Need some advice, changed out sump and things are crazy

cabbage0709 · 01/22/2009, 11:11 PM

So i finally got the stuff (hard plumbing and pvc joints) together to set my sump up how it should have been in the first place. For about 4 months now my sump was incorrectly running. It is a 3 chamber sump that has the return in the middle. The water is fed in by the two side chambers (fuge and skimm chambers) The way that i had it setup before is where it would all just overflow into the farthest right chamber and that was it. It was not properly running but it was. On top of this, i had a 2 inch sb in the middle chamber. This is where i believe i messed up.

When i reassembled the sump, i took all the water out, and simply transferred the sand into the last chamber where it should have been.

After all of this, my system is flowing perfectly now, but my corals all look like hell. My zoas have not opened up in the past 2 days and neither have my blastos, fungia, shrooms, galaxia, and others. Basically everything is not thriving like it was 5 days ago. Im hoping that i did not cause permanent damage and this is just them adjusting.

I have tested my params and they are all fine. Did a water change when i re setup everything. However, i do need to add that when i was mixing the water for this change, the two heaters that i had warming the water up burned out and busted in the water. I have no idea how or why this would happen to me, but i checked with a fellow reefer, who knows quite a bit more than i do, and he said the water would be fine to use still. I was worried about any contaminates that could have came from the heaters.

Would you think that another water change is in store within the next day or two? Or should i wait longer? Id like some serious advice about this, and please dont badger me if ive made a stupid mistake, we all make them

Thanks for taking the time to read this, i know its quite a bit.

-Steven

MileHighFish · 01/22/2009, 11:30 PM

I wouldnt think the sump change would have that effect. I would think there was something in that water from the heaters. I'm no expert on the internal working of the heater buy if there was any copper wiring inside the units that would bother your corals. I would run heavy carbon. I moved my tank 900 miles and didnt lose a coral so you changing your sump shouldn't be any issue. Good luck

01/22/2009, 11:11 PM	#1
cabbage0709 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Indiana Posts: 264	Need some advice, changed out sump and things are crazy So i finally got the stuff (hard plumbing and pvc joints) together to set my sump up how it should have been in the first place. For about 4 months now my sump was incorrectly running. It is a 3 chamber sump that has the return in the middle. The water is fed in by the two side chambers (fuge and skimm chambers) The way that i had it setup before is where it would all just overflow into the farthest right chamber and that was it. It was not properly running but it was. On top of this, i had a 2 inch sb in the middle chamber. This is where i believe i messed up. When i reassembled the sump, i took all the water out, and simply transferred the sand into the last chamber where it should have been. After all of this, my system is flowing perfectly now, but my corals all look like hell. My zoas have not opened up in the past 2 days and neither have my blastos, fungia, shrooms, galaxia, and others. Basically everything is not thriving like it was 5 days ago. Im hoping that i did not cause permanent damage and this is just them adjusting. I have tested my params and they are all fine. Did a water change when i re setup everything. However, i do need to add that when i was mixing the water for this change, the two heaters that i had warming the water up burned out and busted in the water. I have no idea how or why this would happen to me, but i checked with a fellow reefer, who knows quite a bit more than i do, and he said the water would be fine to use still. I was worried about any contaminates that could have came from the heaters. Would you think that another water change is in store within the next day or two? Or should i wait longer? Id like some serious advice about this, and please dont badger me if ive made a stupid mistake, we all make them Thanks for taking the time to read this, i know its quite a bit. -Steven __________________ Get busy living, or get busy dying - Andy Dufresne (Shawshank Redemption)

01/22/2009, 11:30 PM	#2
MileHighFish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: NM. Posts: 1,722	I wouldnt think the sump change would have that effect. I would think there was something in that water from the heaters. I'm no expert on the internal working of the heater buy if there was any copper wiring inside the units that would bother your corals. I would run heavy carbon. I moved my tank 900 miles and didnt lose a coral so you changing your sump shouldn't be any issue. Good luck __________________ See "Red House" for pics!! I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're goin', and hook up with them later. Mitch Hedberg Current Tank Info: Reef tank, 100 gal Lee Mar polished.. 60 sump.. 800 watts mh 20k radium..Ran on "Taiwan HQI Ballast" 330 watt VHO.. 48 watt compacts (dawn/dusk).. sps/lps tank..