Reef tank disaster.....simulation?

[Crabs McJones]

In a conversation with another reefer I came up with the idea for a new thread.

What's the first thing we do when we get a new piece of equipment? Get it home, in the tank and turned on and running of course!

But I'm curious as to how many reefers run a "dooms day simulation" if you will. What I mean by that is;

Say you buy a brand new sump. You get it home, plumb it in, fill it up with water and kick on the return pump. From there youd think you're done. The next morning you wake up, come downstairs to see how everyone is doing, only to find your living room under water! Turns out your pump failed during the night and the sump couldn't handle the backflow of water.

Now had you run a pump fail simulation, unplugged the pump after topping off the system, the flooding would have been caught and you could have done extra to help prevent it whether it be raising the return spout or adding a anti drainback valve to your return ect...

So my question (I know finally!)
How many reefers run equipment fail simulations to prevent flooding or other equipment failure?

 

[LadyMac]

I have tested my sump to make sure it would hold the back flow. I’ve also tested that in case my HOB overflow lost siphon the tank could hold the water from the sump :). I’m a nervous noodle so I still check the levels throughout the day.

 

[DIvid]

Absolutely, its critical and quite honestly slightly numb minded to not test your system's critical failure points. Both my 75g tanks are plumbed so when power kicks off water level is still 5% below rim of sump after tank has back siphoned and return and over flow are empty. Run bean animal set ups on both to maintain an extra security pipe the system both are tested by completely shutting the siphon return and the initial set up is test with both wet lines becoming clogged by shutting the gate valves. While the tanks have many things that can go wrong its best to test them in an environment you can stop the issue and make sure it doesn't happen rather than coming home to a flood damaged home and possibly dead live stock. These are just a couple examples I'm sure some take it much further than myself.

 

[WVNed]

I would call that function testing my design. I do that.

Disaters I have had over the years. 55 gallon front glass came out, Heater explosion, Energized tank.

 

[Flippers4pups]

It's when I "wet test" after I build a system is when the "Gremlins" and "Murphy's Law" come to visit! I tell them "go away" and they don't come back! That's how I roll! One and done! Lol


Seriously.......
I plan failures with replacement back ups if needed. Extra return pump, extra wave makers, heaters.....etc.

 

[titlowda]

Yes. I am a little special when it comes to this but after my 150GL flooding issues in Guam and then a crash I want to be prepared.

I do make sure that my sump can handle the back flow. Return pump is on a battery back up. Skimmer is hooked to this to ensure it is knocked off.
-Heaters on tow separate plugs w/separate breakers. In tank heater is on a battery back up.
-MP40 and MP10 are on separate plugs w/separate breakers.
-I do not have the MP10 on a battery backup but have a ich to do the DIY I saw on here.
I do flip breakers to ensure things act the way I want in case of a power outage.

 

[ca1ore]

Yes, I 'simulate' equipment and drain failures. What happens if the pump fails, what happens if a heater gets stuck on (of off), what happens if my siphon drains get blocked. I also run redundant sensors to alert me to potentially problematic conditions. Though it is interesting that the vast majority of these alerts are false positives - usually a function of a stuck or malfunctioning sensor. The apex flow sensors are notorious for this, as are cheap float switches.

 

[Retro Reefer]

Great topic and one thing a lot of reefers neglect, I’m setting up a new tank and systematically simulating potential tank, sump and skimmer failures and overflows.. if I block my down flow line my pump compartment in the sump will run dry before tank overflows and my return pump will automatically shut down, if my return pump fails or there is a power outage the siphon will break before my sump is half full and if my skimmer starts overflowing it will automatically shut off.. I’m also using redundant fail safes for things like my heaters

 

[Crabs McJones]

Good input everyone :) I would also like to know what are your thoughts on a controller vs equipment failure. Asset or not completely necessary?

 

[ca1ore]

I resisted getting a controller for a long time (25 years :D actually) .... you know, that whole 'single point of failure' thing. Redundancy has been my focus always in mitigating potential disasters, and a controller is fundamentally antithetical to that notion. But, I do concede that one can be useful in diagnosing potential problems. So, my personal philosophy is to use my Apex mainly as a sensing and alerting device, rather than a control device. OK, there are exceptions - I do use it as one, but not the sole, heater controller; and one, but not the sole, ATO device. I think most folks recognize the benefits that a controller brings in terms of problem avoidance; but fail to truly understand the implications of that controller failing. The latter may be less likely than the former, but if it does fail it can be a big problem.

The other thing to be mindful of, and I noted it in an earlier post in this thread, is the frequency of 'false positives'. I'd say that about 75% of my programmed alerts are triggered from malfunctioning sensors. For example, I use an optical sensor on my overflow to indicate a high display water level condition. Apparently that sensor is now stuck 'on' so if I had it control the main pump, it would be shutting down said pump unnecessarily. Although I do like them, the flow sensors are quite prone to getting stuck and reporting a zero flow number, which then triggers my virtual outlets to report a problem. Don't use cheap reed-based float switches. I've lost count of the ones that have failed. I now only buy the Madison branded ones and so far, no failures; but I do use them in redundant pairs (sometimes triples). The remaining 25% of the alerts are useful. Things like reminding me to recharge the kalk reservoir (low pH alert), the dosing reservoir is empty, the skimmate container is full, or the Co2 cylinder on the CaRx is misbehaving. All just alerts though, no control.

 

[jd371]

I went with a HOB overflow when I started my tank 3 years ago. I'm sure you've heard the horror stories concerning HOB's. After setting up the tank I tested different failures that could happen to my tank and ways to make sure it didn't happen or if it did there were fail safes in place.