|
|
|
06/15/2008, 12:55 PM
|
#1 |
|
SLim Jim
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Near Ohare, Des Plaines 60016
Posts: 1,096
|
Little Help? How much does a busted pump contaminate?
Alright, so heres the situation.
I started mixing my new salt for a water change yesterday and I left it overnight. Earlier this morning I check the bin and when I open it there is this REALLY odd smell coming from the bin. It smelled like burnt electrical things. YEAH.....bad...So i check all of my connections and only the container smelled bad. OK...that narrows it down. Also, to make it worse, there is brown crap at the bottom of the container. Ugh... So...i pull the pump out and its definitely burned out. I pull off the back and see that the seal in the back has been compromised and there is orange/brown stuff coming around the seal. .......CHIT!!! So....its 10 gallons worth of fresh salt water and I am wondering whether or not to keep the salt water? I am pretty much convinced NO..........Id like to also get an opinion on whether or not I can keep the bucket too. Sigh.... Thoughts?
__________________
I got the fish down pat....but those corals are tricky! Current Tank Info: DIY 120 Gallon 68"L x 30"W x 15.5"T Starfire Rimless - 75 Gal Sump, K2 Cone skimmer, 20gal Coral QT, 10 gal Fish QT, 8 bulb T5 Tek Fixture - 3 ATI Blue+, 3 ATI Blue Special, 2 Fiji Purple, 12 cool white/12 Royal Blue 3W LED's. Last edited by khanb31; 06/15/2008 at 01:17 PM. |
|
|
|
06/15/2008, 01:27 PM
|
#2 |
|
RC Mod
 
|
What sort of pump? Rio?
Depends vastly on what got loosed. If it were mine, I'd first was some carbon and run that, then blaze a trail to my lfs after polyfilter. That can pull things carbon can't.
__________________
Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%. |
|
|
|
|
06/15/2008, 01:35 PM
|
#3 |
|
SLim Jim
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Near Ohare, Des Plaines 60016
Posts: 1,096
|
its some sort of off brand motor. The seal to the actual MOTOR busted. I mean where the cord you plug in goes too. The motor burned out because it was submerged in water.
Ill get a pic up...
__________________
I got the fish down pat....but those corals are tricky! Current Tank Info: DIY 120 Gallon 68"L x 30"W x 15.5"T Starfire Rimless - 75 Gal Sump, K2 Cone skimmer, 20gal Coral QT, 10 gal Fish QT, 8 bulb T5 Tek Fixture - 3 ATI Blue+, 3 ATI Blue Special, 2 Fiji Purple, 12 cool white/12 Royal Blue 3W LED's. Last edited by khanb31; 06/15/2008 at 01:42 PM. |
|
|
|
|
06/16/2008, 05:25 AM
|
#4 |
|
Registered Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Franklin, TN
Posts: 433
|
I would pour questionable water down the drain and scrub the holding tank with a vinegar bath. Saltwater + possible exposed copper + 110v is potential for disaster. The electricity can quickly erode the copper elements of the pump and dissolve them into the water column. Even if copper is undetectable on a test, it can wreak havoc with inverts for a long time to come.
Personal experience here- only it happened in my display tank when a heater seal failed. The copper contaminated all of the rock and sand. Massive cycle from the die off, then huge (3ppm+ copper) after water changes. I had to start over with new rock and everything. I'm not suggesting 100% this is what will happen to you, only "when in doubt, throw it out." Strong vinegar scrub with the bucket with a good rinse and you should be fine. Unless you see the vinegar not cut the residue you observed (oily?). Or if its a cheap rubbermaid, use it for attic storage, and get another. Never can have too many of those around 
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
