What's the worst Tank disaster story?

[Skaters216]

I was wondering what's the worst Tank disaster anyone had? I haven't had any disasters knock on Water,, but would like to know yours,, maybe it will help someone avoid the same Disaster!!!! Let's hear it!!!

 

[Jhoehlein]

Not my personal disaster, but that of an ex-employee of my former company who no longer works there for obvious reasons. This was several years ago.

2 AM Sunday morning. Emergency call goes out, one of our larger clients - a 500 gallon reef in a 15th floor penthouse off Central Park West - has sprung a leak. Our installer leaves the club he's been partying at all night to head up and check it out. He gets there to find the client, a fairly staid billionaire, sitting in a chair in the middle of the room in about three inches of water. The tank is completely drained. Client pours him a glass of scotch from the bottle he's been working on and just starts laughing. Installer gets to work on the post-mortem.

The tank had a closed loop plumbed through the bottom. The union just below the bulkhead had burst. It soon becomes evident that the service tech had forgotten to open up the valve after restarting the Reeflo pump at the end of the service visit. If you run a pump into a closed valve something has to fail; either the pump burns out or a pipe bursts. In this case, Reeflo beats schedule 80 pvc.

Damage is pretty extensive, but that's why you only hire service companies with great insurance. Client swears off aquariums and removes it during the renovation, insurance company writes a few 7 figure checks to him and his neighbors going down five stories below him and then promptly drops the company as a client, and service tech loses a job. Boss man swears off bottom-plumbed closed loops permanently, probably for the best.

So there you go kids. Think twice about drilling holes in the bottom of your tank, be careful with closed loops, and check your valves after starting up pumps. Your downstairs neighbors will thank you.

 

[fritz]

Not my personal disaster, but that of an ex-employee of my former company who no longer works there for obvious reasons. This was several years ago.

2 AM Sunday morning. Emergency call goes out, one of our larger clients - a 500 gallon reef in a 15th floor penthouse off Central Park West - has sprung a leak. Our installer leaves the club he's been partying at all night to head up and check it out. He gets there to find the client, a fairly staid billionaire, sitting in a chair in the middle of the room in about three inches of water. The tank is completely drained. Client pours him a glass of scotch from the bottle he's been working on and just starts laughing. Installer gets to work on the post-mortem.

The tank had a closed loop plumbed through the bottom. The union just below the bulkhead had burst. It soon becomes evident that the service tech had forgotten to open up the valve after restarting the Reeflo pump at the end of the service visit. If you run a pump into a closed valve something has to fail; either the pump burns out or a pipe bursts. In this case, Reeflo beats schedule 80 pvc.

Damage is pretty extensive, but that's why you only hire service companies with great insurance. Client swears off aquariums and removes it during the renovation, insurance company writes a few 7 figure checks to him and his neighbors going down five stories below him and then promptly drops the company as a client, and service tech loses a job. Boss man swears off bottom-plumbed closed loops permanently, probably for the best.

So there you go kids. Think twice about drilling holes in the bottom of your tank, be careful with closed loops, and check your valves after starting up pumps. Your downstairs neighbors will thank you.

WOW!:bigeyes2:

 

[thirty6]

thankfully I have only had a few minor water issues, always because I left the ro unit on

I have read a few terrible stories of apt/house fires due to tanks....

 

[Skaters216]

Best part of that story JHOEHLEIN is,, I like that the Client poured him a Glass of Scotch.. thats a crazy story,, the people down stairs must of went NUTS!!!!!

 

[oh207]

Ich wipe out.

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