FIRE!!! Yikes!!!

[Curtswearing]

I don't know the cause but thank God I was home.

Here's my powerstrip and the underside of my tank stand. (Missouri has even more spiders than I thought).

 

[MarineDreamer]

WOWSA!!!

I'm glad to hear that you caught it. What did you have plugged into it? What tipped you off that something was amiss? (I'm thinking smell here...) And of course, did you have your 'drip loop' in?

I'm glad things aren't too bad, all things considered.

Trevor

 

[Curtswearing]

Light flickering and smell were the clues.

Yes..I have drip loops...however, I had a fire regardless for unknown reasons. My other pic didn't attach so I will try again.

 

[CarlaW]

Whoa,man, thank God everybody is ok, I hope. Do you think it was a defective strip? Hope it all comes out good for ya. Let us know if you can figure out what caused it.

 

[wrightme43]

Man seeing that is scary. Sorry it happened to you. Now I want one of those musicians 8 way switched circuit breaker protected racks even more. I think they are 27.99. Its in Dons post about extra outlet power strips. I have had two different house fires, THEY SUCK!!!!!!! Wall heater, and the other defective bathroom exhaust fan. I hate fire. One thing I did do is put a fire alarm right over my tank. Just in case I am asleep. On the upside I bet it killed all your spiders under the tank. On that note. Does anyone know of a power strip made specially for saltwater tanks? Not the natural wave (it destroys pumps IMHO) All the ones I have seen (and use) say not for aquarium use. I would be willing to switch if somebody makes a cool one. Just a thought. STEVE

 

[Curtswearing]

You are correct....I don't see any live spiders. Unfortunately, my cowfish seems to have died as well.

 

[johnehr]

I just bought a GFCI power strip for power tools at home depot... Is this going to kill my pumps?

 

[Curtswearing]

I can't say for sure John...my powerstrip was an el-cheapo. I would assume that a good powerstrip wouldn't do what mine did. However, you never know, do ya???

 

[Curtswearing]

One thing I did do is put a fire alarm right over my tank. Just in case I am asleep.

I will be buying a fire alarm to put over my tank today. Great idea!!! I lucked out. I just had a stud catch on fire and I was able to put that out. (My tank is built into my wall). I'm going to put some drywall which is fire resistant up as wall on that back wall in the storage room.

 

[NaH2O]

Wow - the end of the power strip is worse than I imagined, Curt. Please describe to everyone where the powerstrip was in relation to the tank. I'm not sure water could have dripped in there. Maybe Scooterman can come up with some possible theories. Glad you and the other house inhabitants are fine, and the house is still standing.

Did your Pom-Pom crab make it?

 

[CarlaW]

What was plugged into the powerstrip? I really think that this could be a good learning tool for everybody. Sounds like you got rid of your spider problem tho. Is it possible a spider got into one of the outlets? I have heard of stranger things happening, ie., squirrles shorting out entire neighborhoods when they get into power!!!
Keep us updated. Again, glad you and yours are safe, that is most important!!!!!!!!

 

[Curtswearing]

I had two powerstrips hanging on the wall. One was hanging on the wall slightly higher than the tank and the other one was hanging on the wall underneath the home-built stand. There is no way that water can get to the lower one either because my stand is made out of a kitchen counter. I have a hole drilled in it for the overflow and the second powerstrip (now fried) was not near that. The spiderwebs were black due to the very black smoke that was coming from the melting plastic. In fact, the whole house still stinks to the high heavens.

I don't know if the pom-pom made it or not. I can't see him. The cabbage leather in that tank on my desk is sliming big-time, the anemome is dead, all of the snails are dead. My frogspawn is retracted but not sliming (so that could be a good sign). My GSP's are not opening but also not sliming. The button polyps are closed and sliming a little and all of the mushrooms are shriveled up. I don't know what they put in that plastic but it must put off some very toxic fumes.

I think that we should all consider putting smoke detectors near our tanks like Steve suggested. I could have been asleep and things would have been MUCH worse. We should also CHANGE THOSE BATTERIES!!! The smoke detector in the laundry room didn't go off because the batteries were dead. I always check my batteries when daylight savings time changes. I guess it's time to check more often.

 

[Curtswearing]

What was plugged into the powerstrip?

A return pump, two heaters, a small powerhead, a grounding probe, and one of those airpumps that run by batteries and don't turn on unless the power goes out.

Is it possible a spider got into one of the outlets?

I don't think so but you never know.

Again, glad you and yours are safe, that is most important!!!!!!!!

Thanks....much appreciated!!!

 

[MtnDewMan]

Wow Curt,

Just saw this post. This is terrible for sure. Was it plugged into a GCFI outlet? Was this powerstrip a GCFI strip? I wonder if it was a GCFI that the initial short may have tripped it first? then make the damage it did?

Sorry to hear about your losses in the tank. Sounds like some voltage made it into the tank?

 

[NaH2O]

Not to speak for Curt...but I'm going to

The inhabitants that were lost were in nano tanks and not the inwall tank where this power strip was located.

 

[Curtswearing]

Not to speak for Curt...but I'm going to

And you normally don't communicate much. LOL

The GFCI is in my circuit breaker and not on the tank itself. I'm not sure if that had anything to do with it or not. There are two nano tanks in the rec room and they were harmed by the fumes.

I just got off the phone with someone and they said I'm going to have to paint all my walls in the basement with something called Kilz and then repaint to get rid of the smoke odor. Bummer.

 

[Hooked]

Curt,

I'm so sorry that happened to you, but very happy it wasn't worse.

I worry about that all the time. I'm almost OCD about it--checking that the coffee maker, dryer, etc are off when I leave the house. I've even driven the 20+ miles back home from work a couple of times because I'm afraid I forgot to turn something off.

I'm hoping Scooterman will chime in here and shed some light on what might have happened.

When I wired my system, I put a GFI box under the tank and all of the power strips are plugged into each other in series then into the GFI, which in turn is plugged into a GFI curcuit in the wall. Probably overkill. I knocked a VHO bulb into the water once and the GFI under the tank kicked off, so I feel it works properly. I also use a metal-cased strip--don't know if it's better or not.

I am going to buy a smoke detector today.

 

[Alice]

Wow Curt! I'm so glad you were at home! I'm sorry you lost some of your critters to the fumes.

Kilz is good stuff and the latex-based dries fast w/out too much odor but get youself a couple of good fans for ventilation anyway.

As for smoke detectors, check them once a month. Use Duracell 9-volts in them - most reliable battery by far. October is Nat'l Fire and Safety month; since I do inspections at work this time of the year I also do them at home. This time of year I throw the old 9-volt out and get a new one..I don't wait for them to chirp at me. I also take a small brush and compressed air to clean the dust out of the censor area of the detector.

Alice

 

[CarlaW]

Well, if nothing else, it looks like there is gonna be a run on smoke detectors today. Not a good way to find out that you need one, but it should keep every body on their toes, which is good!
Sorry for the loss of your critters I know that you'll be on the comeback trail tho.

 

[Curtswearing]

Great....thanks everyone!!!