Tip of the Day – 10/27/2010

Aquarium equipment and other electronic devices can be splashed by saltwater or dropped into the tank by accident. Most people simply let loose a few expletives, remove the equipment from the water, and throw it away. Before throwing it away though, there are some techniques you can do to possibly restore function to the device(s). First, remove all sources of power (batteries, plugs, etc). Next open the device, if possible, and let it dry out completely. This could take several days, so be patient. To help speed the process along you could use a hair dryer or simply dump rice onto the equipment. The rice will soak up any excess moisture. After a few days has gone by and the electronics have dried, try plugging them in. If it works, great. But there’s still a good chance it might not work. At that point, you will have to reach into the wallet to replace the damaged item.