Ok. After spending most of the day sucking some 50g out of my carpet with a carpet cleaner I rented this morning,I want to know if anyone has ever built or hear of a "low water alarm"? Just so I can be woken up in case of a filter malfuction thus saving my fishies, my heater, my floors, my basement, my gamebords, the rental of a carpet cleaner, my time, my money and much...much... much... more DAMMIT! Any ideas are welcome. I got about a week or until my carpets are dry to build one.
Tragedy 50 of 75g down the basement drain
- Thread starter Brass sliver
- Start date
the guy with the float has the right idea. Get the floater, attach a string/wire and adjust the length make it complete the circuit on an alarm device. It could be as simple as using a strong wire/string and having it pull a switch. If you don't get an idea of what i'm saying/ need help constructing something like this, PM me, it would probably take about 10 minutes
If you don't want to build something you might be able to get away with putting a water alarm on the side of your stand, not sure if that would catch it, but you could test. The water alarm I have right next to my sump pump gets set off with almost not water, so just dripping water will set some off.
If you don't want to build something you might be able to get away with putting a water alarm on the side of your stand, not sure if that would catch it, but you could test. The water alarm I have right next to my sump pump gets set off with almost not water, so just dripping water will set some off.
First i'm intrested in how a filter problem drained your tank.
Also it would be very simply to use a Float Switch hack it to one of those Personal Alarms. If the water level droped enought to trigger the float switch it could be wired to set off the personal alarm.
ofcourse you'd need to disconnect for water changes and also remember to keep the tank toped off so evaperation doesnt set the alarm off.
Also it would be very simply to use a Float Switch hack it to one of those Personal Alarms. If the water level droped enought to trigger the float switch it could be wired to set off the personal alarm.
ofcourse you'd need to disconnect for water changes and also remember to keep the tank toped off so evaperation doesnt set the alarm off.
I found a personal alarm that I will be attaching to a float...Got it all figured out. I'll post pics when done . As for the filter problem...well...the water return from my fluval 303 got somehow disconected...go figure, it was running for 6 days without a glitch...Don't know what happened...but it sucks. 2 casualties.
I'm very sorry to hear about your losses.. as a sump owner these types of things are a worry. never figured the ever popular canister filters had the danger of this type of accident.
I recently switched to a canister filter and my first thought was I hope none of these hoses get disconnected. I don't really see how this could happen short of my cat bumbling around behind my aquarium. Are there maybe preassure issues that need to be considered causing a hose to pop off due to some kind of blockage?
The alarm/float solution is smart, however if nobody is home to respond...
The alarm/float solution is smart, however if nobody is home to respond...
If nobody is home ,alarm or not ,it's gonna happen. I have a life and going out is part of it. Can't stop living for my fish...that what babies are for. But then again they need us more than fish do.I'm not beiing rude I'm just resoning...When I go to the mall, I turn on my car alarm...I wont hear it from the mall, but someone might call the police. I live in rowhousing I will let my neigbour know of the alarm and give him my cell #. I may not make it home in time but when you own aquariums...It's always a possibility. Make sure all conetions are tight ,silicon everywhere "idiot proof " all we can .cause we can all be idiots at some time . I know ,this accident with the filter was due to something I overlooked. I was an idiot. Plain and simple...I learned something...
One simple solution that can help avoid such a problem is to drill a small hole, say 1/8", in the intake tube below the waterline. If the water level drops, air enters the tube and the syphon is broken. If the filter outlet isn't also at the surface, you should do this on that tube as well.
The hole needs to be far enough below the waterline so that normal evaporation, etc. won't cause your filter to suck air (which would be quite bad for the filter). You also need to make sure filters are turned off for water changes (if you don't currently do this) and you have to clean the small breather hole. It is cheap and simple insurance, though.
Sorry about your flood, Brass sliver. That is a major drag. Could happen to any of us... and probably has...
Jim
The hole needs to be far enough below the waterline so that normal evaporation, etc. won't cause your filter to suck air (which would be quite bad for the filter). You also need to make sure filters are turned off for water changes (if you don't currently do this) and you have to clean the small breather hole. It is cheap and simple insurance, though.
Sorry about your flood, Brass sliver. That is a major drag. Could happen to any of us... and probably has...
Jim