Advice Needed Quick!!

[DaBrowns]

To avoid me selling it all in anger over losing a fish:evil: , I need some advice. Last night one side of my supply "T" coming from the return pump broke loose , before anyone asks...it was siliconed with aquarium safe silicone. This spooked our most "pet-like" fish the True Perc Clown, who jumped out the back of the tank, between the tank/stand and the wall, and died laying sandwiched between the sump and the wall. All pumps are shut off at this point as I'm still at work until 9am PST. The powerheads are on and the lights are on to keep the water in the tank warm.

Would it be better to fix only where the pipe popped off, or better in the long run to suck the sump and overflows dry, and re-do the plumbing and electrical while I'm at it.

One other consideration...there are still 2 fish, 2 conks, and the entire 150g clean-up crew in the tank.

Thanks for everything in advance....and R.I.P. "Coral" the Clown

 

[CarlaW]

If it was me, I would go ahead and redo everything the right way. That way you won't have to me with it again, and hopefully forego any more losses. JMHO

 

[DaBrowns]

It's not that everything is wrong...but the return line on the side that popped off is considerably shorter than the other...the return pump sits on left side of the sump, creating more pressure on that side...we are due for the 1st water change on Wednesday...and the tank is finally cycled. Just VERY frustrating thinking you're over the hump, then get knocked down a few pegs.

Thanks for the advice though

 

[CarlaW]

It's not that everything is wrong...but the return line on the side that popped off is considerably shorter than the other...the return pump sits on left side of the sump, creating more pressure on that side...we are due for the 1st water change on Wednesday...and the tank is finally cycled. Just VERY frustrating thinking you're over the hump, then get knocked down a few pegs.

Thanks for the advice though

Forgive me, maybe I worded that wrong, but you are still going to have to redo something, correct? Why not take the time to redo it, especially the electrical stuff?
Believe me, I know about getting knocked down a few pegs friend. This isn't the first or the last time it is gonna happen, just take it in stride.

 

[Krish]

Any chance to get a pic?? I'm trying to visualize what happened and if I'm thinking correctly, was it a pvc pipe that broke loose on the return which a PVC "T" was attached to by silicone? If so, did you just use silicone on it? If that is the case, and it was a pvc to pvc joint, pvc cement should be used at all times to prevent that from happening not just silicone. If I'm confused on what actually happened...My bad I'm just trying to understand what exactly came loose

Sorry to hear about your troubles and your loss...

 

[DaBrowns]

you hit the nail on the head Krish. The return line comes out the top of the pump to a ball valve, then to the T which is connected to white pvc hose that connects to each bulkhead. I didn't know you could use actual glue and thought it was not safe for the "life" in the aquarium. If it is safe to use some then that's the route we will go...at any rate I want a rock solid plumbing scheme that I do not have to worry about my wife waking up to a flash flood and killing anymore inhabitants.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Use basic PVC cement on all PVC plumbing. It is bullet proof, very fast, and easy. Any hardware store will show you how it is done.

 

[DaBrowns]

OK does that apply to a system that is already up and running...if so that means draining the OF boxes and re-doing all the plumbing. Can the system be "down" that long without the return pump working?? I was told "incorrectly" it seems that the silicone was all that was needed.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

That long is not very long. Have your parts all lined up and pre-cut ready to cement. The setting time is like 1-3 minutes. Leave the tank up, just re-do the plumbing. Plug the drain holes if you have to. Large corks work great.

 

[Krish]

I agree with Mike and pvc cement is safe by all means Every tank you see done with pvc plumbing is done using pvc primer and pvc cement. That is the only way you can really safely secure all your plumbing parts together and not have them blow apart from the pressure from the pumps. You will be fine with the tank being down for the time it takes to do the plumbing work as well IMO. Not sure what all is entailed in re-doing it like if you have to drain the tank or what, but if the tank is left up and the water level is just lowered, I'd just pop in a powerhead to keep things circulating. Good luck!

 

[mmkeeper]

If you do this don't feed anything till your sump is up.

 

[burning2nd]

kiss,

if its not broke dont fix it.

fix whats broke improve what needs to be repaired.


sit, wait think plan execute.

 

[DaBrowns]

First off thanks for all the advice everyone...it really helps being able to ask ALOT of others who have probably been there and done that before who's wisdom us newbies can benefit from.

Second...we are back up and running...the only casuality "so far" was the female clown I mentioned earlier.

"Hopefully" this is the end of the plumbing issues...I am also planning on using egg crate light grid to build up the sides of the tank.

Has anyone actually ever SEEN one of their fish jump out of the tank??? I'm wondering how high is high enough to protect the fish yet not be an eyesore when viewing the tank?? Right now ours is COMPLETELY open.

 

[Krish]

I've never seen them jump out before...Just them sitting on the floor the next day. In any event, different species of fish will have the ability to jump higher than others so I'd take that into consideration when deciding how high to place the egg crate. Most people will sit it on the tank's frame and call it a day though