Heater cracked open

[sen5241b]

I heard this sound like wires touching and smell burning plastic. I look in the back of the tank and the heater cracked. I probably hit it on something yesterday. I picked the glass and heating elements out and somehow my fish are still alive. I did an immediate water change out of 20% but my feather dusters, snails and hermits don't look so well. Is there some chemical in those heaters? All testable water parms are fine. My skimmer was going crazy too and I wonder if that had something to do with the broken heater. Also I can smell something burnt in the back where the heater was.

 

[Bifferwine]

Wow, sorry to hear that, that sucks big time. Probably not a chemical, but a jolt of electricity that it put out into the water when it cracked. Cracked heaters are notorious for creating electrical current problems in tanks. Sometimes one can have a hairline crack that you can't even see.

 

[sen5241b]

Wow, sorry to hear that, that sucks big time. Probably not a chemical, but a jolt of electricity that it put out into the water when it cracked. Cracked heaters are notorious for creating electrical current problems in tanks. Sometimes one can have a hairline crack that you can't even see.

The skimmer is filling with some foul smelling crap --like burnt plastic. I guess skimmers can take out inorganic crap too -interesting. I think the broken heater burnt some of the plastic part of the tank. (The broken heater was in there for 24 hours.)

Half my inverts are dead. The other half look like there just frozen in place. :frustrat: I did a 2nd water change at midnight last night. I'm doing my third water change out now. I'm drinking heavily!

 

[Bifferwine]

If some of the plastic melted into the tank, then you're right, that could be what is killing things, but I also think they probably got shocked. Doing water changes won't hurt, but I don't know if the remaining inverts are save-able. It sucks so bad to hear stories like this, I'm so sorry...

 

[Piggy]

Sorry to hear about your tank. Sould like they got julted plus when the plastic melted it released something in the water. I have a volt meter that I test my tank with.

 

[sen5241b]

I finished the third water change a little while ago and just minutes later most snails, featherdusters and hermits began moving around but some are dead. Like a noob, I figured taking the heater out of the water for no more than 30 seconds would be okay --that was enough to crack the thing.

I would say if anyone gets some bad chemical in their tank, successive water changes is the solution. In retrospect I should have done one big water change (40 or 50%) instead of several smaller ones at 20%. I'll do one more tomorrow.

 

[yote]

Sorry to hear about the bad luck.
Electricity can do some crazy stuff in a salt water tank.Just be happy you didnt stick your hand in the tank.

 

[cumminz]

Sorry to hear about the bad luck.
Electricity can do some crazy stuff in a salt water tank.Just be happy you didnt stick your hand in the tank.

its only 110. not too much pain

 

[sen5241b]

Most heaters have a copper element in it! I lost one or two turbos and maybe 5 hermits at worst. Beginner's luck. (I may have made a noob mistake but I had a water change ready to go when it happened).

 

[yote]

its only 110. not too much pain

Sticking your arm in a saltwater tank with 110 running through it is just a step down from pissing on an electric fence.You'll remember it the rest of your life.:shocking:

 

[RyanG]

I speak for experience pissing on an electic fence hurts...A LOT! Imagine a softball going up your urethra thats what it feels like. Drunkeness dont ask. I won the bet though.

 

[sen5241b]

I speak for experience pissing on an electic fence hurts...A LOT! Imagine a softball going up your urethra thats what it feels like. Drunkeness dont ask. I won the bet though.

Wasn't there a sign? "WARNING: DO NOT PISS ON FENCE".

 

[RyanG]

No but there were five drunk high school seniors four of whom had 25 bucks and one was drunk, broke, thirsty, ....and stupid. One of them might have flopped on the ground a little and made a mess of himself too. I will name no names!

 

[dustin_P74]

im sure ill do that one day ryan, i have the gene that makes me not turn down a bet no matter how little money i will get out of it if i will get money at all

 

[cumminz]

speaking of bets, anyone ever ate a caterpillaar for 5 bucks?

 

[dustin_P74]

no but i did chug a bottle of hot wing sauce for a dollar

 

[cumminz]

AAAH gotta love bets

 

[dustin_P74]

i know a dude who took a sip of street puddle water just as a dare. not even a bet

 

[cumminz]

lol id do that

 

[dustin_P74]

me too, i just cant say no to a bet or dare,