Houston, we have a problem

someone19 · 08/06/2012, 01:15 PM

Drama aside, I was taking a look in my HOB overflow, a CPR CS150, monitoring to see if any snails had crawled up inside of it. Two had, and I removed the one I could get to, I am waiting for the other one to decide its a good idea to come down to where I can get him out.

I'm looking at the top where the hose to start the siphon is and there's my cucumber! I hadn't seen him since I put him in the tank, but I figured he was in the sand doing cucumber stuff. Now what!?

Obviously I know I need to put a guard over the intake of the overflow, and I was told by the LFS to do so, but it'd slipped my mind in the excitement of setting up the tank. Is he going to crawl out on his own, or has he found a nice place to setup shop? I swear he wasn't in there yesterday. Possibly waiting for the lighting to dim down this evening before he starts moving?

ARGH.

Entropy · 08/06/2012, 03:40 PM

HOB overflows scare the heck out of me. I would definately add a screen to the intake, but make it as free flowing as possible. Not much help, sorry.

I think if I had to run a HOB overflow, I would probably install a auto topoff float switch at the top of the tank to kill my return pump if the water got too high.

bnumair · 08/06/2012, 06:44 PM

scary stuff.

Dustin1300 · 08/06/2012, 06:50 PM

I'd just give it some time but you need to get him out of there for sure, don't kill him in the process. HOB overflows scare me and I would not trust the CPR in the first place....If I had to do HOB I'd go with a u-tube design like the lifereef ones.

Lifereef Overflows

Still need a pre-screen though

chrisfont23 · 08/06/2012, 07:49 PM

Agreed on the screen. A must for this type of OF

Chris27 · 08/07/2012, 06:06 AM

What type of cucumber is it? Depending on the toxicity of it, I would shut down the tank, remove the overflow and work it out into a bucket, some can cause some damage if they get too stressed.

Feel free to have your tank drilled....HOB overflows scare me as well... particularly because I'm too lazy to remember to clean them regularly. I can procrastinate all day long when gravity is doing the work.

someone19 · 08/07/2012, 07:14 AM

Well, as of this morning he's still in there, but moving around.

This overflow is more than overkill for the flow I'm putting through it. In an attempt to flush a volume of water through it I placed a cup over the drain inside the overflow and allowed the DT to fill. Good news, my return pump sucks air before the DT overfills. A benefit of a small sump I suppose.

It is a Caribbean cucumber. We shall see what he wants to do.

By the way, drilling the tank won't work. It's a 10+ year old 55gal tempered glass aquarium. If and or when I get a larger tank it will be drilled, but this one won't.

08/06/2012, 01:15 PM	#1
someone19 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Daytona Beach, Fl Posts: 50	Houston, we have a problem Drama aside, I was taking a look in my HOB overflow, a CPR CS150, monitoring to see if any snails had crawled up inside of it. Two had, and I removed the one I could get to, I am waiting for the other one to decide its a good idea to come down to where I can get him out. I'm looking at the top where the hose to start the siphon is and there's my cucumber! I hadn't seen him since I put him in the tank, but I figured he was in the sand doing cucumber stuff. Now what!? Obviously I know I need to put a guard over the intake of the overflow, and I was told by the LFS to do so, but it'd slipped my mind in the excitement of setting up the tank. Is he going to crawl out on his own, or has he found a nice place to setup shop? I swear he wasn't in there yesterday. Possibly waiting for the lighting to dim down this evening before he starts moving? ARGH.

08/06/2012, 03:40 PM	#2
Entropy Texas Reefer Join Date: May 2003 Location: Round Rock, TX Posts: 13,656	HOB overflows scare the heck out of me. I would definately add a screen to the intake, but make it as free flowing as possible. Not much help, sorry. I think if I had to run a HOB overflow, I would probably install a auto topoff float switch at the top of the tank to kill my return pump if the water got too high. __________________ Rich Overton 150G cube FOWLR, 30g sump, ReefKeeperII, 3x Koralia 1400's, QuiteOne 3000, Reef Octopus DNWB150, 4x 30w Par38 LED. Current Tank Info: 36x36x27 150g

08/06/2012, 06:44 PM	#3
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	scary stuff. __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE

08/06/2012, 06:50 PM	#4
Dustin1300 Reefaholic Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Carmel, IN Posts: 5,135	I'd just give it some time but you need to get him out of there for sure, don't kill him in the process. HOB overflows scare me and I would not trust the CPR in the first place....If I had to do HOB I'd go with a u-tube design like the lifereef ones. Lifereef Overflows Still need a pre-screen though __________________ INDMAS President Check out my tank in the Large Tank Forums, "A Reefaholic's 1000+ Gallon Mixed Reef System Build"! Current Tank Info: 600 Gallon DT, 140 Gallon Grow Out Tank, 125 Gallon Sump, 90 Gallon Fuge, 200 Gallon Fish QT, 15 Gallon Frag QT

08/07/2012, 06:06 AM	#6
Chris27 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 4,452	What type of cucumber is it? Depending on the toxicity of it, I would shut down the tank, remove the overflow and work it out into a bucket, some can cause some damage if they get too stressed. Feel free to have your tank drilled....HOB overflows scare me as well... particularly because I'm too lazy to remember to clean them regularly. I can procrastinate all day long when gravity is doing the work. __________________ Fill your tank with $5 bills, add gasoline and light it on fire.....only then will you know the real cost of reefing. Current Tank Info: 180 Mixed Reef

08/06/2012, 07:49 PM	#5
chrisfont23 Reef Monster Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Long Island Posts: 1,343	Agreed on the screen. A must for this type of OF

08/07/2012, 07:14 AM	#7
someone19 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Daytona Beach, Fl Posts: 50	Well, as of this morning he's still in there, but moving around. This overflow is more than overkill for the flow I'm putting through it. In an attempt to flush a volume of water through it I placed a cup over the drain inside the overflow and allowed the DT to fill. Good news, my return pump sucks air before the DT overfills. A benefit of a small sump I suppose. It is a Caribbean cucumber. We shall see what he wants to do. By the way, drilling the tank won't work. It's a 10+ year old 55gal tempered glass aquarium. If and or when I get a larger tank it will be drilled, but this one won't.