I am ashamed and embarassed to admit this and do so only to warn others to be more careful. I started my weekly 50% wc's this afternoon. I have a syphon that discharges outside. I started the water going and got busy fixing the water temprature and the next time I look at the 55g Cichlid tank, it has about 2 inches of water! My big Electric Blue Ahli's were on their sides. Where the rest were I don't know as I rushed over with the hose, to heck with the temp. and started refilling.

I think the water level was so low the syphon was lost so I don't know how long exactly it had been at that level.

Right now, everybody seems ok but we'll see.

Lesson learned. PAY ATTENTION!

Edit to ad: Ok, a new lesson learned. As I moved over to one of my 10g tanks, after I did the gravel vacuum, I set the syphon hose, no deeper than half way down the tank. That way, even if I get dumbly distracted, it will remove no more than I want. Geez.

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60g tall, all artificial plants, Rainbow tank; 55g for African Cichlids. 20g long for fry; 20g hex, 2 black Angels at my desk; 10g planted, with 50 Molly fry; 10 gal, 2x 13w cfl lightning, planted; 2g hex for "Buddy the Betta"; Wanting a 200g +, MTS getting bad.

Not sure how long you've been doing tanks, but after a while it all becomes second nature to the point that you easily multi-task. I do a 125g, 75g and 29g all at the same time and many months ago I used to get distracted doing other things while I was filling them back up. Along the way I have managed to overfill my 75g at least 3 times. Not quite as severe as what you did, but on the same level. Now I contantly check the status of stuff if I go off and do something while pulling or adding water. I haven't had any issues like that now in 7-8 months.

Glad everything worked out for you. Don't be ashamed or embarrassed. Many people do stuff like that but you'd never know it on here. Most prefer not to mention a screw up I think.

Yeah, I started not to post up about it. I have never been a good multi-tasker person and today really drove that point home. I was having a true physical panic attack thing going on with rapid heartbeat, hyperventation and just freaking out in general. That lasted almost an hour even after the water level was safe. If they had died I'd be wrecked for a week I think. I mean, sometimes fish die, but to have killed them out of carelessness? Oh man.

I restarted this hobby on new years day of this year, so six months of activity. It was a humbling experience for me and God knows what for my Cichlids. I have been watching them carefully since and they seem ok. No need to test the water now! It's whatever comes out the tap and here in Memphis and that's good water. I did pour in two gallons of Cichlid mix once the level got about half way.

I can't believe that I missed the obvious way to avoid this. (placing the syphon tube half way in the tank) I guess I just never have had such a scare before to hammer the idea into my pea brain. My wife said, "I'll bet you never do this again!" Lord, I hope.

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60g tall, all artificial plants, Rainbow tank; 55g for African Cichlids. 20g long for fry; 20g hex, 2 black Angels at my desk; 10g planted, with 50 Molly fry; 10 gal, 2x 13w cfl lightning, planted; 2g hex for "Buddy the Betta"; Wanting a 200g +, MTS getting bad.

Glad everything turned out ok. Next time you drain a tank with no fish in it you can relax and have the tube all the way down in the tank and have to not panic or check that our gonna suck up a fish.
Which I did once. I drain it down quite a bit to help me catch the fish and if you don't pay attention you have a fish stuck on the end of the tube. Scared the crap outta me but the fish was fine.

I'm glad you fish didn't end up on the lawn.

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SWIM AWAY

Awww, it's ok! We all make mistakes - just most of us don't have the guts to post it. (Like jrman said.)

Glad everyone's ok though!

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20g Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981
36g Bow Front Heavily Planted http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery...00&ppuser=8981

I feel ya.I clean my betta containers daily.I have sat down forgetting the siphon is going(I leave an inch in there for the fish)and when I realize it,the poor fish is on its side,flopping about,lol.Once I get water back in,they look like they are cussing me out,swimming rapidly back and forth opening their mouths.Like"hey What the hell?Did you not see me!What you forgot?AGAIN?Stupid human...Thats going to cost you bloodworms"

By the way I aint skeerd.Ill admit my messups,hah!How else do you learn?

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http://bountifulbettas.blogspot.com/

"Come to the dark side....we have cookies...and filters/heaters/and water changes!"

If there was anything I could find funny about what I did, it was the way those fish suddenly became buddies. As soon as there was three inches of water, one of the Blue Ahli's (7 inches long) was in a deep hidey hole with the Livinstoni. They are not normally friendly to each other. They were side by side and not fighting! lol

18 hours later and they still seem ok.

Jrman, I don't think I'll EVER get things down well enough to multi-task. On the other side of disaster, most everything else is going well in my tanks. In the 60g, the Rainbows have grown to near adulthood and are beautiful, active fish. My two Angels in the 20g hex are healthy and are like puppies begging for food and wagging their tails. Real pets, those two are. My Molly fry tank is crazy looking with 50 fry growing like weeds. Most are starting to get the black spots as they are Dalmations. I also found a dozen Lyer Tail Mollies up in the 10g community, so I moved them to the fry tank as well. The Betta (male) is doing fine. He's a trip when I feed him bloodworms. He acts like they have attacked his home somehow and he must eat them all before they suceed. The 10g community seems to be doing better now that the stockload is lower and the plants there are making a garden. My 14g plastic container fry overload (tank) is running really high Nitrites so maybe it is nearly finished the fishless cycle. I hope so because those Mollies will need more space SOON. I guess I am rambling but I am just glad to have had some sucess with the hobby.

Now, I am on my way to catch some Largemouth Bass. I catch and release all of them even though the lake manager wants me to "cull out some of the little ones!" He is on me about it every time I see him.

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60g tall, all artificial plants, Rainbow tank; 55g for African Cichlids. 20g long for fry; 20g hex, 2 black Angels at my desk; 10g planted, with 50 Molly fry; 10 gal, 2x 13w cfl lightning, planted; 2g hex for "Buddy the Betta"; Wanting a 200g +, MTS getting bad.

Looks like you got a late start. I was on the water at 6am and still feel like I was late. Potomac is about 10 miles from here. Caught 24 and was home before 11am. Got to love this river.