Flood!

[dirkomatic]

So, I've had to put together my own sump and today I received an Eshopps PF-1000 that I want to run as a herbie overflow on my 55 gallon tank. I got it all set up and everything was running except I unknowingly overflowed on the back of my sump for a few minutes and soaked through my floor. I feel really stupid....

My wife is now panicked that the aquarium will fall through the floor, although I can't see how; it's perpendicular to the joists.

I'd just like to hear from anyone that has flooded anything to make me feel better.

[scuzy]

I think you should be fine. Your base boards should be able to dry up. Get a fan on the area.

[surgy]

lmao sorry this is just funny because it sounds like something i would do. i had an 80 gallon fresh water tank with a home built cannister filter i bought. return line popped while i was in the other room. had 20 gallons on the floor quick! lol carpet dried smelled for a day or two and then you couldnt even tell it happened. except for the fact my tank had a power filter again lol

[Squidmotron]

Done it before with a much larger tank on the second floor. Twice.

[Birddogm33]

With that said, I'm guessing it will never happen again,

[billdogg]

Anybody who says they've never had a flood is fooling no one other than themselves.

In my last house, I was busy doing water changes, laundry, general house cleaning, basically just sort of multi - multitasking. I was done taking water out, and was in the process of refilling one of the tanks in the dining room when I heard the drier buzz in the basement. Next thing I know, water is dripping on me. Probably 20 gallons or so came through. Had a nice waterfall in the basement.

Now when I am doing water changes, that is ALL I do!

Welcome to the hobby!

[dirkomatic]

Thanks, guys... I guess the carpet smell will be the worst part of it, then. I really appreciate the input.

I'll get a fresh start and it back up and going today.

[Rogue sub]

On my first tank I disconnected my air stones from the air pump after it quit working and went to watch a movie. 2hrs later I had 25 gal on the floor from back flow through the air line. My wife didn't let me get another tank for 8 yrs.

[nynick]

Drill a tiny hole 1/16 of an inch or less below the water line on your out spout. THis way if it back flows it will break ciphon after a gallon or so. A small nail that is heated up enough to melt the plastic will work too.

[Rogue sub]

An inline air check valve works best

[nynick]

Originally Posted by Rogue sub

An inline air check valve works best

Yup, but they can be problematic to find in the right size if you are running with regular aquarium hosing as I assume op does.

[Rensmif]

Originally Posted by billdogg

Anybody who says they've never had a flood is fooling no one other than themselves.

Absolutely !!!! LOL

Welcome to the hobby.

[gsiegel]

Originally Posted by nynick

Drill a tiny hole 1/16 of an inch or less below the water line on your out spout. THis way if it back flows it will break ciphon after a gallon or so. A small nail that is heated up enough to melt the plastic will work too.

+1
I sympathize with you. We just went through the same thing because the "experts" that installed our tank failed to put in a break siphon. The power went out and 100 gallons of fish tank water out onto our wood flooring. Of course their insurance covered it. fortunately all livestock is okay. I would definitely recommend having siphon break.

For the water that leaked onto your floor I would also recommend running dehumidifiers along with fans to help suck up the moisture, And getting your carpets professionally cleaned.

[johnike]

Back in the early 80's, I was draining a tank in my second floor apartment. I got involved with a phone call when the guy downstairs is pounding on my door. It seemed the water was coming through in his bedroom closet, soaking every piece of clothing in it.
Ops.

[nynick]

I have never had a flood.

....why does it make me feel terrified typing this out? It is as if I am asking for it....

I did spill 4 or 5 gallons of fresh water on the floor some 30 years ago during a water change but that was the handle of a bucket that gave up. I did live at home with my mom at the time and she never fails to remind me of it every time we meet even though absolutely no damage was done.

[dirkomatic]

Thanks, guys! I have a hole in my return... There were two problems actually:
1. I have a Coralife Super Skimmer 65 (I know; not a good choice) as a HOB on my sump (I'll have to post pictures; it's interesting...) and I have a hose on the cup while I'm breaking it in. That slipped out of the sump and was draining on the floor all day. My wife came home and noticed the pump sucking air and I had her turn the pump off. When I got home to fix it, I went ahead and put the new overflow on since it arrived yesterday. That was on and I noticed it was leaking, so I moved it a little to try to tighten it up. When I moved it, the drain came out of the sump and ran for a while... I don't really know how much I lost in total, but it was probably around 10 gallons. Enough to make me mad.

[ZiggyBuster]

If you have hardwood floor be sure to dry it well. When I had a flood on my maple floor it turned back under the tank where I couldnt dry it.

[slapshot]

Guilty! So guilty my wife let me build a closet in the garage opening into the family room. That way the next time I flooded it it would be in the garage. But I got my inwall!! Lol just put a fan everywhere you can. The carpet smell will go away, eventually.

[nynick]

Originally Posted by slapshot

Guilty! So guilty my wife let me build a closet in the garage opening into the family room. That way the next time I flooded it it would be in the garage. But I got my inwall!! Lol just put a fan everywhere you can. The carpet smell will go away, eventually.

You Sir, are a genius! I want an inwall too, time to bring out the hammer.

[slapshot]

Originally Posted by nynick

You Sir, are a genius! I want an inwall too, time to bring out the hammer.

Shhhhh it's a secret! Filter is in the basement so no house mess. Once I told her no more water she was like get it done!!

[dirkomatic]

Originally Posted by slapshot

Shhhhh it's a secret! Filter is in the basement so no house mess. Once I told her no more water she was like get it done!!

So the tank is upstairs and the filter in the basement? That must take a massive return pump!

[slapshot]

Originally Posted by dirkomatic

So the tank is upstairs and the filter in the basement? That must take a massive return pump!

Not that bad a Blueline 55. Runs all my reactors and still enough to push it upstairs.

[keithhays]

It will probably be fine, but it depends on what the material is on top of your subfloor (the underlayment). Subfloors are generally solid wood planks or sheets of outdoor treated lumber and your surface flooring can generally withstand quite bit, but sometimes the layer between the two is made of fairly cheap particle board. If this gets wet, it will begin to swell and it will stay wet enough to rot both itself and the subfloor away. The easiest way to check this is if you have carpeting anywhere in your house, look beneath it. If its particle board, your wife's worries may be well founded.

I had this happen years ago when my refrigerator ice maker tubing broke and I came to home to water everywhere. I dried it all up and it looked as if everything would be fine, but what I didn't know is that who ever built the kitchen put particle board in beneath the surface floor and the subfloor. Some weeks/months later we started noticing a hump in the floor. Eventually it was like walking on waves. When the contractor who remodeled my house eventually took everything out, that particle board was more less wet dust.

Another piece of information I didn't know at the time was that I could have had to whole thing paid for by home insurance which covers burst pipes. Recently when I setup my large system, I want to make sure I got coverage for a catastrophic event involving 300 gallons of water in my house. What I found out was that I was already covered because they look at aquariums as just another type of plumbing. Your mileage may vary.

[dirkomatic]

Originally Posted by keithhays

It will probably be fine, but it depends on what the material is on top of your subfloor (the underlayment). Subfloors are generally solid wood planks or sheets of outdoor treated lumber and your surface flooring can generally withstand quite bit, but sometimes the layer between the two is made of fairly cheap particle board. If this gets wet, it will begin to swell and it will stay wet enough to rot both itself and the subfloor away. The easiest way to check this is if you have carpeting anywhere in your house, look beneath it. If its particle board, your wife's worries may be well founded.

I had this happen years ago when my refrigerator ice maker tubing broke and I came to home to water everywhere. I dried it all up and it looked as if everything would be fine, but what I didn't know is that who ever built the kitchen put particle board in beneath the surface floor and the subfloor. Some weeks/months later we started noticing a hump in the floor. Eventually it was like walking on waves. When the contractor who remodeled my house eventually took everything out, that particle board was more less wet dust.

Another piece of information I didn't know at the time was that I could have had to whole thing paid for by home insurance which covers burst pipes. Recently when I setup my large system, I want to make sure I got coverage for a catastrophic event involving 300 gallons of water in my house. What I found out was that I was already covered because they look at aquariums as just another type of plumbing. Your mileage may vary.

We have plywood as our subflooring, so we should be ok there...

That's really good to know about the insurance, though. I had no idea!