Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => New Fishkeepers => Topic started by: pollydoodle on September 20, 2018, 03:53:41 PM

Title: Well that went well - NOT!!
Post by: pollydoodle on September 20, 2018, 03:53:41 PM
I was going to clean my filter for the first time since getting my tank, and as usual, got everything ready for the water change, 50%, switched off all the electrics and pulled the filter from the cupboard.  With the instructions to hand I tried to remove the tap connector, but my hands weren't strong enough to undo the screws and like the idiot that I am,  ::) I've just this minute realised that's not what was meant!!   :sick: so I thought I would just remove the pump head  and I suddenly found all the water was syphoning back out of the tank through it  :yikes: :yikes: :rotfl:  luckily I had a couple of buckets to hand  (and the carpet covered)  and managed to catch nearly all the water before I could drag the outlet and inlet pipes from the tank to stop the flow. I eventually got the filter housing to the kitchen complete with bucket of tank water (here's one I filled earlier!!  :rotfl: and did the necessary work.  I had removed all the silk plants and ornaments to make a good job of cleaning the gravel and emptying the tank. That bit went well as I can run a pipe straight outside into the garden.  No problem there.  Then I have a 25 litre bucket which I fill with the garden hose, dose with de chlorinator, add warm water and use a submersible pump to refill the tank. This is where it went wrong again!  The pump switch had accidently been knocked on and as I was trying to get the pipe into the tank, water was flowing onto the carpet, it took me a while to realise what had happened!!  Finally I finished and cleaned up, somewhat wet and chastened and not to mention shattered, it had taken me all morning.  I just hope my poor fish survive after all that!!

Not doubt I'm not the first and won't be the last to make these silly mistakes and I hope it's given everyone a laugh
Title: Re: Well that went well - NOT!!
Post by: Sue on September 20, 2018, 04:05:36 PM
Fish keeping can be a steep learning curve. I have had my share of unexpected showers. I once had a filter where the pump would not restart after being turned off. Google told me it was a common complaint and I found that it would restart if I removed the pump from the filter, flicked the impeller, then placed the pump back on the filter. Of course all this had to be done with the pump submerged so the impeller didn't run in air, and I can't remember the number of times I forgot to point the outflow downwards into the tank  ;D


On a serious note, does the filter not have taps to turn off the water flow though the pipes? They are usually fit where the pipes attach to the pump.
Title: Re: Well that went well - NOT!!
Post by: pollydoodle on September 20, 2018, 04:21:28 PM
Sue, It has a tap connector unit which I failed to notice/register in my brain!  all I saw were the pipes screwed on to the connector.   :rotfl: which is why I got wet!.  I will know for next time - I hope!!

AquaOne Ocellaris 850 filter unit
Title: Re: Well that went well - NOT!!
Post by: Sue on September 20, 2018, 04:47:42 PM
Ah, yes
Quote
Lift the flow valve and locking lever to turn the taps off

And the manual has three diagrams in the section Starting Your Filter showing the positions of the Locking lever and Flow Valve  ;)
Title: Re: Well that went well - NOT!!
Post by: Littlefish on September 20, 2018, 05:31:00 PM
Isn't it amazing how tiring it can be clearing up after a water change.  ;D

My usual one is when I'm using the syphon to clean the sand, and I'm so busy trying to avoid the fish while pooh hoovering, I don't notice the container overflowing.  ::)
Title: Re: Well that went well - NOT!!
Post by: pollydoodle on September 20, 2018, 06:30:27 PM
Unfortunately I didn't put my filter together or I might have been more switched on. I went straight to the maintenance page and tried to work from there. I live and hopefully will learn 😊
Title: Re: Well that went well - NOT!!
Post by: Littlefish on September 20, 2018, 06:35:54 PM
 ;D
Title: Re: Well that went well - NOT!!
Post by: fcmf on September 20, 2018, 08:57:01 PM
I didn't laugh - but I did think it's exactly the sort of thing that would happen to me (as I've had my fair share of water-related disasters... perhaps it's just as well I only have one small tank) and so I completely empathise.

Title: Re: Well that went well - NOT!!
Post by: Matt on September 21, 2018, 06:57:41 AM
Isn't it amazing how tiring it can be clearing up after a water change.  ;D

My usual one is when I'm using the syphon to clean the sand, and I'm so busy trying to avoid the fish while pooh hoovering, I don't notice the container overflowing.  ::)

This is my worst fear!... I have got close but never quite done this... I'm sure it won't be long!!

I also once sucked up a dwarf puffer. Stupid thing is... I actually think it enjoyed it's rollercoaster ride...


@pollydoodle You are definately not the only one to get water everywhere during a water change/filter clean. I fortunately have laminate floors under my tanks which helps with clean up. The oak cabinets I have though do not like water at all... this is my big worry... I already have an old cabinet in the spare room I need to sand down and 're wax....
Title: Re: Well that went well - NOT!!
Post by: Littlefish on September 21, 2018, 07:35:31 AM

I also once sucked up a dwarf puffer. Stupid thing is... I actually think it enjoyed it's rollercoaster ride...


A long time ago the other Fiona syphoned up a dwarf puffer, and said the same thing about it possibly enjoying the ride. We joked about getting it a little t-shirt that said "I took a spin in the Syphon", in the style of theme park merchandise.  ;D
Title: Re: Well that went well - NOT!!
Post by: Sue on September 21, 2018, 09:55:27 AM
My usual one is when I'm using the syphon to clean the sand, and I'm so busy trying to avoid the fish while pooh hoovering, I don't notice the container overflowing.  ::)

I've done that too, when emptying the betta's tank to swap from gravel to sand - it was small gravel so I used a siphon to suck it out. I was so intent on hoovering out the last pieces of the gravel that I forgot to watch the bucket. Luckily the tank is in the kitchen and we have a concrete floor covered in Marley tiles by the builder with vinyl 'cushionfoor' on top so it didn't make a mess and was easy to mop up.


My main tank used to be in the lounge and I once dropped a bucket of tank water while carrying it out. It took days for the carpet to dry even with a dehumidifier.