth, you know I think, in this hobby, you're almost predisposed to having "one of those days" which usually involves copious amounts of water on the floor (sometimes repeatedly) and the threat of death by electrocution. It makes the hobby more exciting don'tcha think ;)

Hey while you're in Belize, screw the pina coladas, try a PantyRipper :D

[Ruth]

Ya Christy you gotta love it! Panty ripper eh? I'll have to think about that one! I'm sure if someone had offered me one this afternoon I would have had them mix me up a whole salt pail full.
And I did get fortunate because as I wait for the electician to finish - my son has to go spidey creeping under the house with the wires before he can finish - and I have cords running all over the place with powerbars on the floor that thankfully did not get any water near them - and yes I am going to temporarily mount them on my wall until he finishes.

[christyf5]

Heh, they're just pineapple juice (and might I mention the best tasting pineapple juice EVER) and coconut rum but they sneak up on ya ;)

[rusty]

Sorry to hear about your spillage, I too went through an episode like that a couple weeks ago, Auto top off stuck open water spilling out of the sump. Went to fix that and knocked the plumbing for the skimmer itstarted to leak lost its syphone and over heated the pump. Still don't have any of it fixed... because I am still ****ed!!! I will get off my butt and fix it one of these days.:confused:

[muck]

You know you wouldn't quit Ruth. You're a lifer.
Besides I think you enjoy setting up new tanks too much. :razz: :mrgreen:

[Bob I]

Sorry to hear about all those problems. Even I, who has none of those fancy gizmos like sumps, and skimmers, have problems with my ATO. I have the problem of those infernal mini brittlestars getting into the litle container that holds the level switch. Harvey has made the holes very small, but they still get in and stop the level switch from working.

[scub steve]

ya i had one of thouse days too i was cleaning my skimmer cup shaking the water out of it when it sliped from my hand and smash now i have no skimmer and im 300km away from the nearist supplier :( and i dont have a credit card hard to find a supplier that ships cod

[Ruth]

Hey Steve Ocean Aquatics accepts paypal and it is easy to set up an account there that directly debits your bank account. Don't know if you need a credit card back up though.

[Snappy]

Ruth you have my sympathies as well. On a brighter note I think you will really enjoy you upcoming vacation. Belize is a world class scuba destination and has a barrier reef 2nd only to Australia. If you aren't certified yet, take your pool dives here and do the open water lessons in the tropics. You will love it. My family dives (my avitar shows my wife and a large turtle in Cozumel) and we are also headed to Belize for a week of diving the end of Jan. I hope my tanks will be ok upon my return. I hope the same for yours now and during your trip.