Mystery water spill

rainsong

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 4, 2021
Messages
108
Reaction score
44
Location
WA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The carpet around my tank is wet. I have been using a shovac and a fan for 2 days and still find more water.

I am trying to trace the source of the leak. My refractometer says that the water my vac is sucking up is freshwater. I assume that means it is from my ato system? Can it be a saltwater leak? Could saltwater lose its salinity as it wicks through carpet?

Thanks!
 

Lost in the Sauce

BANGERANG!!!!
View Badges
Joined
Feb 10, 2021
Messages
18,889
Reaction score
91,543
Location
Southern California
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The carpet around my tank is wet. I have been using a shovac and a fan for 2 days and still find more water.

I am trying to trace the source of the leak. My refractometer says that the water my vac is sucking up is freshwater. I assume that means it is from my ato system? Can it be a saltwater leak? Could saltwater lose its salinity as it wicks through carpet?

Thanks!
No, it should still be salt water.

How is your ato set up? Can you activate it and see where the water is coming from? Is the res leaking?
 
OP
OP
rainsong

rainsong

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 4, 2021
Messages
108
Reaction score
44
Location
WA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
No, it should still be salt water.

How is your ato set up? Can you activate it and see where the water is coming from? Is the res leaking?
Thanks. That helps a lot.

I recently setup a Brute ATO reservoir. I found that it was siphoning water since the level was too high. So I drilled a hole in the tubing near the top. I then had to keep the lid shut so the water wouldn’t jet out through the hole. My suspicion is that the water jet hit the lid and still made it out of the reservoir onto the carpet.

I ordered push fit fittings with a tee and a ballvalve to control the water and made the change. However, I still didn’t know that the water had probably been leaking for about 10 days. The water appears to have accumulated under my tank and keeps wicking out as i shopvac the carpet around the tank. I cannot recreate the leak since I have already “fixed” it.

Does this explanation seem reasonable?
 

Lost in the Sauce

BANGERANG!!!!
View Badges
Joined
Feb 10, 2021
Messages
18,889
Reaction score
91,543
Location
Southern California
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thanks. That helps a lot.

I recently setup a Brute ATO reservoir. I found that it was siphoning water since the level was too high. So I drilled a hole in the tubing near the top. I then had to keep the lid shut so the water wouldn’t jet out through the hole. My suspicion is that the water jet hit the lid and still made it out of the reservoir onto the carpet.

I ordered push fit fittings with a tee and a ballvalve to control the water and made the change. However, I still didn’t know that the water had probably been leaking for about 10 days. The water appears to have accumulated under my tank and keeps wicking out as i shopvac the carpet around the tank. I cannot recreate the leak since I have already “fixed” it.

Does this explanation seem reasonable?
Reasonable enough.
 

Managing real reef risks: Do you pay attention to the dangers in your tank?

  • I pay a lot of attention to reef risks.

    Votes: 54 46.2%
  • I pay a bit of attention to reef risks.

    Votes: 37 31.6%
  • I pay minimal attention to reef risks.

    Votes: 18 15.4%
  • I pay no attention to reef risks.

    Votes: 7 6.0%
  • Other.

    Votes: 1 0.9%
Back
Top