My tank crashed.........literally

[zspeed32]

....whilst I was checking out my reef night life at about 1130 tonite, I heard a popping sound......at first I thought it was just the wood settling......this on a 60G tank I had just recently set up...........but the sound was just not right.....so, I looked under the tank to find a crack on the right side bottom running from front to back.....
....I turned around to go get help to relocate the contents of the tank......after a step or two, I heard another sound which sent a chill up my spine and I lept forward to clear myself from the debris which I knew would be rushing from behind.........then a large WOOOOOOOOSH......as 60 gallons of water cascaded onto the floor............luckily I had no really valuable items in the tank, saving my new detritivore kits and some damsels...................aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh.......life sux.....
...

 

[loonz]

That's really horrible!I can't start imagine what you have to go through.But I hope this does not deter you from the hobby,perhaps next time check for cracks before filling up the tank with water as a precaution.Good luck!

 

[Bryan]

Are you sure the stand was completely level. Did you use any styrofoam under the tank

 

[zspeed32]

yes, the tank was level........no styrofoam.
......actually, it had been filled w/water and sand for more than a month now......i just recently added some rock to officially start it up.....maybe 30#'s or so...........it was an old tank, though............
..thanx,
.jeremy K.

 

[danmhippo]

When you added the new rocks, did you accidentally "dropped" one or more of them into the tank? BTW, All stands are not made equal. Why don't you go to your local hardware store and get one of those construction tools that they use to measure if the surface is leveled (I have no idea what those tools called......Someone fill in please). Use it and see if its a bad workmanship on your stand (or your floor).

 

[Anonymous]

The tool is called a "level."
No joke. That's what you call the thing with the bubble that'll tell you when a surface is level.

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry to hear about the tank crashing...that's always been a fear of mine.

One time my 110 gallon tipped over and crashed through the floor, but then I woke up. I was sweating and shaking...thank God it was only a dream.

Peace,

Chip

 

[SteveP]

Damn, that's the worst. Was the tank in your basement (hopefully)?

Steve
8{I

 

[Alice]

Ouch! I'm sorry to hear that. Did you have enough buckets, etc handy to try and salvage the sand?

 

[apeshot]

That is my worst fear. The floors in my apartment are kind of bouncy. There are definate weak spots. I live on the second floor. I asked the maintenance man about the sturdiness of the floor he says don't worry about it. (I'm waiting for it in writing.) The first two months my tank was up, I cringed everytime I came home, waiting to find my tank downstairs.

J.Kempf, I hope you can get the image of your tank crashing out of your head.

 

[zspeed32]

......yes......i did use a level.....
...a very long one........i think the major contributing factor was the age of this tank...........easily over fifteen years old.........the frame isn't thick plastic like most tanks today......it was some crappy thin formica stuff..........
......luckily, there was another tank underneath this one that caught the sand, and to my surprise, all the fish but one survived............the tank(s) are located in a converted garage.............they are mounted on a wall unit with a 30G long and a 30G sump..............the image of the incident will be forever burned in my head.........you know, kinda like your first car wreck......oh well...time to rebuild..
..latuh..
..jeremy K.

 

[waterloomarc]

That's rough. I recently had a similar experience. I decided to move one of my freshwater tanks to my bedroom, so I put everything into a 45 gallon rubbermaid and hauled my tank and stand and such up to the bedroom. I went downstairs with my bucket to start carrying the water up, and this is no exaggeration...I had the bucket in my hand and was about 3 feet away when the side of the container split. All 35 gallon and fish and rock washed onto my rec room floor!! It was awful, I saw the whole thing. Luckily never lost one fish and my wife never through me out. Took about 4 days for the carpet to completely dry out though.

Goodluck with the clean up!! I just thought hearing someone else's pain might make you feel a little better.

Marc

 

[srbayless]

Howdy,

Sorry to hear about the crash. Your experience is the greatest reason for going with an acrylic tank.

I have a 80g glass tank setup right now, and I am always worried that I didn't make sure the stand was level enough.

Good luck,

Scott.

[ October 10, 2001: Message edited by: srbayless ]

 

[davelin315]

For once, no advice, no story of my own. Just a that sucks and sorry.

 

[caino]

sorry to hear!! it happened to me once due to my own ignorance. i tried to use an antique sewing machine base with a butcher block top as a stand. BIG mistake! the tank settled for around 4 months and then CRACK! what a mess. but it is in times like this that i found out who were my true friends. I called at 2 am and borrowed a wet/dry vac and a spare tank. that's why I always have enough salt on hand for emergencies such as this. It never happens at a reasonable hour. good luck.

 

[Mouse]

Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude, that bites the back of my sweaty sack. Comiserations to our fallen bredren. May you rise like a phoenix to create once again.