junior Posted August 25, 2021 Share Posted August 25, 2021 (edited) So I cleaned up my controller today and installed a new board. Before everything was under the tank and just a mess. Also installed a new apex to replace my old apex. Everything went well until the final step. Had to pull the ph probe from the calcium reactor. the calcium reactor failed to reseal around the probe and was shooting effluent everywhere. By the time I got it sealed, the reactor had dumped 1/2 cup of effluent into the tank in 10 seconds. Then it decided to give up completely and started dumping effluent out of the side seam. It was where the main chamber connected to the bottom base. I’m guessing by the time I got it out 1/2 -2/3 of the effluent had dumped into the sump. With quick thinking I killed the return pump but some more effluent made it up to the main display. I had the CO2 off for about 4 hours before starting the process. Spent the last 4 hours draining, cleaning and refilling the sump with fresh mixed water. Final tests showed alk jumped from 9.5 to 10.5 from the first/second failure. Have a new reactor arriving Friday and dosing kalk to bridge the gap… anyone have any ideas on what I might have missed to help mitigate this disaster? Next time sump is set to shut down when calcium work is being done Fingers crossed it’s ok. Edited August 25, 2021 by junior Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obrien.david.j Posted August 25, 2021 Share Posted August 25, 2021 48 minutes ago, junior said: anyone have any ideas on what I might have missed to help mitigate this disaster? Next time sump is set to shut down when calcium work is being done Doesn't sound like you missed anything. You could have taken the CaReactor completely out of service, and changed/check it there... But how would you have known it would split a seam later. Sounds like a fluke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junior Posted August 25, 2021 Author Share Posted August 25, 2021 (edited) 7 minutes ago, obrien.david.j said: Doesn't sound like you missed anything. You could have taken the CaReactor completely out of service, and changed/check it there... But how would you have known it would split a seam later. Sounds like a fluke. Felt like a perfect storm. Usually the return pump would have been off when working on the CaRx but the return was on the new apex while the CaRx was being switched over. Just checked the tank and looks like the only damage is a giant birdsnest colony. It is in front of the return line and got a direct spray of effluent. middle melted so guess ill be doing some major fragging... Also anyone using the aquamaxx ctech t-2? I am concerned it will be undersized as it just says up to 500 gallons instead of demand break down. Wanted the CR140 but is on back order with expected delivery of November and I'm not sure about running it in sump. Edited August 25, 2021 by junior Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junior Posted August 25, 2021 Author Share Posted August 25, 2021 (edited) To anyone that read my first post. Everything is back to happy this morning. I thought for sure I was going to loose my miyagi, oregon, and cali torts but they just slimed up a bit. Only real damage was the birds nest colonies, there is a pink, green tip, and WWC birds nest all mixed together. The return line blasts the middle to get movement inside of it and it just burned them pretty bad. Going to pull them all and frag them to save what is left. Killing that return quickly is all that saved the tank from a full crash. I tested the sump water before sucking it all out. It was 7.0ph and 20dkh. The main tank was still at 8.2ph, down from 8.3, and alk just jumped to 10.5dkh from 9.5dkh. First close call in over a decade. I have kalk dosing now to keep it up until the new reactor arrives Friday. The reactor was oldest of all my equipment and was up for replacement when the Octo cr140 was back in stock. Just needed it to make it 1-2 more months but oh well. Edited August 25, 2021 by junior 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald525 Posted August 25, 2021 Share Posted August 25, 2021 2 hours ago, junior said: To anyone that read my first post. Everything is back to happy this morning. I thought for sure I was going to loose my miyagi, oregon, and cali torts but they just slimed up a bit. Only real damage was the birds nest colonies, there is a pink, green tip, and WWC birds nest all mixed together. The return line blasts the middle to get movement inside of it and it just burned them pretty bad. Going to pull them all and frag them to save what is left. Killing that return quickly is all that saved the tank from a full crash. I tested the sump water before sucking it all out. It was 7.0ph and 20dkh. The main tank was still at 8.2ph, down from 8.3, and alk just jumped to 10.5dkh from 9.5dkh. First close call in over a decade. I have kalk dosing now to keep it up until the new reactor arrives Friday. The reactor was oldest of all my equipment and was up for replacement when the Octo cr140 was back in stock. Just needed it to make it 1-2 more months but oh well. Thanks for sharing glad overall a major disaster was averted. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.