EMERGENCY!
I woke up at 1:30 AM to the smell of smoke. Investigation showed that the CPR unit was malfunctioning and there was about 20 gal of water all over the electrical! Lots of sparks and smoke!!! 1. the circuit breakers DIDN'T shut down 2. the surge supressers didn't turn off either! 3. I got a long stick and turned off the switch to the pump. NOW WHAT? Diana

shut off the breakers to the outlets at he panel and call an electrician to inspect it . thats the exact reason why GFCI outlets are so highly recommended. they would have tripped immediately. breakers and surge strips dont trip with water. good luck!!!! If youre up on the hill i can spare some room in my tank for livestock until you get things handled.

there are several gfi breakers on the house circuit. that didn't work either. The tank ,at least is full, but no power. How long can livestock go without a pump? how can I set this thing up so it doesn't happen again? I thought that circuit breakerrs and surge supressors did shut off :-( I will turn off the panel and unplug whats left and start the cleanup. Can I turn on the pump temporarily after i get all the mess dried out? Diana

GFCI receptacles for each piece of equiptment are the preferred method or at the very least as the first receptacle on that circuit. . I have heard of GFI breakers in the box failing to trip. The best way to do it would be to run a separate circuit from the panel that is dedicated to your tank. so if the tank fails you're still good with the rest of the house. IMO surge protectors are NOT good for aquariums. they are the cause of many many fires usually due to the cheap construction. some are better than others, but IMO none are good(unless plugged into a gfi ). as far as the pumps go, it may be hit and miss. I would let it dry out for a day or two and try to plug it in dry. if it works then try it with water. assuming its an external pump. if its an internal (wet) pump then you should be good to go. run some power from another spot until you get everything repaired. a day without flow isnt the end of the world but i would at least try to aim a powerhead at the surface to aid with some gas exchange and circulation. i dont know much about electricity so i do everything i can to keep myself alive. if that means going overboard with precautions then im good with that. its a small price to pay compared to being dead or having to replace all of my junk. I guess it would also help to know what size tank and equiptment you are running.

I would definitely run GFCI receptacles with the tank. Surge strips in some form are pretty much a necessity unless you're fantastic with wiring or wanna pay someone a bunch to wire up a series of outlets. I personally went with a switched surge strip that allow's me to turn off certain parts without turning off other's (i.e. return pump for feeding but not powerheads.) I also have it elevated and in a place where even if water was to overflow there's no chance it would hit the outlets. I would definitely add the GFCI. Simple knowledge of your breaker box and a phillips screwdriver will fix that easily.

yup and 13$ at lowes :)

Most of the mess is cleaned up. I did run the lights and the power heads and the skimmer from another recepticle. the pump works, but the CPR unit won't run now? I've ordered another overflow unit from gaiser pets in Yuba city. I have gotten all new timers and surge supressors-- should I return the suppressors and get just the multi plug units? I have also purchased a GFCI recepticle to install. The tank is a 46g oceanic bowfront and 30g sump. the skimmer is old, but works well--lots of waste. 2 powerheads are koralia 1 and 1 is a maxi jet. the pump is a new 'quiet one 3000'. The lights are 50/50 compact flouescent. there is a liter meter not yet installed. there is a 4-6 " deep sand bed. The tank is really full with corals--growing everywhere! Lots of red macro alge. 2 fish, dotty back and 'nemo'! large snales, hermit crabs, and creatures coming from the live rock. several tiny star fish--I didn't put them in there! The tank is about 5-6 yo and was moved from Auburn to my home in april . Lots of coralline alge, some bubble alge and some kind of slimy greenish stuff (not much). Thanks for your help. any further ideas you have for me I will appreciate. I'm just getting back to this after a 20 yr absense. There are a lot of new technologies! Diana

i would keep the surge strips, like matt said they can serve a purpose ,i just dont like em. that being said yes i have my lights plugged into one. With regards to the cpr is that the overflow or skimmer? im not familiar with how they work as an overflow and if the skimmer(bakpak), i have heard decent things about them.,but i have no experience with either. Because you ordered one from a YC shop i assume you live down there? If so, talk with Rob at Underwater Paradise. He's a straight-up guy that can and will help you get things squared away correctly. it sounds to me like you have a nice system going on there. its amazing all of the stuff that turns up when you least expect it.i still find new things in my tank and its been set up for a few years. as far as advice, the best i can give is be patient, read, and dont be skeered to ask questions.

IMHO water circulation depends heavily on your bio load (i.e. fish) and is the most critical aspect to consider when power outages ouccur with temperature control being a very close second. I was without power for 3 days back in 2001 and every couple of hours I stuck in a cup and scooped up water and poured it back in and tried to created lots of surface movement to recirculate the oxygen back in the water. Lights are not a big concern and neither is skimming (unless something has already died) I agree with much that is said above about surge supressors and breakers. They only work if a surge or over current limit is detected and even then if breakers only trip after a certain amount of delay time (in milliseconds). GFCI's detect any change in the impedance that would be relative to a shock. GFCI's protect you from shock. Have you been able to determine the malfunction of the CPR? Also, is this a HOB Fuge/skimmer or just skimmer? If possible I would try to feed your skimmer's waste cup overflow back into your tank. That way if it ever goes crazy for some reason, you won't drain your tank or less likely to spill water outside the tank. Nonetheless, I hope all goes well and everything survives. Good Luck!

The cpr unit is the overflow. It's a J tube type and old. Can't get into it to clean it. I pressure washed out what I could---no luck. The skimmer sits in the sump. It also is old, but works well. I'm not familiar with the terms-IMHO or HOB fuge? My last tank--20 yrs ago, crashed during a heat wave and we had no AC. :cry: I just now, with AC am dareing to start up again. The first tank was my love. Where is underwater paradise? I live in colusa about 25 mi west of YC. Do you have an address for it, or phone number? Thanks, its good to know you are there to help ! diana

IMHO - In my honest opinion HOB - hang on back Underwater Paradise is 523 E Street Marysville Ca (front of the store is on the main street through Marysville) I consider them to be the best shop in the area, actually I can't think of any I like more (anywhere).

IMHO= In my honest opinion HOB= Hang on back fuge= short for refugium, a predator free area for bug and macroalgae growth for the reduction of nutrients usually in the sump or in a separate container. i dont have an address or phone near me, but im sure Rob will chime in eventually, or you could get ahold of him through his forum on the board here.

http://www.underwaterparadiseinc.com/ we must have been typing at the same time..

Thanks! I'm learning. I'll go there tomorrow---I have to take my parrots to Roseville to the bird vet Diana

Hello Diana, sorry to hear of your troubles. Bring your CPR in with you. You may not need a new one unless it is cracked or something. A lifter pump may serve you better use then a new HOB Overflow box. I also suggest mounting all your power strips up high in your stand and try to have drip loops in most of your cords if possible. They also sell portable GFCI's @ Home Depot or Lowes. You should be able to smell the equipment and tell what pieces were fried. I look forward to chatting. Rob BTW, thanks guys for all the kind words!!! I still enjoy being a hobbiest most of all and chatting with you folks!! See everyone Friday