MY life sucks!!

[dcacjc]

I get home from a very stressful day at work knowing that I have to work tonight at my part job and really don't want to go in, I walk in the door and look at my 100g Peacock tank and what do I see? 26 dead Peacocks, WTF:eek: So I am totally freaked out to say the least, I go into the utility room to see what happened and both filters and the heater are off. The breaker tripped sometime and all the Peacocks are gone :mad: So now I have a an other empty tank.


Life just sucks sometimes!!!

[supersmirky]

Holy shit! Sorry to hear that!!! What was the temp of the water???

[dcacjc]

The water temp was 70 when I got home but I have no idea when the breaker tripped. I feed them last night at 8:00pm and that was the last time I checked them before I got home.

[supersmirky]

Would 70 really kill them all?

[AndrewH]

Dang man, that really sucks!!!

What all equipment do you have on that breaker?

[kewlkatdady]

very sorry to hear about your loss.

[dcacjc]

I don't think that 70 would kill them but I don't know.

All that is on the breaker is the 300 watt heater and tow Rena XP3 filters.

[EAST_TX_RN]

Oh, poor David! I am so sorry! You would think that a slow temp. drop to 70 wouldn't kill them.

[Haiven]

Do you have an undergravel filter? I'm asking because when I was setting up my first big tank I considered an ugf. The salesperson told me it was a huge risk with cichlids, because if the power went off the toxins that were held under the filter would kill all the cichlids within an hour.

[ElijahTurtle]

Man that sucks. Sorry for your loss.

[dcacjc]

No under gravel filter.

I am just at a loss.

[EAST_TX_RN]

I wish I had a back-up generator. Again, I know this is sickening for you David and I am so sorry. Sheot shouldn't happen to the good guys but it does.

[rolloffhill]

That blows...I am assuming some of these were the ones you just got from Chris?

[kewlkatdady]

I'm sorry again to hear about your loss...


I can't get my mind around this...

Were the pumps flowing lastnight when you saw the tank at 8?

Was the tank in any kind of mini cycle (due to adding a few fish this week for example)?

What temp is the tank normally kept at?

What size range are the Peacocks?

[dhawk52]

Man, I am really sorry to hear this.

[tsunderl]

So sorry to hear of your losses. Damn.

[dcacjc]

Yep Skipp it would be the ones I got from Chris,

Kewlkatdady, As far as I can remember the fliters were flowing, I did not reach down touch them, It has been about two weeks sence I had added any fish, the tank is keep at 80 - 82, and the peacocks ranged from 1.5" up to 5".

Had a buddy of mine come out and checked out all the electrical and he said that the breaker was weak, which is strange as it was new when we put it in when the tank was installed.

[kewlkatdady]

I'm not of the belief that the water would be so toxic to kill everything in a matter of 16 hours or so...

Although, the temp drop of 10 degrees could cause a very stressful enviorment for the tank. Obviously the combination fo the two have proven to be fatal.

Either way, man I'm truely sorry for your loss. That happened to me about 10 years ago and it caused to leave the hobby for many years.

I didn't have a support group like DFWFB to help me through that time, but let us know what we can do to help.

[xtc]

oh man- I am SOOOO sorry!! That blows!!

When our power went out- didn't go get a generator for the first 36 hours and my malawi's were fine. That just doesn't make sense!!

Dude- I wish I had something good to say...

[greeneyed]

Maybe somewhere someway there was a short in the tank???

[tsunderl]

Maybe somewhere someway there was a short in the tank???

That makes sense... Breaker tripping and the demise of the fish. But where and why?

[IC Casey]

How much wattage does the equipment on a setup like that pull?

[AndrewH]

... Had a buddy of mine come out and checked out all the electrical and he said that the breaker was weak, which is strange as it was new when we put it in when the tank was installed.

That would have been my first guess... simply an older, wore out breaker. But it being replaced within the last 5-10 years makes me think otherwise. Might suggest replacing it again since your buddy said it's weak.

Your load on the breaker seams pretty minimal (well below it's capacity). What size breaker was it, 15 or 20 (not that's it a big deal either way, but if you pull that breaker out save it and get me the mfg.'s numbers off of it and I'll call the factory to see if there were any recalls within it's manufacture date/time).

Maybe it was just a bad one. It happens from time to time, but pretty rare nowadays.


... I didn't have a support group like DFWFB to help me through that time, but let us know what we can do to help.

x2

Definitely let us know if there is something we can do at this point to help.

Maybe somewhere someway there was a short in the tank???

Now that makes a lot of sense!!! Definitely could have been a short in one of the filters or BAD heater. Have you checked them since this happened (on a different breaker)?

[AndrewH]

How much wattage does the equipment on a setup like that pull?

Pumps are in the 50-80 watt range (per canister or a sump pump).
EDIT (http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/10562/product.web) according to this website... the canisters are very low wattage - XP3 = 19 watts

A HOB filter might be 30-50 watts each.

The heater might be 100-300 watts each.

Lights might be 60-300 watts.

15 amp breaker can handle 1800 watts (which you're not supposed to load them more then 80% - 1500 watts) and a 20 amp breaker can handle 2400 watts with an actual connected load of 1920 watts.

[kewlkatdady]

I think there could be some leg to the short topic.

It may be to soon for a joke but I'll throw it out there anyway...

does your house smell like a fish fry?



lol sorry

[xtc]

I have an idea... :D

[kewlkatdady]

uh huh...

?????

I have an idea... :D

[dcacjc]

The breaker was brand new when it was installed and has been replaced, Andrew I do not still have it to get the numbers for you. It was a 20 amp breaker. The first thing I did was plug all three, two XP3 and the heater, into another outlet that has serveral other things pluged in and nothing happened. All three are less than 1 year old.

Kewlkatdady no fish fry, :rolleyes: if I could not laugh I would problably would have to give up.

But that ain't going to happen!!

[AndrewH]

Well I'm completely puzzled.

The only thing I can think of at this time would be a weak/bad breaker to start with, but that doesn't necessarily explain what happened to all of the fish.

[tsunderl]

I may be going out on a limb here, but could the storms from yesterday have anything to do with it? Power surge? I know we didn't see a drop of rain here, but some places had heavy storms.

[AndrewH]

^ :hehe:

Didn't think of that either. Could have zapped the breaker from the power side. Where was the breaker within the panel (top, middle, bottom)?

Big storms down south of DFW (burleson, crowely area), but not sure about G-Town.

[xtc]

the answer is in your inbox...should you choose to accept it. :)

[tsunderl]

the answer is in your inbox...should you choose to accept it. :)

Inquiring minds want to know too!!!

[xtc]

:D :D

[bra8ndy8]

Awww David I am sooo sorry! I know about 8-9 yrs ago when that big ice storm came. My electricity was our for 3-4 hours until I got home......we had no electricty for 6 days....and I managed to keep all my fish alive. That just doesn't make sense that you would loose them all so fast! I'm really sorry!

[EAST_TX_RN]

Could the fish have been electrocuted by a big power surge? Okay, I am going back to MY corner.

[steve]

I understand the frustration, anger, felling of screw this hobby but hang in there. I just had my whole Tang tank bite the dust a month ago including a 12" WC male front and I know the feeling but it will work itself out and get better. I am sorry about your fish dude.

[greeneyed]

The first thing I did was plug all three, two XP3 and the heater, into another outlet that has serveral other things pluged in and nothing happened.

Did all 3 still work?
A short could have "blown itself out"(the wire or metal touching could have melted enough to no longer touch).

[AndrewH]

I was kinna thinking the same thing... one time thing, but the device probably wouldn't work any more.

Any "brown" or "black" spots? Any weird smells from any of them?

[dcacjc]

The breaker is about in the middle of the panel.

All three still work, no smells or burned spots. I have the heater in a tank of water with a temp monitor on it that records the temp every ten minutes to see how the heater is working.

I will let you guys know how that goes.

[xtc]

seems unlikely that even a 300w thero. would heat 100+ gallons to a dangerous level- quickly. We're talkin less than 24 hrs to get up to temp (90) and back down to a point that it's not obvious (80).

I'm thinking some kind of electrocution- but that would certainly trip the whole panel...

Maybe that fish hater daughter of yours. [snicker]

You DID test the water- right?

[AndrewH]

The breaker is about in the middle of the panel.

All three still work, no smells or burned spots. I have the heater in a tank of water with a temp monitor on it that records the temp every ten minutes to see how the heater is working.

I will let you guys know how that goes.

Man... being in the middle of the panel is the safest place. Really weird.

I'm definitely leaning towards something quick and sudden, but have not clue was it could be at this point other than a short in the tank some how.


I'm thinking some kind of electrocution- but that would certainly trip the whole panel...

If there was a short circuit within the tank (or within the wire in the wall for that matter) it would only affect that one breaker, not all.

[greeneyed]

Did/do you have the heater completely submerged?

Be sure and test just as you had it in the tank.
It is strange for a breaker to get weak over a years time.
And a 20 amp is plenty for what you had on it.

[AndrewH]

:exactly:

x2

[xtc]

Check the Sfetzer valve.

[dcacjc]

"Check the Sfetzer valve." :confuzeld:

[greeneyed]

I think it is a "Fletch" reference???

[AndrewH]

Snipe Hunting

[xtc]

2 points to you!!

I think it is a "Fletch" reference???
http://www.ldsfilm.com/pmstills/Fletch_06.jpg

[REYREY]

SSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THIS.....

[dcacjc]

Kewlkatday wins the prize, damn heater just shocked the living piss out of m when I was tanking it of the tank I was testing it in. So guess that will explain what happened to my tank. Not to mention that the heater would run the temp up high in the test tank before it would shut off. I had the temp on the heater set at 78 in the test tank and it would run it up to 90 before it would shut off.

[xtc]

brand?

[bra8ndy8]

Ohhh shit that sucks!!!! I had a light get a little wet when I got the water to high....and it shocked the piss out of me!!

[greeneyed]

KKD? How did he get credit?:confuzeld: J/K
Anyways, at least now you know the cause and it is an easy fix:spend:.
Congrats on figuring it out.

[dcacjc]

It was a Visi-Therm.

Chris did you forget to do something last night?

[dcacjc]

in post #25 KKD ask if the house smelled like a fish fry.

[EAST_TX_RN]

Could the fish have been electrocuted by a big power surge? Okay, I am going back to MY corner.

And my post was totally ignored? Maybe not a power surge but sounds like I was dead on about the electrocution!

[greeneyed]

Maybe somewhere someway there was a short in the tank???Post #20:p:

[bra8ndy8]

Easy fix?!?!?!? 26 peacocks....not a cheap fix!!

[xtc]

...yea, I forgot to tell you that I forgot to put rocks out lastnight. :o

[greeneyed]

Easy fix?!?!?!? 26 peacocks....not a cheap fix!!
I was referring to the heater.

[EAST_TX_RN]

Rocks?

[xtc]

Crack rock- I sell crack and David wanted to pick up a few rocks.




lol- yea, Those black and white rocks I have that David is interested in. He wanted me to set em outside the door lastnight...my wife sucks at reminders, so they're in a bucket in the fishroom- still... :rolleyes:

[dcacjc]

I was just trying to make light if my situation like KKD did with the fish fry thats all not trying to say he has the right guess.

Sorry if I upset anyone!!

[xtc]

I'm pissed. :hehe:

[dcacjc]

Better to be pissed than pissed on!! :hehe:

[EAST_TX_RN]

I was just messing with everybody, David!

[greeneyed]

Me too.:p:

[AndrewH]

Well it's good to see you figured out what it was. Still a darn bummer though.

I'd recommend going to the ETH external heater since the electricity and water never come into contact with one another. Just my :02: anyway.

The 5/8" model will hook straight up to an XP3 ;)

[xtc]

gotta link Andrew...with Blake out of town I can ask questions without the canned answer. :hehe:

[AndrewH]

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3743+11369&pcatid=11369

Sure thing!!!

The company (which I will not mention) I ordered from sent me the 1/2" model, so I had to order adapters, but the XP series filters use 5/8" hose.

[kewlkatdady]

ha ha ha I'm right and ALL of you were not...


:jerod:



j/k...
I've had nothing but good luck with visi-therm heaters...

that sucks man.

But at least now ya know... whatever thats worth.

[bra8ndy8]

I was kidding to......if I could dig some peacocks out of my tank.....I would give you some!!

[dcacjc]

Hell Brandy as big as your tank is just put on the ol' swim suit and hop in :hehe:

Andrew as soon as I have the money I will be ordering two of those!!

[xtc]

I'm ready to sell all my heaters...anyone want em? (it's about to be hot as all hell).

[AndrewH]

Yeah, Biggin (Blake) loves his.

My adapters haven't come in yet, so I don't have mine installed. I'll report back when I do get it on the tank.

[xtc]

Hey David- the crack is in a blue bucket on the porch. ;)

[dcacjc]

Shhhhhhhhh, I don't want the other crack heads to know. :twitch:

[tsunderl]

FREE CRACK ON CHRIS' PORCH!!! I'm there, duuuuuuuuuude!

[xtc]

he he he- snicker... :Droflmao

(I crack me up)

[dcacjc]

damn my arm is sore from chopping those rock in lines. :hehe:

[dcacjc]

Thanks for tha name change asshat.

[xtc]

psst- there's more. :hehe:

[EAST_TX_RN]

Love that title,David! :D

[kewlkatdady]

The Fry King works also...

[bra8ndy8]

Ohhh that's funny!!!

[xtc]

Fry Daddy

http://z.about.com/d/housewares/1/8/6/1/frydaddy.jpg

[greeneyed]

Electrocutioner
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a8/Vigilante9.jpg/200px-Vigilante9.jpg

[AndrewH]

What about...

The Electrocutioner

EDIT: (OK I'M OFF TO THE CORNER, COMPLETELY DIDN'T SEE GREENEYED'S POST RIGHT ABOVE THE 'QUICK REPLY' BOX)

[bra8ndy8]

ohhh dear Andrew......don't you know how this forum works....you read EVERYONE'S post.....then make your own!

[AndrewH]

:blahblah::beatdeadhorse:

[xtc]

hey- what about the Electrocutioner.

[AndrewH]

:beatdeadhorse::beatdeadhorse:

[biggin]

Sorry to hear about this David....

There was a guy on DFWmas selling his 300w brand new for like $30....he sucks at PM respond but week before last he still had it...

You only need 1 for your tank...unless you are getting 2 and 1 for another tank....

[dcacjc]

Do you remember his name?

[biggin]

stevieb05 (http://www.dfwmas.org/Forums/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=5148)