Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Tick Tock]

I guess in the grand scheme of things, 3 disasters in the home have occurred in the last week. Despite SWMBO and myself, there are people in the wider world suffering with more grave concerns, so we count ourselves lucky despite any frustrations.

Last week noticed stains on the ceiling in the hallway. After ripping out paneling from bathroom it came as no surprise the en-suite toilet waste pipe was leaking. New pipe ordered and fitted, but meant removing toilet. After putting it all back together, mains supply pipe was dripping and cistern tank to pan gushing water over the side of the pan. I always clean up compression fittings with fine wire wool so they seat better when reassembled, so it wasn't lack of attention. All sorted now so we can pee and poo in confidence.

Pond pump filter failure next on list with water quality going downhill rapidly, and unfortunately a couple of fish have perished. A makeshift filter bed was quickly constructed and that's improved the water quality a bit... still a work in progress.

Came downstairs this morning to find the kitchen floor flooded in half inch of clean water.... looks like the dishwasher has packed up and the inlet valve has failed / leaked. All mopped up and dry now and dishwasher isolated.... looks like it's back to the old fashioned washing up routine after meals for a while!

They say bad luck comes in threes (all water related), so hopefully that's our quota for the month. 

[STEMO]

Funny you should post this thread just as I had finished giving the dog a trim. I will not be posting any pictures, but fair to say it belongs in a disaster thread.   

[Sir Tigger KC]

Funny you should post this thread just as I had finished giving the dog a trim. I will not be posting any pictures, but fair to say it belongs in a disaster thread.   

Aw go on Uncle STEMO, we could do with a laugh! 

[Tick Tock]

Funny you should post this thread just as I had finished giving the dog a trim. I will not be posting any pictures, but fair to say it belongs in a disaster thread.   

 
I didn't think whippets could be trimmed.

[Raeturbo]

Well at least it’s not trouble with waterworks of the other kind

[Viral_Jim]

Funny you should post this thread just as I had finished giving the dog a trim. I will not be posting any pictures, but fair to say it belongs in a disaster thread.   

Aw go on Uncle STEMO, we could do with a laugh! 

Agreed, there's prescious little entertainment in the world these days 

[dave the builder]

Last week noticed stains on the ceiling in the hallway. After ripping out paneling from bathroom it came as no surprise the en-suite toilet waste pipe was leaking. New pipe ordered and fitted, but meant removing toilet. After putting it all back together, mains supply pipe was dripping and cistern tank to pan gushing water over the side of the pan. I always clean up compression fittings with fine wire wool so they seat better when reassembled, so it wasn't lack of attention. All sorted now so we can pee and poo in confidence.

Pond pump filter failure next on list with water quality going downhill rapidly, and unfortunately a couple of fish have perished. A makeshift filter bed was quickly constructed and that's improved the water quality a bit... still a work in progress.

Came downstairs this morning to find the kitchen floor flooded in half inch of clean water.... looks like the dishwasher has packed up and the inlet valve has failed / leaked. All mopped up and dry now and dishwasher isolated.... looks like it's back to the old fashioned washing up routine after meals for a while!

They say bad luck comes in threes (all water related), so hopefully that's our quota for the month. 

apply PTFE tape round the olive if you  ever take apart a compression fitting 

water quality in ponds is something i know about ,I have BIG koi
Regular partial water changes will help with pond water ,and whack the air up (if you have airstones /pump)
what are the parameters ? low PH ,high amonia 
PM or ask me here if you need advice 

As for the dishwasher ,it's common for the O ring to fail on water break tank , or ,if it is solenoid failure, maybe a bit of debris stuck in the valve 

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Perhaps he has shaved it completely so it looks 'well hard'

Just to confirm, I'm talking about the whippet and not STMO's private parts.

[biggriffin]

Dishwasher .. check the flood valve.and ensure the waste pipe isn't blocked.

 Attention, calling that Tigger,, white goods partial thread

[Tick Tock]

apply PTFE tape round the olive if you  ever take apart a compression fitting 

water quality in ponds is something i know about ,I have BIG koi
Regular partial water changes will help with pond water ,and whack the air up (if you have airstones /pump)
what are the parameters ? low PH ,high amonia 
PM or ask me here if you need advice 

As for the dishwasher ,it's common for the O ring to fail on water break tank , or ,if it is solenoid failure, maybe a bit of debris stuck in the valve 

That's what I did in the end, just a bit of PTFE tape around the face of the olive - sorted.

Dishwasher tried working yesterday evening without command, just shutting the door and you could hear a whirring noise, but no water coming in. I don't know why it was trying to cycle or do something that hadn't been asked of it, so perhaps there's a problem with the control logic?

That doesn't account for the loss of water, so maybe there's a problem with the solenoid inlet valve not functioning - but that shouldn't have made it leak all night long. So it's possible there's 2 faults? It is about 8 or 9 years old, so that may affect a decision as to whether to just replace it. Beco.

The pond has been in existence for around 15 years now, approx 2000 gallons with 15 fish (fluctuating due to heron or present situation) with new babies spotted each year. Goldfish, Orf and a couple of grass carp are in there. We relined the pond about 3 years ago and the Oasis filter / uv unit is around 6 years old. Water started going murky over the last few months, so guess a replacement filter unit may be required. I also suspect a water transplant could be on the cards as any new filtration system is going to have to work hard to clear the present situation. No point in using Algorem, as we're in a soft water area so that could potentially kill all the fish. Plant levels are still relatively low, so that won't help the eco system.

So.... good advice is key and any suggestions welcomed. It's not going to be a quick fix that's for sure, so at the moment it's damage limitation.

[dave the builder]

ok, not sure how much you know about water quality .some tips.

first off , the UVc lamp needs replacing every year ,the lamp will still light BUT won't give out UVc ,this will cause an algae bloom
all the sun we are having will also boost algae growth
High nitrates also boost algae growth
by "low plant levels" i assume you mean lilies and plants have not  grown much yet ? when they grow,they use up nitrates

you don't say what the pond parameters are  do you know about nitrogen cycle ?
do you have a water test kit ? I check my PH every day 
amonia levels will spike early in the season because filter bacteria is low,you can boost levels with additives
bicarbonate of soda brings up the PH level and helps create the structure for good bacteria ,along with a small quantity of calcium carbonate

probably lots of kit you don't have 
up to 50% water changes can help but try to avoid rapid changes in temperature more than 3 degrees per 24 hours
rather than use "tap safe additive" which is expensive you can buy Sodium Thiosulphate Pentahydrate (penta) which is very cheap in comparison
as i said,if you have air pump it helps

 

[dave the builder]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sodium-Thiosulphate-1kg-99-Pure-Crystals-Aquarium-Dechlorinator-High-Grade-/301176184190?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c10


• 1 cup of the crystals  250 grams and will dechlorinate 18,000 gallons of fresh tap water, for the dechlorinator

add 250 g of sodium thiosulphate to 2 litre of boiled  tap water.to make a mix
 Use this mix at a rate of 30 ml per 1000 litres to treat new tap water

so a 1KG bag will treat 250,000 litres of water @ sub £6 inc delivery

about half the cost of BLAGDON WILDLIFE POND TAP SAFE 250ml bottle which treats just 2,273 Litres 

[STEMO]

I always knew there was something fishy about you.

[dave the builder]

I always knew there was something fishy about you.

you don't keep fish , you keep water
good water is complicated
get the water right, the fish live
get it wrong ,you've got fish soup   

[Tick Tock]

.... and he can lay bricks too. Watch out The Chasers, there's plenty of things they don't know.

Appreciate your advice Dave. new bulb obviously required. No ph kits or anything like that here, we're just simple folks living on the right side of the border. No expensive fish, but I do like to see them and try to look after them.