OK - here's the scoop. The sump is fine.....after doing a low water test in each compartment, nothing leaked out. The sump will get filled up tonight for an official full water test, but I'm fairly confident it isn't the sump anymore.
It wasn't the UV because that is located behind the side cabinet, and there wasn't any water there. Plumbing all looked fine....good glue was used for the rest of the plumbing
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Next is the skimmer.....I'm pretty sure this was the problem. After the sump was completely cleaned out, and skimmer removed, we could give the sump a good look over. Along the back edge of the sump (where the output is directed) you could see a small area where there wasn't any dust. I couldn't see this before. You see the dust along the back edge of the sump, then it stops right in the area where the skimmer output was located, then the dust starts up again a little further down the edge. I think you all were right about the skimmer. The output water must have just spilled over enough that it ran down the outside of the sump. I'm going to give it a good cleaning today. Since it is an air intake issue, is there something I need to look for or do special when I clean this part out? Also....can I put some type of U tube or T on the output of the skimmer to direct the water a little bit, in the event this happens again?
Here is a shot of where the skimmer is. The output is not as close to the sump side, as appears in the image. It is pretty centered in that compartment, however, if it went nuts and shot water out, then I could see it running down the outside of the sump.
My collection cup was not full (someone asked about that?). Krish - no problem taking it off topic. I'm very equipmentally challenged, so I don't know why these things happen. I'm trying to learn, though
. I just don't want to learn bad stuff through my own experience ROFL.
The fun stuff begins tonight.....we have to empty the tank and move it to replace the carpet pad. I'm a freak about molds (especially since the little one has asthma), so we are going to pull the tank out, and replace the padding underneath. Nick was kind enough to offer to help, so I thank him in advance for that. I'm also going to scrub my rock while this is all going on. The tank will be down overnight, and fans put on the subfloor, if it is still wet. Fortunately for me, I'm storing my brother's 120 gallon tank, so I at least have a tank the same size as mine to put everything in.
AquaGuru - Go Colts and Go Bears! (I'm a Chicago area transplant)