"Oh Crap" moment

[NyteBlade]

So today I'm doing aquarium stuff, trying to overhaul the tank. I turn off all the power, unplug the Eheim connections, and go fire up the python. I fill up one tank, go back upstairs to look something up real quick, come back down. As I step into the basement, I feel a "splash." The entire basement was in standing water.

I look at the aquarium, and I have about 5 gallons unaccounted for. Well, I look, and I had forgot to close one of the Eheim valves. I had siphoned out about 5 gallons of aquarium water directly on the floor. I didn't think 5 gallons was that much, but dear god. After panicing and calling in parental backup, we had to clear out about half the basement, and mop up the water.

Even worse, the bottom of my stand was wet. I'm not too sure if it was plastic or particleboard, but I had to empty the tank, move 5 otos and 2 angels to a 10 gallon that was going to be crystal red but is now temporarily them. I had to clean up all the water on the floor, clean up all the water on the bottom of the stand, and hope I didn't do too much damage.

Stand looks okay. Floors still damp, but I'm running a dehumidifier. On the plus side, I wanted to rescape my 29 gallon anyway and there's no actual damage....outside of my chances of getting a nice new shiny regulator for Christmas

[die2win]

Oh Crap!!

[dr.tran]

Happens to the best of us.

[chaznsc]

I had an eheim pop off on me and dumped 15 gallons in my den.

[Lnb]

Good reason to buy a wet/dry vac for Xmas!! Beats a mop and bucket any day.

[CL]

Ouch! At least it wasn't on the second floor! Then you might get damage on the drywall ceiling below the tank

[Minsc]

It's amazing how much water 5 gallons is when it is on the floor!

When I was working cleaning fish tanks, my biggest fear was knocking over the 30g barrell, as I dropped a 5g bucket once and it took hours to clean. The client wasn't too happy either

[ZooTycoonMaster]

Originally Posted by NyteBlade

Well, I look, and I had forgot to close one of the Eheim valves.

So you close those quick disconnect valves to prevent water from being taken out?

[alan j t]

ya think

[waterfaller1]

Originally Posted by ZooTycoonMaster

So you close those quick disconnect valves to prevent water from being taken out?

It also helps to restart after the wc. I really like the quick disconnects, I have them in different places on my three eheims. If it weren't for them, cleaning the filters would be a real pita.
Sorry about your mishap. Make sure all the electrical equipment stays nice and dry. I had the CO2 hose pop off my inline diffusor the other week. It was an insidious spill,because I did not know it was leaking until the lily pipe started gurgling loud at the surface.I lost two gallons into the carpet.

[tazcrash69]

5 gallons is a whole lot of water on a floor.

As far as those quick disconnects, the best thing IMO, is to close & then disconnect the inflow to the eheim classic, then open the side on the canister into a bucket, and backwash that filter.

[NyteBlade]

I think I can relate to a lot of the general sentiment here on the forums. In a 29 gallon tank, 5 gallons certainly didn't look that much, but man, when it's on the floor, it's a ton!

Thankfully it was in the basement, on tile floor, and the water pooled where there wasn't anything electrical. It even avoided my aquarium power strips! The other big thankful thing was that I had a spare tank to put my fish for now. They're not real happy in there, but it atleast gives me a chance to clean off the water on the stand and set everything back up. And a bit of shameless rescaping.

Usually I do about what tazcrash69 suggests, and I've never had a problem. I love the Eheims, it's just when I forget to close a valve I have problems. I don't know what I was thinking. Even worse I went upstairs, so by the time I came back down, 5 gallons was gone.

I look at it on the bright side: water accidents seemingly turn out a lot better than pressurized CO2 accidents.