happeboy Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 First the lesson: If you think something is wrong in a tank there probably is so check everything One of my tanks was starting to look a little dirtier every day, but I though its just about the weekend (actually it was just Tuesday) and time for the water change and it is near the end of the month so its time to clean one of the two canisters. But then my wife said the tank didnt look as good as usual. And we were having house guests so I decided the do the water change and filter cleaning a few days earlier. I always start my water changes by unplugging everything and so I looked at the power bar and saw I had forgotten to plug the filter back in from the last cleaning on the weekend. So besides learning to remember to plug everything back in, the more important thing is to take 5 minutes and check things if you suspect something is wrong. I am fixated on my routines for cleaning so it didn't even occur to me that I may have forgotten something so basic. I'm sure most people here would do this kind of proactive checking, but just thought I'd tell my embarrassing little story maybe help someone else down the line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kayen Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Well no casualties though right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gadgetgirl Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 I've forgotten to plug my heater in after a water change - and not remembered until I was at work. I double check myself now, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NatureNut Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 I'm glad you had no losses! I almost forgot to double check that everything was running when I did my WCs 2 days ago. Neither of the filters on my shrimp tank had started pumping. It was luck that I noticed. I have a routine of checking for temp and filters after WCs, and on my daily rounds. There's tanks all over the place here so I can't count no sound to alert me to something. Always good to share these stories, I think... it's a nice reminder to us that we can't be too careful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bosshog Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 If you keep tanks long enough this is going to happen eventually. I bet it's happened to everyone on here whether they'll admit it or not!!! I've done things like that far more times than I care to admit. Double checking is the only solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parachromis1 Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 i forgot to plug in my sump on my 230 after i did a 50% wc. then when i came home the next day approx.14 hours later the water was so brown and filthy you couldnt see the fish. plugged in the sump and wallah it was clean in an hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 I haven't forgotten a filter but I have forgotten to plug heaters back in. I think everyone has forgotten something at one time or another. Once I forgot to add prime to a newly setup tank before I added the fish that mistake didn't have a nice ending Good thing your fish are alright. When I feed my fish I do a check to make sure the filters are working and to check the tanks temp. Helps catch any mistakes before they cause too much damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 Not only have I forgot to plug in heaters and filters a few times. I will do you one better.Do a water change and get busy with another tank and forget about the one you are filling. Than stop and wonder where is that sound of water coming from. Now I park a chair in front of the tank I,m working on and do not leave that tank till it is full. And only work on one tank at a time. Many times I have woke up in the middle of the night and could not remember if I plug in the filter and heaters. Always have to get up and go check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HmgBrd Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 LOL!!! I've also wondered what that waterfall noise was...as seconds later it dawned on me, the panic seized and I ran to the tap to turn it off and reverse the Python's flow as fast as I possibly could! And here's the worst: I've done this more than once! Now, I put a timer on and set it for short time intervals to remind me to check on the refilling progress. Let me tell you, water going over the edge of about 20 linear feet of tank makes for an impressive reminder of the task at hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 LOL!!! I've also wondered what that waterfall noise was...as seconds later it dawned on me, the panic seized and I ran to the tap to turn it off and reverse the Python's flow as fast as I possibly could!And here's the worst: I've done this more than once! Now, I put a timer on and set it for short time intervals to remind me to check on the refilling progress. Let me tell you, water going over the edge of about 20 linear feet of tank makes for an impressive reminder of the task at hand. lol A timer good idea. I will have to get one. I ran over two tanks the same week . Well really , just two days apart. And believe it or not , at my age I can still clear the couch in a single bound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parachromis1 Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 haha i forget to shut the water of all the time. thank god for tile and linoleum floors. i went and had a shower once while filling and got dressed ate blah blah blah came back to like an inch or 2 of water on the fish room florr lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Chicklets Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 I've gotten side tracked and siphoned 25 gallons of water into a 3 gallon pail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted February 28, 2008 Report Share Posted February 28, 2008 It all seems funny now, but at the time I bet we were all swearing. I know I hate it when I get my slippers wet..LOL It right up there with stepping in dog crap..lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitsukuni Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 I've overflowed my tanks so many times its really quite pathetic. Once upon a time (a LONG time ago) I worked in a petstore (not locally, this was back on the east coast). I was doing a water change on the top row of tanks (triple stack). The phone rang, and the customer wanted some advice... must've been on the phone 15 minutes (it was a slow night). After I had helped the customer, I put down the phone, picked up the broom, and started sweeping the floor. Got to the tanks (indoor outdoor carpet in the tank section - yes, bad idea), and noticed that the carpet looked darket than usual. It was then that I heard the water, and looked up to see the upper row had filled, spilled down to the middle row, and now the bottom row was spilling onto the floor... Let's just say the shopvac got a good workout, and the store owner wondered why the floor looked extra clean and shiny the next day! :shifty: Since then, I've overflowed almost every tank I've owned at least once. Finally, last year I bought a water alarm. I use it for every water change, on every tank we have. I guess I'm easily distracted. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 This is just to funny. Phil , can you tell us about this water alarm, Sounds like a good thing. And lets hear about everones screw ups. Come out of the closet and tell us...lol And lets hear about fish that have done the old carpet surf trick on us. I have not had to many but had a Front do it one morning . Went down to turn on lights and didn't turn on the room lights frist. When I turned on the tank light one of the Fronts went nuts . there is only about a 1/2 inch gap there but he made it . Landed on the air pump. Tried to grap him and off he went to the floor. Picked him up and put him back in the tank, thinking dead fish , but he is still there and looking good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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