Flood!

I woke up this morning to find that my tank had overflowed and dumped about 5 gallons of water on my carpet. I'm still not exactly sure what happened but I think a snail got into my durso. I thought that all of my snails were too small to block it but I suppose one of my larger astrea could have done it. (I knew I should have gotten a snail guard! I just forgot.)

Anyway, I'm having a really fun morning trying to clean this mess up. I got a carpet cleaner vacuum to suck up the water I can get to. I also have some fans blowing across the carpet. I even have a space heater propped up on some boxes and blowing up at the ceiling in my basement to help dry out the floor from the underside.

Here is my concern, do I need to worry about the wet carpet that's under my stand? I'm really worried that it will mold or rot. Do any of you have any tricks for getting carpet dried out when it's under a stand with a large sump in it? Should I drain my tank and move it?

This carpet is in my living room where I spend most of my time. I really can't have it stinking up or anything.

Thanks in advance for any advice. I'm kind of freaking out.

Moving it would be a nightmare but I guess I'd do it if I had to. If it came down to moving it now to save the carpet vs moving it later and also having to replace the carpet, I'd do it now.

Edit: Turns out it was one of my astrea. I just found the little bugger in my sump.


Edited by Shayne - June 05 2012 at 11:30am

I'd just take a small piece of window screening and a rubber band and cover your durso intake that way for now...

I can't pull the carpet up. I'd have to move a bunch of furniture and I'd have to pull up about 10 ft of carpet to get to where the spill is.

I am running a space heater in the basement. I have it on top of a bunch of boxes and blowing at the basement ceiling (floor where the spill is).

I wouldn't freak out too bad, 5 gallons is not all that much water (it just seems like it)

I'm still trying to find some sort of snail guard attachment that I can attach to my durso but I'm not having any luck.

I might do the window screen thing for a short term fix but I'd really like to find an attachment or something. (Note: My durso is home made with PVC. The elbow is 1 1/2".)

Just ordered one of these: http://www.marineandreef.com/Inland_Seas_Suction_Screen_p/ris02315.htm

Hopefully that puts an end to that problem. I'm probably going to pick up an overflow prevention switch as well in the next few weeks.

Edited by Shayne - June 05 2012 at 7:06pm

laynframe wrote: Ditch the durso and go with a herbie overflow, if possible. Ive had a flood before with the durso and a blockage. Converted to herbie and never had a problem again and its dead silent!

Sigh... I asked about doing a herbie when I was putting my system together almost 2 years ago. Everyone who replied said to just go with a durso.

I might have to switch over. It would take me about 20 minutes to throw one together. Plus it would be nice to have something a bit quieter. The durso isn't terrible but it isn't really quiet either.

Edited by Shayne - June 06 2012 at 5:21pm

Salt water doesn't grow the mold that fresh water does. Ive had many floods over the years. And moved the tanks months or years later to a new spot, bigger tank etc and never found and mold underneath. As long as you get as much as possible out the remainder will dry out.
The only concern I would have is if the water is caught under the stand in a dead spot or something. But even then as long as there is air flow it will dry out.
AS far as herbie drains are concerned. Ill take a Durso any day. I have guards on all of mine. I don't have time to constantly be adjusting the valves to keep it operating efficiently.