Too worry to go to vacation...

fixingstill · 07/04/2017, 07:31 AM

I have 2 tanks and a QT. First tank (65G) is a year old and 2nd (72G) is about 6 months old. All are "fully loaded" equipment wise.

I am leaving town this weekend for a month out of country vacation. No one will be home. I have arranged my brother to come over to check the tanks and given him cameras, APEX and seneye accesses but he is 40 mins away and can only come on weekend.

Last week one night at 2am, the neo therm heater in QT exploded, the burned resin stink up the water, everything the tank where water touched and the whole house and killed 2 fish. It took me 2 days to clean up and reset the tank.

2 days ago at evening time, the 65G overflowed because the vacuum pump that kept the overflow siphon vacuum stopped working and the tank water level float switch stuck and did not trigger apex to stop the return pump. (The tank has all tempered proof glass so I could not drill. Running the overflow over the edge and using a lifter pump as a vacuum pump to keep the siphoning going was the only way.) Glad I was around when it overflowed and only minimal amount of water overflowed but the apex autofeeder now stopped working because it touched the water. I am adding a second tank water level float switch and programming the vacuum pump to run only when the return pump stops, just to minimize future risk.

This morning 4am, the main body of the emperor aquatics UV sterilizer cracked, slowly leaking to all over the floor. My apex leak detector kicked in and the alarm siren woke me up to stop the flow and UV. The water was running thru and the lamp should not be overheating. How could the ABS plastic suddenly crack up? Now I have to replace or remove the UV. Then the LED light doesn't lit up because it got wet and the vinyl floormat (on top of my $3000 new hardwood floor) is wet. I bet the plywood under the tank stand is beginning to rot.

The systems are too complicated and too vulnerable. Even my brother has fishkeeping experience, he is afraid. I did not even want to bother my neighbor who keeps only a goldfish.

I will not enjoy my vacation, will I?

mcgyvr · 07/04/2017, 07:39 AM

Nope.. you won't enjoy your vacation until you stop thinking about it and just say "well.. I did all I can do now lets have fun and forget about it"..

You could get some video cameras that are always streaming to the internet so you can check on it and let him know if something bad happens to come over and fix it..

When I ran an inferior overflow system like that I couldn't sleep at night either..
Just ditch the UV sterilizer too.. No real need for it anyways..

Best you can do is buy quality products and build in extra redundancy to ensure that in a failure nothing really bad happens.. Have a backup for your backup alarm,etc...

More equipment is nice but its also more points for failure..

ladynavyvet · 07/04/2017, 08:41 AM

Do you have a lfs, do they have employees who do tank set & in home maintenance for clients? If I'm going away for more than 4 days, my tank guy comes to feed, and check on the system. He also checks on my freshwater tanks, and the cat's food and water. It's well worth paying him for the peace of mind it allows me, and my system is far less complicated than yours.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

Sk8r · 07/04/2017, 09:19 AM

Shut down the cranky extras, rely on pump, lights, topoff and a top-quality heater, all on timer with a not-generous autofeeder (Eheim makes a good one) on flake food. Your tank won't die of lack of uv.

j.falk · 07/04/2017, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fixingstill

I will not enjoy my vacation, will I?

Not if you are worried about your aquariums the entire time.

fixingstill · 07/04/2017, 10:21 AM

The 65G tank has been stable. No fish dead for months except one chromis decided to swim down to overflow to the sump. I saved him but he was injured, then died. The other chromis then died because he was too lonely.

With the 72G, I have been battling with velvet and ich. Now it is fallowing and all fish are in QT. I am thinking about giving out (or selling) all fish before leaving town.

I do use quality equipment and as redundancy as possible. I still could not imagine the main body of the UV (trying to minimize ich and velvet) could just crack up. Isn't Emperior aquatics the best brand out there? Redundancy - glad I have apex leak detection and an fire siren alarm on apex to wake me up.

Saltwater fishkeeping is a lot of work, time, and money! It is like having a triplet. I am tired.

Just now, one yellow tang died in QT for no reason. Maybe he lost the territorial battle when I put in another yellow tang from my coral tank (yes, I have yet another tank for coral which is plumbed to 72G.)

homer1475 · 07/04/2017, 03:50 PM

You just have way too much going on. Consolidate down to one or 2 tanks.

I spend maybe 20 minutes a day with my tank, and once a week during WC maybe an hour or 2 depending on if I'm cleaning equipment that week.

Having a non drilled tank isn't helping matters any either.

Worrying about your tank isn't taking a vacation!

fixingstill · 07/04/2017, 06:14 PM

That was my plan - One tank. Then my wife and girl want a puffer and a trigger which ate all my snails. So, I setup a 2nd tank for agressive fish no coral. Then ich hit and I learned to need a QT. Then CL has a guy who wanted to get out hobby and sold me all his 30G full of corals (zoa, etc.) dirt cheap.

Addiction, addiction, addiction.... Someone pulls me out pls.

static916 · 07/05/2017, 12:42 PM

It always starts with that first gateway tank...

sde1500 · 07/05/2017, 01:18 PM

I'd pay an LFS to do weekly maintenance on the tank. And also probably take a look at all the equipment you are running before you go. It kinda feels like you just have too much "stuff". Look into an Eshopps HOB overflow, no need for any pumps that could fail, ditch the UV, thats two less things that can (and did) go wrong. Clean all of your float switches a few days before leaving, verify they all work. And pay an LFS to look in weekly, as well as having your brother do it.

fixingstill · 07/05/2017, 07:30 PM

This is the burn on the UV main body:

It was burned but I know I had flow whenever it was turned on. Apex is programmed so that when return pump is off, uv is off. I also made sure the main body is the lowest point of the flow (two connectors pointing up) so that is always filled with water. One thing I did not make sure it sufficient flow. I don't have a flow meter to monitor it. I used a one-gallon jug to measure the flow (how many second to fill it up). I guess when the flow has changed and was too slow, UV begins to burn the ABS. Or, since I bought it used, maybe previous owner burned it up before selling to me (and it was right under the label which might have been holding up the leak.)
It is a 02225 emperor aquatics. Can I just buy a main body? If so, part number and price?

07/04/2017, 07:31 AM	#1
fixingstill Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 249	Too worry to go to vacation... I have 2 tanks and a QT. First tank (65G) is a year old and 2nd (72G) is about 6 months old. All are "fully loaded" equipment wise. I am leaving town this weekend for a month out of country vacation. No one will be home. I have arranged my brother to come over to check the tanks and given him cameras, APEX and seneye accesses but he is 40 mins away and can only come on weekend. Last week one night at 2am, the neo therm heater in QT exploded, the burned resin stink up the water, everything the tank where water touched and the whole house and killed 2 fish. It took me 2 days to clean up and reset the tank. 2 days ago at evening time, the 65G overflowed because the vacuum pump that kept the overflow siphon vacuum stopped working and the tank water level float switch stuck and did not trigger apex to stop the return pump. (The tank has all tempered proof glass so I could not drill. Running the overflow over the edge and using a lifter pump as a vacuum pump to keep the siphoning going was the only way.) Glad I was around when it overflowed and only minimal amount of water overflowed but the apex autofeeder now stopped working because it touched the water. I am adding a second tank water level float switch and programming the vacuum pump to run only when the return pump stops, just to minimize future risk. This morning 4am, the main body of the emperor aquatics UV sterilizer cracked, slowly leaking to all over the floor. My apex leak detector kicked in and the alarm siren woke me up to stop the flow and UV. The water was running thru and the lamp should not be overheating. How could the ABS plastic suddenly crack up? Now I have to replace or remove the UV. Then the LED light doesn't lit up because it got wet and the vinyl floormat (on top of my $3000 new hardwood floor) is wet. I bet the plywood under the tank stand is beginning to rot. The systems are too complicated and too vulnerable. Even my brother has fishkeeping experience, he is afraid. I did not even want to bother my neighbor who keeps only a goldfish. I will not enjoy my vacation, will I?

07/04/2017, 07:39 AM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Nope.. you won't enjoy your vacation until you stop thinking about it and just say "well.. I did all I can do now lets have fun and forget about it".. You could get some video cameras that are always streaming to the internet so you can check on it and let him know if something bad happens to come over and fix it.. When I ran an inferior overflow system like that I couldn't sleep at night either.. Just ditch the UV sterilizer too.. No real need for it anyways.. Best you can do is buy quality products and build in extra redundancy to ensure that in a failure nothing really bad happens.. Have a backup for your backup alarm,etc... More equipment is nice but its also more points for failure.. __________________ Who me?

07/04/2017, 09:19 AM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Shut down the cranky extras, rely on pump, lights, topoff and a top-quality heater, all on timer with a not-generous autofeeder (Eheim makes a good one) on flake food. Your tank won't die of lack of uv. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

07/04/2017, 03:50 PM	#7
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	You just have way too much going on. Consolidate down to one or 2 tanks. I spend maybe 20 minutes a day with my tank, and once a week during WC maybe an hour or 2 depending on if I'm cleaning equipment that week. Having a non drilled tank isn't helping matters any either. Worrying about your tank isn't taking a vacation! __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

07/05/2017, 01:18 PM	#10
sde1500 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Glocester, RI Posts: 3,336	I'd pay an LFS to do weekly maintenance on the tank. And also probably take a look at all the equipment you are running before you go. It kinda feels like you just have too much "stuff". Look into an Eshopps HOB overflow, no need for any pumps that could fail, ditch the UV, thats two less things that can (and did) go wrong. Clean all of your float switches a few days before leaving, verify they all work. And pay an LFS to look in weekly, as well as having your brother do it. __________________ My build thread: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2548422 Current Tank Info: 65 gallon mixed reef, Eshopps sump and HOB overflow, RO-110int skimmer, Reefbreeder 32" photons V1.

07/04/2017, 08:41 AM	#3
ladynavyvet Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 315	Do you have a lfs, do they have employees who do tank set & in home maintenance for clients? If I'm going away for more than 4 days, my tank guy comes to feed, and check on the system. He also checks on my freshwater tanks, and the cat's food and water. It's well worth paying him for the peace of mind it allows me, and my system is far less complicated than yours. Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

07/04/2017, 10:21 AM	#6
fixingstill Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 249	The 65G tank has been stable. No fish dead for months except one chromis decided to swim down to overflow to the sump. I saved him but he was injured, then died. The other chromis then died because he was too lonely. With the 72G, I have been battling with velvet and ich. Now it is fallowing and all fish are in QT. I am thinking about giving out (or selling) all fish before leaving town. I do use quality equipment and as redundancy as possible. I still could not imagine the main body of the UV (trying to minimize ich and velvet) could just crack up. Isn't Emperior aquatics the best brand out there? Redundancy - glad I have apex leak detection and an fire siren alarm on apex to wake me up. Saltwater fishkeeping is a lot of work, time, and money! It is like having a triplet. I am tired. Just now, one yellow tang died in QT for no reason. Maybe he lost the territorial battle when I put in another yellow tang from my coral tank (yes, I have yet another tank for coral which is plumbed to 72G.)

07/04/2017, 06:14 PM	#8
fixingstill Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 249	That was my plan - One tank. Then my wife and girl want a puffer and a trigger which ate all my snails. So, I setup a 2nd tank for agressive fish no coral. Then ich hit and I learned to need a QT. Then CL has a guy who wanted to get out hobby and sold me all his 30G full of corals (zoa, etc.) dirt cheap. Addiction, addiction, addiction.... Someone pulls me out pls.

07/05/2017, 12:42 PM	#9
static916 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 67	It always starts with that first gateway tank...

07/05/2017, 07:30 PM	#11
fixingstill Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 249	This is the burn on the UV main body: It was burned but I know I had flow whenever it was turned on. Apex is programmed so that when return pump is off, uv is off. I also made sure the main body is the lowest point of the flow (two connectors pointing up) so that is always filled with water. One thing I did not make sure it sufficient flow. I don't have a flow meter to monitor it. I used a one-gallon jug to measure the flow (how many second to fill it up). I guess when the flow has changed and was too slow, UV begins to burn the ABS. Or, since I bought it used, maybe previous owner burned it up before selling to me (and it was right under the label which might have been holding up the leak.) It is a 02225 emperor aquatics. Can I just buy a main body? If so, part number and price?