Holy h*ll

[DrBoxedWine]

So i don't have a question, but I thought i'd share my near disaster from last night with you guys since I don't want to tell the Mrs lol (no need to worry her)... I'm just getting my plumbing all set, and i'm having a leaky pvc fitting on the ball valve. i was tightening it up, and while i did that i accidentally opened up the ball valve more than the overflow can handle and didn't realize it. All of a sudden i look at my sump and realize the main chamber is really, really low. After a confused moment, i realized what had happened and immediately close the valve completely. I checked the tank, i couldn't have been more than a few seconds away from the DT overflowing!!! It was probably 1/4" from overflowing. I looked back at my wife as she was watching TV completely clueless to what almost happened, and she just smiled sweetly at me.

I changed my pants and considered this one a freebie, lol.

I don't even have fish in the tank yet, it would have been a really crappy way to start out. I'm bumping an Apex up on my list of things to get so i can get a float valve that will shut the pump off if this happens again. We have hardwoods and a finished basement with tenants in it below. I really, really, really, really need to not have a flood, lol.

Anyway, hope everyone is enjoying their friday!

 

[m0nkie]

lol.. disaster avoided!

last weekend I was changing all my outlets to APEX system.. nearly flooded the sump 4 times. Water came to the VERY top. good thing I had planned this fail safe when I set up the tank...

butttt... i brain farted and left the outlet tube of my GFO reactor outside the sump and hidden in a crack. heard flooding... I panicked and started feeling up on every part of the tank looking for a leak.. just couldnt figure it out..lost about 3 gallons of water before I realized my mistake.

 

[gone fishin]

I think most of us know that feeling. I had a snail block in a drain line a few months ago. It caused some head scratching for a little bit till I figured it out.

 

[Sk8r]

Yep. Employing the Mrs to stand watching the tank water level while you tinker---good idea.

I have a basement sump. First time I turned on the Iwaki 100 pump with the valve full open, I received a frantic thumping from upstairs telling me to shut down---seems the water stream was headed for the living room windows. Dial that back, much, yes.

 

[thegrun]

It may also act as a wake-up call to use a GFCI plug outlet if you are not already doing so. Saltwater and electricity do not mix well.

 

[DrBoxedWine]

It may also act as a wake-up call to use a GFCI plug outlet if you are not already doing so. Saltwater and electricity do not mix well.

Yup! I've been using a GFCI for a while now.

 

[JMorris271]

I've done that before but flooded my floor
Your poor tenants.I'm glad it turned out ok for you except for the pants.
Oh. Did your wife ask you why you soiled your pantaloons?

 

[DrBoxedWine]

I've done that before but flooded my floor
Your poor tenants.I'm glad it turned out ok for you except for the pants.
Oh. Did your wife ask you why you soiled your pantaloons?

No i played it cool, haha. That sucks about your flood. I got a lifereef overflow, and really have gone to painstaking lengths to do everything i can to avoid a flood. This showed me just easily it is. An apex is really going to have to happen.

Is there another cheap way to hook up a float valve to kill the return pump if the water level gets too high? I've seen you can rig up an ATO, but i don't want to spend a bunch of money when i plan on getting an Apex in November, anyway. But i'm sure if i just had to buy a float valve, i could find another use for it eventually.

 

[Sk8r]

Turning off your return pump is not a good idea: most tanks can last only 8 hours in that condition. As best I understand your problem your pump needs to be valved back, reined in,and left in that restricted condition because it's delivering more water upstairs than your drain can drain down. THis is rare. Most drains are 1 inch inner diameter. If your pump is way overpowered, just valve it back and leave the valve in that condition: if you're losing water from your system because of a valve leak, you need a better valve. Mine seeps a wee bit. But no leak. You may need to go to a hose barb with hose clamp to stop that leak. Put a bucket under it and just keep emptying the bucket if that's your only [temporary] alternative, but don't shut down your main pump.

 

[DrBoxedWine]

I plan to eventually tee off my return line to run a reactor, so i bought a pump that's too big for the overflow. I do have it scaled back with a ball valve, but i bumped it and it opened up without me realizing. Now i know not to do that, but it's reminded how things can happen. The leak is very minor, and is over the sump. Not a huge deal, but not something i just want to let go forever. It's minor, a drop of water falls into the sump every 10 minutes or so. I'll keep that in mind about shutting down the pump.