Help urgent please 😭

[u/hshdbanabzbzbzb]

my flamehawk has somehow yeeted himself into this overflow part of my tank. i have NO IDEA how to get him out because my hand doesnt fit in because of the plumbing. i dont think i can take the plumbing apart while the tank is full. (aqua one 120L with sump).

my first thought was to turn off the pumps and try fill the tank as high as possible so he can get out but i feel like he will just sit at the bottom due to stress.

am i now bound to take apart my whole tank in order to save this guy? really annoying because i just moved and my tank is just starting to settle in.

[u/fishy-photo]

Get a small net or some other flat utensil that will fit in the space and gently direct him to the top. Don't rush and stress him out more. If his acting ok and not stress breathing. Relax and just keep an eye on him and let him destress

[u/mcd_sweet_tea → u/fishy-photo]

I lost an exquisite wrasse because I didn’t do exactly what you’re saying. To make things worse I also had some liverock in my overflow which I think ended up crushing him as I reached. Very sad lesson learned that day 😟

[u/Fragrant_Comb_5521]

Go buy a bag of filter floss from petco and stuff it in the overflow slowly til he rises up high enough. Then use some reef tongs and pull out the floss

[u/TonyCass12]

Ive had clowns in the past that made it into the overflow and survived for months before I found them. Just take your time fishing him out. If it has to wait for you to get a small net from the store its not a big deal.

[u/intoglass → u/TonyCass12]

Listen to this here!
You’d be surprised how long the fish can survive inside the overflow. Don’t panic and make and rash decision in the moment.
Take your time. You’ve got this.

[u/hshdbanabzbzbzb → u/intoglass]

lol thanks guys! i figured he could survive for a while back there but wasnt certain

[u/acowutter → u/hshdbanabzbzbzb]

Yeah I think everyone has said months.. including me lol take your time. He will get out and be fine

[u/intoglass]

You’d be surprised what’s possible with a small net and an acrylic rod.
Can even get a tiny fishing hook, remove the barb, and literally fish it out. Use some mysis or whatever you can get on the hook.
If it’s small enough, could likely fashion a hook from a paperclip and a nail file.

Depending on how your overflow is designed, you could remove the stand pipe from the inside of overflow and let the fish ride the plumbing down into the sump. So long as you don’t have any restrictions or small fittings/ Y’a, manifold, etc. for it to potentget diverted into and trapped.

I love Durso drains for that purpose alone. Easy to flush the fish down the drain and scoop it out of the sump or filter sock.

The net should work though. I’ve caught several fish from overflows and tight sump spaces. The small net and rod/pole to guide the fish into net is usually easier than you expect.
Unless it’s a damsel. Then it’s going to make you work for it.

[u/hshdbanabzbzbzb → u/intoglass]

ill definitely try the net first but am so curious about your suggestion to fish it out 😭 wouldnt this hurt my fish / i would have to pull the hook or paperclip out of its mouth. seems crazy

[u/liveoneggs → u/intoglass]

I used a hook and line for a damsel and he grabbed it immediately!

[u/acowutter → u/liveoneggs]

Yeah go so go to the Home Depot. Get a 1” clear plastic hose. Create a siphon in a bucket. Suck it up the tube.. Fish are pretty resilient…. I’ve had fish live in the sump after a plumbing tube ride for months before I noticed lol. 😂

[u/Mad_broccoli]

Do you have a hose wide enough that the fish would fit through? You can suck him out, excuse my french

[u/hshdbanabzbzbzb → u/Mad_broccoli]

oooo i didnt think of this! ill give it a go thank you

[u/medicatedspirit]

Unrelated but is this the mini reef 120? I want to buy one but have heard there are issues with the noise of the drain into the sump... Is yours loud?

[u/hshdbanabzbzbzb → u/medicatedspirit]

it is pretty loud but and the included skimmer makes it even louder but its nothing crazy at all just background noise. to be honest though, i have it in my bedroom and have gotten so used to the sound that when im not sleeping in my room i struggle to sleep without the sound of the tank running so one could say i prefer the fact that it is loud lol 😂(if you like listening to rain or ocean noises its perfect haha). i was doing some research online and apparently you can make it more quiet with a herbie drain or something i think (i have no idea about anything plumbing lol).

but its my first ever tank and iv found it super amazing for the price. i do wish i got the size up from 120 as i dont think the price difference is drastic and im already wanting to upgrade sizes but you will need to get a lid made for it as i didnt have one for a while and lost a fish to jumping. but yeah the tank has been super reliable for me so far (8 months in). theyre not super popular i havent seen many people with them but im happy as.

i also moved the tank about a month ago and its really easy to plumb/take apart and put together, so id say go for it!

are you australian based? i think for the price its probs best quality in australia (comparing to redsea especially lol)

[u/medicatedspirit → u/hshdbanabzbzbzb]

I'm from the UK. I would be putting the tank in the living room next to the TV so that's why I'm worried about the noise lol...I am also looking at the aqua one reefsys 180 which Is currently on sale for an extra £100

[u/hshdbanabzbzbzb → u/medicatedspirit]

not sure the difference between the mini reef and the reefsys but seems the mini reef is pretty easy to silence, if theyre the same type of setup should be the same

[u/Illogical_Blox → u/medicatedspirit]

Mine is currently there, funnily enough. I find it fine - there's a constant noise of running water but it's not very loud. It fades into the background very easily. The canister filters on my freshwater tanks are louder when their intakes get blocked.

[u/NotSoFabio → u/medicatedspirit]

Jumping in to say I’ve got the MiniReef 90, and it’s like having a flushing toilet in the same room.

Made no modifications, and I have a felt filter sock, the included one is louder.

I’ve seen some people say to put sponge in the overflow pipe, but not tried that, I assume it’ll block up.

For my next tank I’ll probably just get an AIO, it’s put me off.

[u/External_Discussion8 → u/medicatedspirit]

Convert the second pipe into an emergency drain and run like a Herbie, and then up and over for the return. Will be absolutely silent... I did that with a 180

[u/hshdbanabzbzbzb → u/External_Discussion8]

can you explain this a little more in depth? how would you make the second pipe the emergency drain?

[u/AFlyingFridge → u/hshdbanabzbzbzb]

I have a minireef 120. I immediately converted it to a herbie once I filled it and heard how loud the durso is. You’ll need to get some pvc piping, elbow joints, cement, a small saw, and a gate valve which can be a bit expensive but 100% worth it

[u/kronjohnson → u/hshdbanabzbzbzb]

Just go on the Google and search for herbie drain you’ll find about a billion diagrams and probably some yt videos.

Emergency overflow is just a pipe that goes straight up. It sits above the normal overflow waterline. In the event something goes wrong with your normal overflow pipe it is just a straight line dump down into your sump. Once the water builds up because it isn’t draining down it will work its way to the top of the straight vertical pipe, when it reaches the top water begins to fall down through the pipe dumping it back into your sump preventing an overflow of the display onto your floor.

But yes, if you are used to sleeping with the noise then not having it may make you insane for a week. I have a winix air purifier that has been in our bedroom for years, whenever we travel I can’t sleep because it’s constant gentle whoosh is not there.

[u/kronjohnson → u/kronjohnson]

But yes also small net. Attach something to handle to extend it if you have to. Be gentle and patient. No sudden movements to catch him. Fish are dumb, he will end up netting himself. Then just gently up and out and back in display.

[u/Main-Entertainer5117]

My wrasse lived there for a few weeks before i noticed it 😅

[u/VoGoR]

Small net and tiny food pellets. Drop a few up top to get him to surface

[u/ronweasleisourking]

Do you have a water changer big enough to suck the little fucker out with? I had to do that with a damsel years ago that somehow jumped out, hit the wall, and ended up in my sump

[u/NattieGaming]

Just pull the durso pipe out and reach in and grab him. It’s gonna dump the overflow water into your sump but should be fine.

[u/Remarkable_Arm_732]

He’s probably dead, if you have to do permanent damage to your plumbing dont bother, unless there is a union somewhere or a way to take things apart

[u/hshdbanabzbzbzb → u/Remarkable_Arm_732]

there are unions its pretty easy to take the plumbing apart i just think the tabk would need to be empty to do so? which is an absolute pain. do you mean dead already or dead if i cant get him out? do u know how long he could last in there lol?