Things you have found out the hard way - aquarium related

[Ruth]

I was replying to a post a while ago on RC and thought it would be funny to see what other people that don't rate high up there on the Intellectual scale. I know it's probably already been done buy hey - new day - new blunder. Anyway here is what I posted:

Did you know that if you forget to check that the o-ring on a Mag 350 cannister filter is on and it's not that it will start spewing water quite quickly in about a 3 foot radius? Did you also know that if you happen to be standing in that 3 foot puddle of water the electricity will travel through same puddle of water at an alarming speed and cause you to be able to levitate and scream like a little girl???

[Delphinus]

Did you know that if you're filling a tank with a hose hooked up to your laundry outlet, that you should periodically check the outlet end for leaks? Did you know that you can spill a LOT of water this way because you can't hear the water dripping over the sound of the water sloshing into the tank? Did you know that spouses get really annoyed when you soak their flooring?

[christyf5]

Originally Posted by Ruth

cause you to be able to levitate and scream like a little girl???

Any skimmer adjustment made before going to bed is guaranteed to have some sort of overflow resulting in you hearing a giant sucking noise as your pumps run dry due to lack of water because the skimmer has sucked it all up and sent it into your skimmate collection bucket you have conveniently set up because you don't want to have to clean the cup too often This causes you to bolt upright in bed from a deep sleep and race down the stairs half awake, which usually involves you arms and legs akimbo at the bottom of the stairs because there is about 5-10 gallons of water on the floor which is a nice slippery tile. Not too shabby for 3am eh?

Luckily I haven't electrically levitated but I suppose I did scream like a girl considering I am one

Also this must happen at least 3-5 times before you learn anything from it

Christy

[StirCrazy]

Did you know if you let your tank temp get to 115 degrees over night ... everything dies......


STeve

[BMW Rider]

Did you know that when you are doing a water change and drain the water down so that the glass heater is high and dry, it will kick on and heat up really hot so that when you add the new water in it will explode into a million pieces and cause you great panic because you:

1. realize that the GFCI outlet that you meant to install would have been a good thing since all that sizzling and popping and smoking that a broken heater under water makes can't be good or safe as you desperatly try to decipher the tangle of cords and determine which one is for the heater so you can yank it out of the power bar.
2. need to redo the whole water change and you don't have enough premixed water ready and must decide whether to let the poor fish stew in the now questionable water or risk doing the water change again with raw mixed water.
3. now do not have a heater in the tank and don't own a spare one and its not good timing because the stores are closed at this time of day and you can't get to a store to buy a new one until late the next day.

I did not know this either until I did it to my QT tank. (actually I probably did know but just didn't realize it).

[OCDP]

did you know that if you drop a set of lights into the water you'll both A) ruin your lights and B) shock the crap out of yourself?? Ok you guys are pretty smart... haha.... but did you know that once the initial shock is over with and you unplug your fixture to go grab it a second time, there is still a massive electric charge in the water therefore giving you another crazy bolt of electricity through your body?

ok so maybe you did know...... haha

ALSO.. did you know: Mr. Danny Zubot got to see me do this first hand? hahaha eeeesh

[Scavenger]

Just because something is concidered "reef safe" is is not necessarily "REEFER SAFE!" and on the same note, urchin spines are very hard to get out from under a finger nail!!

[Aquattro]

Did you know they make little clamp things to keep hoses on barb fittings? Did you know you need to use them or you get lots of water where it isn't supposed to go?

[Invigor]

did you know wearing bare feet on a concrete floor in the basement is a good way to find out if there's stray voltage in your tank?

another one I learned that's pretty widely known now:

did you know when you're setting up plumbing from the return pump all it takes is a tiny hole to make life sooo simple. when you unplug your return pump to make sure your sump doesn't overfill from the dropoff water, you find out the water from the tank starts sucking through your return pipes, so in a panic you plug the pump back in only to have your overflow NOT work and have water pour over the lip of the tank. So while maintaining a certain water level in the tank by plugging and unplugging the pump with one hand, you only have one other hand to find a way to break the syphon from your extremely well glued PVC pipe and when you finally do get the syphon broke, you're scared to try it again.

did you know a 1600gph pump in a 5gal pail isn't a good idea to mix water with while you're on the way out the door late for work.

[Jack]

Staggering home after a fun night out you realize you're using your old toothbrush that you clean your skimmer with.... and at that point don't care and continue.