Heater Popped

[chunch]

Last weekend I heard a pop in the room. I could not locate it. Later that night there was an odd plastic/burning smell in the air. After investigating I saw that the water in the sump was extremely low and the pump was smoking. I immediately added water to the sump and the pump kicked in. The heater had to have malfunctioned as the day before I filled the sump with water. The water felt very warm not hot but really warm. And I removed the heater and saw that it was burnt and the plastic has melted.

I had one tomato clown who was over 10 years old, he/she looked distressed. Over the next few day I did water changes and he seemed to be back to normal but would not eat since the incident. Today he died, 6 days after the heater incident. Would the heater have contaminated the water? I have 2 red hermit crabs that went unfazed by this incident. I thought they would have been the first to die.

Now I need to empty the tank and start from scratch as the tank still has a plastic burning odor.
I know they are just two small hermit crabs but I’d like to keep them alive. What’s the best option to keep them alive while the tank is being cleaned and started over?

Thanks

 

[exnisstech]

Sounds like the water level was low heater ran dry and overheated. I don't see how a faulty heater is going to cause a water loss. Do you not have an ATO?

PS are you sure you need to tear down the tank? I've had something similar happen in the past. I don't think that would be necessary but you're there and I'm not.

 

[chunch]

I do not but I filled the sump the day before. It would be crazy that much water evaporated over night.

The water has a very plastic/burning smell to it. And I every other day I did a small water change. And still smells. Just think best to start over. I’m just amazed the the hermit crabs are fine.