Conesus_Kid
Premium Member
Operation "Find the Leak" underway...
- Thread starter Conesus_Kid
- Start date
Conesus_Kid
Premium Member
The saga continues...
The saga continues...
Well, the aquarium has been sitting filled with tap water for a couple of weeks with no leaks, so it was definitely the plumbing.
Maintaining the aquarium takes up a good chunk of any down time that I may have. Finding time to make the repairs has been a challenge.
Yesterday, I finally finished re-routing all of the plumbing. I got rid of the two huge 2" returns in the corners and instead have decided to run the return through the (former) closed loop manifold. (There's six outlets spread across the top.)
After the temperature trouble I had this summer, I decided to dedicate the Dart pump to go straight to the chiller and back through two outlets that empty over the back of the display.
Everything seemed to go well. This morning I arrived to large puddles on the floor. Apparently, I must have jarred/loosened the closed loop intake and it was leaking into the same chamber.:headwalls:
I've re-tightened the bulkhead and pipe and shop-vacced the water out of that chamber. I'll leave it over the weekend to make sure that it's done leaking before I test the plumbing.
I was hoping to pressure test the plumbing today, but it looks like things are pushed back until next week.
On the bright side, I applied for and received a mini-grant from our PTA and have purchased two new ballasts for my 250w lamps:
They're magnetic ballasts that can run the DE bulbs I have. The nice thing about them is that they are much less expensive to repair than their electronic counterparts.
Hopefully I'm done with surprises! I'll also be re-aquascaping, as I try to make lemonade from these lemons...
The saga continues...
Well, the aquarium has been sitting filled with tap water for a couple of weeks with no leaks, so it was definitely the plumbing.
Maintaining the aquarium takes up a good chunk of any down time that I may have. Finding time to make the repairs has been a challenge.
Yesterday, I finally finished re-routing all of the plumbing. I got rid of the two huge 2" returns in the corners and instead have decided to run the return through the (former) closed loop manifold. (There's six outlets spread across the top.)
After the temperature trouble I had this summer, I decided to dedicate the Dart pump to go straight to the chiller and back through two outlets that empty over the back of the display.
Everything seemed to go well. This morning I arrived to large puddles on the floor. Apparently, I must have jarred/loosened the closed loop intake and it was leaking into the same chamber.:headwalls:
I've re-tightened the bulkhead and pipe and shop-vacced the water out of that chamber. I'll leave it over the weekend to make sure that it's done leaking before I test the plumbing.
I was hoping to pressure test the plumbing today, but it looks like things are pushed back until next week.
On the bright side, I applied for and received a mini-grant from our PTA and have purchased two new ballasts for my 250w lamps:
They're magnetic ballasts that can run the DE bulbs I have. The nice thing about them is that they are much less expensive to repair than their electronic counterparts.
Hopefully I'm done with surprises! I'll also be re-aquascaping, as I try to make lemonade from these lemons...
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
Remember, it's always darkest just before they turn the lights on.
As someone who is days away from taking my first sip of lemonade with respect to reworking a large tank build, I can tell ya, keep at it and it'll be well worth it in the end.
Conesus_Kid
Premium Member
This is getting old...
This is getting old...
Had all plumbing finished last week and the new ballasts arrived on Friday.
Tested the closed loop/chiller line with tap all day on Monday and it passed with flying colors.
Monday afternoon I drained and started the saltwater fill. As of this morning, I had enough saltwater in the system to operate the main return and drain to the sump.
FAIL!!! My return plumbing is great, but when I was installing it, I nicked one of the drain lines with my sawzall. No big deal (I thought). I cut through the drain pipe and installed a coupling with lotsa PVC primer and glue. This new joint in the drain line was dripping. ARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!
Today after work, I started to cut the offending drain with the sawzall and got one of those cheap PVC cable saws to cut down on collateral damage. It will probably take about a month to saw through the 2" PVC using that worthless tool.
To top it all off, I noticed that I had either jarred something on that drain line or overtightened the bulkhead to the glass holes overflow, because that has now developed a small drip.:blown:
This aquarium is quickly approaching the tipping point where the headaches are outweighing the benefits. It's not like it's in my house where I can putter around on it all evening or on the weekend, relaxing and taking breaks when I like. I have to cram in what I can during the short time I have after work before I have to pick up my kids. Obviously, the tank also has to take a back seat to my primary job responsibilities as well.
I'm hoping I can repair this in a relatively short time tomorrow. Of course it's located in one of the hardest-to-reach spots in the system...
This is getting old...
Had all plumbing finished last week and the new ballasts arrived on Friday.
Tested the closed loop/chiller line with tap all day on Monday and it passed with flying colors.
Monday afternoon I drained and started the saltwater fill. As of this morning, I had enough saltwater in the system to operate the main return and drain to the sump.
FAIL!!! My return plumbing is great, but when I was installing it, I nicked one of the drain lines with my sawzall. No big deal (I thought). I cut through the drain pipe and installed a coupling with lotsa PVC primer and glue. This new joint in the drain line was dripping. ARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!
Today after work, I started to cut the offending drain with the sawzall and got one of those cheap PVC cable saws to cut down on collateral damage. It will probably take about a month to saw through the 2" PVC using that worthless tool.
To top it all off, I noticed that I had either jarred something on that drain line or overtightened the bulkhead to the glass holes overflow, because that has now developed a small drip.:blown:
This aquarium is quickly approaching the tipping point where the headaches are outweighing the benefits. It's not like it's in my house where I can putter around on it all evening or on the weekend, relaxing and taking breaks when I like. I have to cram in what I can during the short time I have after work before I have to pick up my kids. Obviously, the tank also has to take a back seat to my primary job responsibilities as well.
I'm hoping I can repair this in a relatively short time tomorrow. Of course it's located in one of the hardest-to-reach spots in the system...
Conesus_Kid
Premium Member
Thanks, Justin.
I came in early and finished cutting out the old coupling and put in a fresh one.
A little CSI investigation revealed the source of the leak:
There was a crack in the drain pipe. It may have happened when after cutting the pipe the first time, it dropped and hit the floor upon the completion of the cut.
There's another coupling around 3 inches from the new one. Just to be safe, I gobbed a bunch of PVC glue on the bottom of the pipe between them. (I'm pretty sure that will be ineffective if there is a crack there...)
At least I know it wasn't my plumbing skills that caused the leak!
I'm going to let her dry a few more hours before testing.
Wish me luck!
I came in early and finished cutting out the old coupling and put in a fresh one.
A little CSI investigation revealed the source of the leak:
There was a crack in the drain pipe. It may have happened when after cutting the pipe the first time, it dropped and hit the floor upon the completion of the cut.
There's another coupling around 3 inches from the new one. Just to be safe, I gobbed a bunch of PVC glue on the bottom of the pipe between them. (I'm pretty sure that will be ineffective if there is a crack there...)
At least I know it wasn't my plumbing skills that caused the leak!
I'm going to let her dry a few more hours before testing.
Wish me luck!
Conesus_Kid
Premium Member
Back online!
Back online!
It appears as if most issues have been more or less resolved.
I still need to catch the two clarkiis and one blackbar chromis from the sump. I spent 45 minutes yesterday being outsmarted by the fish as I attempted to catch them. I then realized that I can wait until water change day next week and drain the majority of the water out of the sump.
The split from the RBTA is on the left hand side of the tank. It's very pale/bleached looking, but it gripped and settled in to that spot nicely and hasn't moved since yesterday. I'll keep an eye on it via the webcam over the weekend. I'm assuming it'll eventually color up like its momma (seen on the right hand side of the tank).
Thanks for the well-wishes, everyone. Now to drain and clean up the holding tank I was using....:hmm3:
Back online!
It appears as if most issues have been more or less resolved.
I still need to catch the two clarkiis and one blackbar chromis from the sump. I spent 45 minutes yesterday being outsmarted by the fish as I attempted to catch them. I then realized that I can wait until water change day next week and drain the majority of the water out of the sump.
The split from the RBTA is on the left hand side of the tank. It's very pale/bleached looking, but it gripped and settled in to that spot nicely and hasn't moved since yesterday. I'll keep an eye on it via the webcam over the weekend. I'm assuming it'll eventually color up like its momma (seen on the right hand side of the tank).
Thanks for the well-wishes, everyone. Now to drain and clean up the holding tank I was using....:hmm3:
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
:beer:
