My near death experience!

[BlueTurquoise]

Well at the time i thought it was near death anyway, so it scared the begeezus out of me!

Last night during my first ever partially automated water change (siphon water out onto the lawn, pump water back in). When I started pumping all the water out of my storage tank and into the main, I forgot that my 3 month old Hagen Tronic 150W heater was left running dry *insert danger music* it was only for a few minutes after I turned the pump off and disconnected the hoses. Anyway i turned the tap on and started to fill the storage container with cold water and suddenly *POOF!* the heater went up in a cloud of smoke and bubbling water! The sound made me jump about 8 feet off the ground and immediately I though OMG I might get electrocuted!

Anyway I soon realized that the unit is properly sealed and I'd probably only get a mild shock at worste but boy it scared the cr@p out of me at the time! Jenny was like "are wetting the floor again?" I was like "I just had a near death experience, woman!" LOL

Anyway I thought I'd share my blunder. I will try to take care of my Ebo Jager 100W backup heater that is in there now... hehe

Chong

[heavyp83]

I used to make the mistake of forgetting to plug my heaters back in after water changes, no fun. Sometimes you just have to learn lessons the hard way, I bet you won't make that mistake again! Glad you're ok!

:drummer: :guitarist: :singer:

[scottwheels]

Heh heh Chong. You're not the first person to do that! Those heaters sure do sizzle when you submerge them after inadvertantly using them as a space heater!! So far we've killed a tronic and a via-aqua. The via-aqua was more spectacular - a cloud of steam and a shattering of glass as the water level reached it... Ari did that one not me though heh, heh.

Cheers Scott

[BlueTurquoise]

Learn lesson hard way *ahuh!* for sure :-\

Yeah it imploded with glass everywhere in the tank. spectacular... now that I think about it yes! LOL

By the way Chong_Ly = BlueTurquoise = Chong = Yours Truly

Chong

[scottwheels]

Yeah, didn't even notice the tronic for a few days. It's in the sump of the wet and dry, so it rarely gets exposed. Anyway one day I noticed the temp was down a bit so I checked the heaters. Somehow I doubted that they are supposed to have condensation inside the glass!!! The glass had cracked letting water seep in. Anyway, good thing I had 2 heaters in the tank!

I guessed you changed your moniker Chong. You leaning more towards pigeon strains now LOL?

Cheers, Scott

[Ryan]

LOL Chong, I forget to unplug my heaters everyday ::) Sometimes when I'm refilling my angelfish tanks I hear a *sizzle* and I think, "Oops..."

;D

[Jeff]

I think we have all been there at one time or another. That is why I like the titanium heaters. ;D

[April]

just lay them on the bottom of the tank and get it over with. no suction cups....and alls well. ;D

[Willie]

So I'm not the only crazy person doing 100% water changes now?!

Is it just me or do those titanium heaters sizzle a lot more than the glass ones after a major water change?

Willie :D :D :D :D :D

[BlueTurquoise]

Yeah Titanium or just stainless steel is the way to go for storage and sump heaters lol. I learnt my lesson. I have had lots of heaters go out on me in the past, just not in that fashion!

Chong :thumbsup: