DAMN SNAIL, Almost started a fire!

[Anonymous]

Any one ever ecounter this?

I have a CPR bakpak II. A Snail must have tried to climb inside the return pipe and blocked the water flow, causiung the Bakpak to overflow and run down the back of the tank and poor onto a Wavemaker power strip. I woke up this morning finding no wavemakers going so I looked at the other powerstrip. When I reset the breaker Sparks and flames shot out of the wavemaker.
Off to the store to get another one.

Anyone have any ideas to prevent this?
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Cerebral Palsy Forum

 

[Anonymous]

8O
I have snails in my outflow tube all the time. But I don't think any are big enough to cause that problem. But it did occur to me that with the stupid piece of foam that is also in the outflow tube to reduce bubbles, that it might be possible. I might just get rid of the foam for that reason. I really don't care if they want to travel all the way in to the skimmer or not. But if a couple of my Astreas get any bigger, yeah they could cause the same problem.

Thanks for the warning.

 

[ReefLion]

The easiest solution I see is to put a strainer on your outflow. You'd think snails wouldn't bother working so hard to get somewhere, but snails are pretty stupid.

Tim

 

[Siberman]

You really ought to hang the strip on the wall away from any possible contact with water. :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

mount all your power strips on the wall above the tank-make sure all cords are long enough for a drip loop between the tank and the strip.

i've seen lots of folk place power strips under their tanks(so did i)-very bad idea, if a leak happens-zaaapp!!

 

[Mac1]

Ditto Vitz and Siberman... Not to sound like a jerk, but drip lines are one of the basics of setting up any fish tank, FW or SW.

- Mac

 

[scooterr]

I mount mine upsidedown in the stands W/ driploops.

I have snails in my remora and prizm quite frequently. They never get stuck though. guess its a design flaw in the bakpaks. :wink:

 

[DK]

I just had to crush a snail shell to remove it from the cpr overflow. I knew it was in there but didn't realize that it had grown to the point that it couldn't get out. I believe IQ tests are not administered to snails (or me). You could use some type of screening to keep them from entering.

When it comes to electrivity and salt water, Murphy's law applies. I have been lazy and kept electric connections to lights or otherwise under tanks or proximal to them. It may take YEARS but eventually, they will be hit with salt water and short out. Just remember, fish will grow and with that growth, their ability to splash water (with open tanks like mine) increases.

For those of us who don't have built in overflows, you must assume that they will fail and flood the surrounding area---eventually. Will that wet rug be enough to short out any electric components lying on it?????