jasonpc
07-09-2006, 12:35 AM
Yes, I got the guts, and was actually VERY excited, to come across a Wet/Dry for my tank.
So I bring it home and look at it for a while trying to decide what to do. I took a deep breath and started to piece it together and read the directions. Yeah, who the hell needs those? *ha ha* I clean and make space for the thing and get all my tubes in order.
A couple of hours later I have it setup and ready to start the siphon and realize I am missing the end for the return hose. Hmmmm...no problem I will just stack a rock or two on top and everything will be "A-OK" NOT!! I almost overflowed my tank the first try because...well I havent figured that out cuz I ended up with a mouthful of saltwater and nowhere to spit. I reach down and unplug the pump and run to the kitchen to spit the yummy fish water.
Not yet knowing what kind of endeavor I have started I put everything back together and get set with the little siphon hose. *SUCK SUCK SUCK* THERE IT GOES!!! *mouthful of water* plug in the pump *spit in the bucket* then the return hose gets REALLY excited and soon I am spewing water all over the floor. *sigh* I fetch a few towels and clean it up from all over my power strips. *dad taught me better than this sometime when I was in high school* I lodge the return hose in the rocks again *no I havent learned my lesson* and trot to the kitchen to rinse my mouth from that lovely fish water. No sooner do I go back to check on the tank the hose flips out again spewing water all over the wall and my wood floors.
The cat is sitting on the couch looking at me and flickin his tail!! I am sure I do not want to know what he is thinking AND I am glad I have enough towels for this. Down to 2 towels left dry in the house I finally find a plastic U for the half-inch hose and a hose clamp *SEE I COME PREPARED* to make sure it doesnt leak.
Disgusted now that I have extra laundry to do and my floors get cleaned but not at my will, I look into the tank and bubbles are spewing...NICE! I look into the wet/dry and the pump is sucking air. Grab my spit bucket, clean it, and fill it to add water to the pump area. Then I notice that hmmmmm the tank is a little low too. So I add water but the level drops to its original level. This is the one thing I wasnt expecting. I didnt know was that the in-tank box and the lenght of the tube determines your water level.
The good thing is that I dismantled a 20 gal setup and its stand and various parts are out to dry. I was able to successfully install the wet/dry, reorganize my tank and do some housecleaning in the area so my main tank is rolling. I organized the plugs (I did get zapped from the water a couple of times) and powerstrips, and various other powerheads, canister filers and pieces of live rock. I am really nervous right now. Like a 7yr old I wanna camp out next to it to make sure I dont flood my family room with fishy water.
Now that everyone is done laughing I would appreciate any words of wisdom to help maintain my water level. I am so used to having more control over the level in the tank. With a wet/dry can I put water in the sump and it will fill the tank? OH! a last bit of info: I threw a bag of charcoal in it to just let it know I was the boss!
Anyone's comments, jokes, or even war stories are welcome. It would be nice to hear how someone took four hours to setup a wet/dry and use all of his towels but 2 to clean up the three catastrophes of water spray all over the back, my hoses, my power strips, and the floor.
Anyone have some familiar misgiving endeavoring in this hobby?
So I bring it home and look at it for a while trying to decide what to do. I took a deep breath and started to piece it together and read the directions. Yeah, who the hell needs those? *ha ha* I clean and make space for the thing and get all my tubes in order.
A couple of hours later I have it setup and ready to start the siphon and realize I am missing the end for the return hose. Hmmmm...no problem I will just stack a rock or two on top and everything will be "A-OK" NOT!! I almost overflowed my tank the first try because...well I havent figured that out cuz I ended up with a mouthful of saltwater and nowhere to spit. I reach down and unplug the pump and run to the kitchen to spit the yummy fish water.
Not yet knowing what kind of endeavor I have started I put everything back together and get set with the little siphon hose. *SUCK SUCK SUCK* THERE IT GOES!!! *mouthful of water* plug in the pump *spit in the bucket* then the return hose gets REALLY excited and soon I am spewing water all over the floor. *sigh* I fetch a few towels and clean it up from all over my power strips. *dad taught me better than this sometime when I was in high school* I lodge the return hose in the rocks again *no I havent learned my lesson* and trot to the kitchen to rinse my mouth from that lovely fish water. No sooner do I go back to check on the tank the hose flips out again spewing water all over the wall and my wood floors.
The cat is sitting on the couch looking at me and flickin his tail!! I am sure I do not want to know what he is thinking AND I am glad I have enough towels for this. Down to 2 towels left dry in the house I finally find a plastic U for the half-inch hose and a hose clamp *SEE I COME PREPARED* to make sure it doesnt leak.
Disgusted now that I have extra laundry to do and my floors get cleaned but not at my will, I look into the tank and bubbles are spewing...NICE! I look into the wet/dry and the pump is sucking air. Grab my spit bucket, clean it, and fill it to add water to the pump area. Then I notice that hmmmmm the tank is a little low too. So I add water but the level drops to its original level. This is the one thing I wasnt expecting. I didnt know was that the in-tank box and the lenght of the tube determines your water level.
The good thing is that I dismantled a 20 gal setup and its stand and various parts are out to dry. I was able to successfully install the wet/dry, reorganize my tank and do some housecleaning in the area so my main tank is rolling. I organized the plugs (I did get zapped from the water a couple of times) and powerstrips, and various other powerheads, canister filers and pieces of live rock. I am really nervous right now. Like a 7yr old I wanna camp out next to it to make sure I dont flood my family room with fishy water.
Now that everyone is done laughing I would appreciate any words of wisdom to help maintain my water level. I am so used to having more control over the level in the tank. With a wet/dry can I put water in the sump and it will fill the tank? OH! a last bit of info: I threw a bag of charcoal in it to just let it know I was the boss!
Anyone's comments, jokes, or even war stories are welcome. It would be nice to hear how someone took four hours to setup a wet/dry and use all of his towels but 2 to clean up the three catastrophes of water spray all over the back, my hoses, my power strips, and the floor.
Anyone have some familiar misgiving endeavoring in this hobby?