power outage may have broken return pump. help?

[elweshomayor]

Hey guys, we just had a thunder storm come out of the blue and my return pump is no longer functioning. I tried a few things to see if i could get it to work again but it may be fried.

Everything else seems to be working. (The lights, skimmer and wave maker pump). Since the return pump osnt working skimmer is just skimming refugium water.

Pump is still moving water in tank but LFS doesn open until 11. Would this be enough to keep fish and coral alive until then? I can just aim the pump to agitate water more if need be? Maybe?
What else should i do?
Or maybe i havent tried everything and i can get pump to work?

 

[thegrun]

Try to point the pump/powerhead towards the surface for more water agitation and put a heater inside the display. If you have an air pump and airstone I would also add that to the display. You might run the skimmer just for a little water movement in the sump.

 

[elweshomayor]

Try to point the pump/powerhead towards the surface for more water agitation and put a heater inside the display. If you have an air pump and airstone I would also add that to the display. You might run the skimmer just for a little water movement in the sump.

Ok, so the powerheads are pointing to the surface now. Thankfully theyre pretty strong.

I left skimmer on as well for the refugium.. would this be ok until the morning?

 

[JUNBUG361]

Should be okay. Till you get the new pump today, as lon the water is circulating in the sump & main tank. If you have no problem purchasing another pump for emergency or even a use one, then go for it.

 

[Sk8r]

Most tanks will go 8 hours with no circulation. Are you getting any sound out of the ailing pump? If it's rotating but not moving water, it could just be a broken impeller, which can be replaced. Get the store to investigate and show you the insides. A backup pump is never a bad idea. if you feel the tank is in trouble, get a pitcher and stand on a chair and ddip and pour water to get bubbles, as many gallon pitchers as you have gallons in the tank.

 

[elweshomayor]

Most tanks will go 8 hours with no circulation. Are you getting any sound out of the ailing pump? If it's rotating but not moving water, it could just be a broken impeller, which can be replaced. Get the store to investigate and show you the insides. A backup pump is never a bad idea. if you feel the tank is in trouble, get a pitcher and stand on a chair and ddip and pour water to get bubbles, as many gallon pitchers as you have gallons in the tank.

That would be 150 pitchers lol But Thankfully my wavemakers placed near the top are producing enough bubbles to be ok.

I got it out of the tank and it was smoking. I feel like it heat up and was just evaporating the water inside of it but yeah..

After I cleaned it, i tested it in a barrel and it worked but when placed back in the tank it didnt.. just made some noise and then quiet.
I was kinda afraid to put my hand in the water and getting shocked. This is a big pump so if there was a current it could really hurt. :headwalls:
It also seemed weaker than I thought it was during testing but that just be me.
I called LFS but he hasnt picked up yet. Not sure if I should try cleaning it again and trying again or just purchase a new one.

 

[Sk8r]

Smoking might mean there was a surge that fried things. I don't like 'smoking'. I'd go for a new one.
Is that pump on a GFI circuit? Seems to me a surge that fierce ought to have tripped something. See if you can get something that will: computer stuff might provide a fuse interrupt for this kind of thing. And also get some of those Penn-plax bubble pumps that work on battery. If you live in the land of thunderstorms and power outs, these things can save your tank. Amazon will have them.

 

[elweshomayor]

Smoking might mean there was a surge that fried things. I don't like 'smoking'. I'd go for a new one.
Is that pump on a GFI circuit? Seems to me a surge that fierce ought to have tripped something. See if you can get something that will: computer stuff might provide a fuse interrupt for this kind of thing. And also get some of those Penn-plax bubble pumps that work on battery. If you live in the land of thunderstorms and power outs, these things can save your tank. Amazon will have them.

I ended up buying a new pump, but alas, the PVC tubing I had with the other pump didnt fit:angryfire:

Im going to have to make a trip to Lowes in just a minute to buy the piece to make it fit it:uzi:

 

[Sk8r]

Arrgh. When you've been in the hobby as long as I've been---we've been known to supply our plumber on the house pipes with a part he didn't have. Nothing's ever wasted. You'll eventually find a use for a 6" piece of misfit hose, maybe 10 years from now, but it'll be used.

 

[elweshomayor]

After a stressful day. (Didnt even study for MCAT thats on the 31st!) the tank is back and running. Thankfully i didnt lose anything (of what little i have) lol.

This new pump seems to prevent some of the particles the other one was pushing through. Im digging it. (dont mind the plastic plants lol, they will be slowly taken out and replaced )

 

[OrQidz]

Glad you got a new pump. Smoking equipment is not good! Good to see things up and running again. If you don't have things plugged into a GFCI outlet, you can get a a GFCI plug in thing, put it into the outlet, and plug your power strip into that.

Good luck on your MCATs!