# Fish tank emergency



## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

Anyone out there have a all in one tank? Chamber 1 isn't flowing into chamber 2. The tank wtr. has gone down 3", i've checked all the plugs & there fine. My warrenty is over, don't know what to do, please if anyone can help me out, of all the days for this to happen


Christine!


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## PACMAN (Mar 4, 2010)

christine said:


> Anyone out there have a all in one tank? Chamber 1 isn't flowing into chamber 2. The tank wtr. has gone down 3", i've checked all the plugs & there fine. My warrenty is over, don't know what to do, please if anyone can help me out, of all the days for this to happen
> 
> Christine!


I have a 29G biocube.

is your pump working?
could you have a leaf from the tank, going into the bottom part of the plastic areA?

any water leaking anywhere at all on the floor or stand??


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## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

The pump is working fine....there's no wtr. leaking


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## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

The intake at the bottom isn't working as well.


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## PACMAN (Mar 4, 2010)

remove all debris from the intakes (if there is anything) . check all water pathways in the back, as one of them can be blocked up. check filter media as well


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## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

the only thing in the bottom of the chambers is a little bit of sand,what do u mean by check all the pathways?


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## PACMAN (Mar 4, 2010)

christine said:


> the only thing in the bottom of the chambers is a little bit of sand,what do u mean by check all the pathways?


well the water follows from intake in ch 1, over the falls to chamber 2. then goes through some filter media in there (which could be plugged up with detritus) and then flows through the bottom set of baffles, through a coarse sponge, into my 3rd chamber, where my pump pushes water back into the display.

i guess we need to clarify.

1.Is water is being pumped from the back to the display portion of your tank, and you can tell 100% that it is going to the front area?

2. is water going back to the rear of the tank, throguh the intake slots?


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## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

The wtr pump that is pump wtr flow to the tank is working...but, the intake at the bottom isn't working. i can tell cause there is stuff floating all over the tank. i just clean all debri in all the chambers, plugged back in & nothing.


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## PACMAN (Mar 4, 2010)

christine said:


> The wtr pump that is pump wtr flow to the tank is working...but, the intake at the bottom isn't working. i can tell cause there is stuff floating all over the tank. i just clean all debri in all the chambers, plugged back in & nothing.


maybe there just istn enough water in the tank? if the pump is working, then water from the back should be moving into your main display, and as that level rises, it should flow into the back and the cycle goes on and on.

try and add a little water and see if that helps?


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## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

It's not the wtr. i have it to the top.


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## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

Will the fish be ok for a couple of days without the inlet vent working, i really can't afford to start over again, if i can't get it going i'll think i will have to pack it in...give the clown fish to the store. This is sooo frustrating, it's a 8 gallon biocube, only 2 yrs old.


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## PACMAN (Mar 4, 2010)

when you say intake. are you referring to the intake of the pump? or intake(the slats where the water flows from display to back filter area?


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## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

The slats where wtr. flows from display back to filter area. Sorry i'm not wording right, i'm just so paniced. The pump the flows blows wtr. out to the tank is working.


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## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

the bottom slats are not sucking in debri.


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## PACMAN (Mar 4, 2010)

christine said:


> The slats where wtr. flows from display back to filter area. Sorry i'm not wording right, i'm just so paniced. The pump the flows blows wtr. out to the tank is working.


ok, well the the only thing that would cause water to not flow back through the slats, and into the filter area, would be something blocking them. so if nothing is blocking the slats, then that isnt the problem.

if you leave your pump on, will its chamber run out of water? maybe the water is flowing to the back, but you cannot notice it?


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## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

The wtr. does not go down at all...just sits at the top. it's not moving period.


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## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

i appreciate u trying to help me, i just can't figure this out.


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## PACMAN (Mar 4, 2010)

christine said:


> The wtr. does not go down at all...just sits at the top. it's not moving period.


No worries. If the pump is pushing water in your display tank, and the water level is remaining constant in the back, then water is indeed flowing back into the rear chamber and nothing should be wrong. the cycle of flow is occurring. front to rear, and then back via the pump to the front.

edit: hmm, unless a seal broke between ch 1 and 2 causing the water to flow inbetweent eh plastic, and thus, not over the top .


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

In my Magic Wave, I also do not see any water movement in the sump.

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## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

In mine, the wtr from chamber 3 runs down chamber 2...over the floss. i have my floss on top to collect extra debri from the top. i top off chamber 1 up every few days & change the floss. What's strange is the wtr reserve in chamber 1 is full yet, the tank level is about 2" low. i filled up the tank wtr level whether or not i should of i don't know i'm running out of ideas. i have to figure out cost wise if it is worth it for me to buy a 20 gallon or not.


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## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

I forgot to mention i changed the middle chamber to a fuge, so it's cut at the top & i have a small plastic piece so the wtr can flow to chamber 2.


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## PACMAN (Mar 4, 2010)

i have a fuge section in chamber 2 as well (although im looking for a good way to light it, and then i can put my chaeto back there). 


There should be a little bit of a waterfall effect from the first chamber, going into the second with the water falling onto the filter floss. (the 2" drop should allow for this, and this is good). 

between chamber 2 & 3(to be clear, ch3 is where the return pump is) there shouldnt be a difference in water level, and you wont notice any water movement in these 2 chambers.


is the lack of water movement between chamber 2(your fuge area) and chamber 3(the pump holding area) the issue?


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

My tank has a 5 chambers

1) skimmer
2) Spounge 
3) small LR
4) small LR + chaeto ( Do I need lights for this?)
5) Return pump

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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

What is Chaeto

Chaetomorpha or "Chaeto" algae is a green macro algae from the Division Chlorophyta and is one of the more common plants to keep in your marine aquarium to help maintain your water purity. The most common species is Chaetomorpha linum and is probably what is in your tank.

This plant grows in filamentous strands and resembles a tangled ball of fishing line. Each individual cell is tubular in shape. Although it can be placed in the main aquarium, active growth may make it a nuisance and is best kept in the refugium. Chaeto should be illuminated 'opposite the main aquarium', i.e., when the aquarium lights go off, the refugium light goes on. This helps to reduce the nightly pH swings that can occur in our marine reef aquariums. In general, most reefers will illuminate for 10-12 hours per day.

Other species include Chaetomorpha cannibina and antennina. Under the right conditions, this macro can virtually 'vacuum' your aquarium clean of nitrates and phosphates. Chaeto is generally kept in a refugium under moderate to high lighting and grows into a large fuzzy ball. It does best with good water flow, and, in some refugiums, will need to be 'de-bulked' over time. In so doing, this reduces the mass of chaeto as it enlarges, ridding it of accumulated debris. You may even have to rinse it in aquarium water like a sponge. This is probably the most important task you will have to do to it to maintain it's health. When aquacultured, chaeto is usually tumbled, however, in moderate to high water flow, it should do fine.

Chaetomorpha linum is free floating algae that will not attach itself to anything in your aquarium unlike Caulerpa Sp. that quickly spread through a root system and will attach to most anything (ie. rocks, coral, glass, pumps, etc.). Caulerpa algae can be quite invasive and problematic. Chaeto is my favorite as a nutrient exporter and one of the reasons I prefer it is that it will not 'go sexual' like Caulerpa and release nutrients and reproductive products back into the water column.

Chaeto is a controllable macro algae. The basic idea is that desirable macro algae, such as chaeto, eat up the same nutrients as undesirable algae. For example, Byopsis, green hair, cyano, etc. Thus, out competing them for nutrients.

The idea is to grow the chaeto in an environment (a refugium or sump) that allows you to prune it as it grows, thus, removing the nutrients it has absorbed. As the chaeto grows and absorbs excess nutrients in your reef system it will out compete other nuisance algae in your tank. Regular pruning of the chaeto is the key to extracting dissolved organic wastes from the water. The chaeto takes it in and you take it out. This process of removing nutrient buildup is generally called "nutrient export".

Pruning your chaeto gives you the opportunity to help the natural ecosystem. You can give your pruned chaeto to a fellow reef aquarium hobbyist, thus, no need for them to buy something taken from the wild. You are now part of the aquaculture movement. Your newly aquacultured chaeto can even be traded for other aquacultured reef specimens such as coral frags. Some find they can produce a small income from there chaeto prunings on eBay. Hey, every little bit counts in this hobby.

Chaeto housed in a refugium will act as a spawning ground for desirable crustaceans such as copepods and amphipods to thrive and help feed and clean your tank.

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## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

i name the chambers from the left (chamber 1-2-3) i have a fuge in chamber 2. My problem started today, 2 yr. old tank (biocube 8 gallon) i know too small. Anyway, chamber 3 the flow goes into chamber 2, it stopped today. i checked plugs, clean out debri in all chambers & nothing. Also there is no suction in lower intakes of bottom of tank. i don't no what to do know, is it worth it for me money wise after christmas to spend the money on a 20 gallon?


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## PACMAN (Mar 4, 2010)

christine said:


> i name the chambers from the left (chamber 1-2-3) i have a fuge in chamber 2. My problem started today, 2 yr. old tank (biocube 8 gallon) i know too small. Anyway, chamber 3 the flow goes into chamber 2, it stopped today. i checked plugs, clean out debri in all chambers & nothing. Also there is no suction in lower intakes of bottom of tank. i don't no what to do know, is it worth it for me money wise after christmas to spend the money on a 20 gallon?


ok, well my thought is that possibly the silicone seal between the display and the filtration area is compromised somewhere. as long as your pump is still pumping water from the back to the display, there should eb water flow, unless the water is getting into the back another way, thus eliminating the need for the water to flow over from your chamber 3 into chamber 2

can you post a pic of what your filter area is looking like when it is running, and also the display area? maybe that can help in the diagnosis.


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## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

it kind of hard to post a pic now when everything is on timers, i felt around in chamber 1 ( to my left) & it's hard to tell if the seal is gone. the wtr. level on all the chambers is high, but the wtr. level in the tank is about 2" lower then normal. So my dilema is do i pitch this hobby up forever, or spend $$$ which i can afford half & get a 20 gal.? Of all the days for this to happen!


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## PACMAN (Mar 4, 2010)

tough call. it is boxing day tomorrow, and big als will ahve great deals.

but im still not sure how you can have a higher water level in the back, that int he display tank, when the pump is working. i would invetigate the pump then. if the pump works(and intake is not working like you mentioned), water should be lower in the filter area, and higher in the display tank!


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## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

i know, i hear u, it's a mystery. it's hard u know, it's not just the tank u have to buy..... lights for corals, more sand it adds up. especially with the new tax.


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## PACMAN (Mar 4, 2010)

yeah, i guess. im thinking the best bet is to sleep on it. 


maybe someone else can respond with an answer to your problem, because im out of solutions


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## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

Thanks for trying, i will never buy a biocube again!!


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Let's use the same naming. Chamber 1 has water flow into it from the tank. Chamber 2 has water fall into it from chamber 1. Chamber 3 is connected to chamber 3 and houses the return pump.

What you're saying is that:

In chamber 1, the bottom grates aren't sucking in water like they used to.

Chambers 2 and 3 are normal and the return pump is working.

The display area's water level is 2" lower than usual.

I may have missed something but can you answer these:
1. Is the rear chamber area water level also low?
2. If you remove all media, floss and chaeto, unplug everything and let everything settle down, and then plug the return pump back in, can you see that there is water flow in every compartment of the tank? If there is no detectable flow in an area, which one is not moving?
3. Empty the rear chambers. Do they refill on their own? Does the water level in the display area fall after a while?

In the mean time, I'd get those bottom grills working again - a toothbrush or pipe cleaner should help you.


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## christine (Jun 13, 2009)

Everything is working fine now, i took the motor out & cleaned it with a toothbrush. i haven't done that for awhile, thankyou u for helping me. i will be cleaning the motor more often now.

Christine


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## PACMAN (Mar 4, 2010)

good to know you found a solution!


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