Disaster!!!

[wonderland]

Just added Phytoplankton, Copepods, CUC, one fish, and cleaner Shrimp to my tank this past week. Needless to say, not cheap! Only to find water pouring everywhere from my tank this morning. The tank somehow cracked in a straight line right across the bottom. 150 gallons of water going everywhere

Now my fish and shrimp are in the fuge and everything else I spent money on is a total bust........ Been online all day trying to find a temporary tank for my rock and livestock... still can't get anyone advertising a tank for sale to answer my emails.....
Just thought I'd vent somewhere, to people who can actually understand what a tragedy this really is......

I can't afford $599 for a new 150 gallon tank at the beginning of the month. How long can the fish and shrimp last in a small tank with a hang-on filter. I could hang my phosban reactor on it, but my skimmer won't fit.........

 

[geoj]

You can use a Ice chest, prime and water changes to hold you over till you get your tank running. Test the water...

 

[superman]

My LFS offers takes in fish all the time for people who are on vacation or in some need of extended care for their fish. This particular LFS is very "above and beyond", but you may start making some calls to see if you can get some help. I imagine with a tank that size and the work you've done, you must've developed a good relationship with a dealer or two. Just a thought, or maybe a friend with a tank. They even keep the fish in regular display tanks on occasion, with no-sale signs.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoJ http:///t/390736/disaster#post_3461781
You can use a Ice chest, prime and water changes to hold you over till you get your tank running. Test the water...
This is a good idea...they do have some good sized tubs at walmart too. What a mess, I'm so sorry for all the loss and headache.

 

[njbillyv]

I had the same thing happen to my 90, woke up and the tank was half empty, water everywhere!
I ended up buying a bunch of cheap plastic tubs at Walmart (just make sure they're food safe) and hooking them all together with U-Tubes, 4 tubs total and put my skimmer and pump, heaters, etc. in the last one. It was kinda cool actually once I got it all running. Didn't lose anything either and there were in there like a month while I worked on resealing the tank.
Good luck.
P.S. Try Craigslist, lots of good cheap fish stuff on there.

 

[ibew41]

alot of farm stores have 100g Rubbermaid tubs cheap that are ok to use as sumps after you replace your tank

 

[wonderland]

Well, my live sand and rock are in my master bathtub with a powerhead and a heater in it. I figure it's like curing it right? That's all they do to the rock at the LFS, put it in a dim tank with a powerhead and heater.... Maybe it will come out looking prettier?
I went to Wally and bought a 20 gallon tank setup for my fish and shrimp. Best I could do late on a Sunday night. I hung my phosban reactor on it and have the filter running. The fish seems remarkably happy considering all she's been through and ate good this morning. The shrimp is doing his job too, so I guess he's happy. I hung my cheato in one corner of the tank in a breeder net. Not sure if that's a good idea though...
In place of my skimmer I'll just do small water changes often. I am going to be calling a glass company in a few minutes to see if they can maybe lay another piece of glass in the tank and silicone it in?
Kind of weird though, I was wishing I could drill the tank because I was worried about the uptake pump going out on the overflow box and flooding the living room. Think someone decided to help me out?? I will see if the glass guy can drill the tank for me too. There is a full-service glass company ten minutes from me....
Thanks for all the suggestions guy's, and the sympathy too.... I needed a shoulder to cry on

 

[yannifish]

I wouldn't put your rock in the bathtub, there will be soap in there which could be absorbed by the rock and kill everything once you get your tank up and running again.

 

[adam57]

Quote:
Originally Posted by yannifish http:///t/390736/disaster#post_3462013
I wouldn't put your rock in the bathtub, there will be soap in there which could be absorbed by the rock and kill everything once you get your tank up and running again.
I thought the same thing but I guess drastic times call for not bathing.

Wonderland I feel for you. Can't imagine the feeling seeing that horrible sight. I would probably just cry!

 

[novahobbies]

Gads, I'm so sorry to hear this! Horror stories like this always make me pause when I consider a bigger tank. Best of luck to you, let us know what happens with that glass company!

 

[wonderland]

Quote:
Originally Posted by adam57 http:///t/390736/disaster#post_3462031
I thought the same thing but I guess drastic times call for not bathing.

Wonderland I feel for you. Can't imagine the feeling seeing that horrible sight. I would probably just cry!
We do have more than one full bath, so no worries about going dirty

I did scrub the tub out really good with vinegar first too. So maybe it will be alright.... Glass company will be coming out to do an evaluation. I also had a woman email me and ask if I might be interested in a 180 gallon acrylic. Waiting to hear back on how much she wants for it.....

 

[adam57]

My personal opinion is that acrylic with a built in overflow is the only way to go. I have messed with glass and trying to get siphons going. 180 gal. would be awesome, opens up a whole new world of fish.

 

[superman]

Out of curiosity, what caused the tank to break? And what brand of tank was it? Some manufacturers will occasionally offer compensation for disasters due to faulty products. It's worth looking into if you purchased the tank originally and it was a possible flaw in the product.

 

[wonderland]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Superman http:///t/390736/disaster#post_3462224
Out of curiosity, what caused the tank to break? And what brand of tank was it? Some manufacturers will occasionally offer compensation for disasters due to faulty products. It's worth looking into if you purchased the tank originally and it was a possible flaw in the product.
I don't know the brand. It was an older tank with extremely thick glass. After careful inspection last night we found a chip underneath it. The tank was fine when my hubby left for work and ten minutes later when I got up it was broken... My hubby had not put our dog into her crate before leaving, and I had left the doors open on the stand to allow the refugium spotlight heat to dissipate. (we left it on at night) My theory is the dog went into the fuge to check out the water and either got burned by the light or tried to drink the water and shook her head or jerked her head up and slammed the light into the floor of the tank....
The dog usually stays in her crate when I am not up to monitor her activites, but my hubby forgot to put her in it when he let her back in from pottying. The chip was right where the arm of the light would have hit the tank if something smacked it though. So it was probably her. I always turned off the fuge light and closed the stand before letting her out for the day..........
Anyone who owns a Staffy Bull feels my pain when it comes to not being able to take your eyes off of them for a second!!

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wonderland http:///t/390736/disaster#post_3462271
I don't know the brand. It was an older tank with extremely thick glass. After careful inspection last night we found a chip underneath it. The tank was fine when my hubby left for work and ten minutes later when I got up it was broken... My hubby had not put our dog into her crate before leaving, and I had left the doors open on the stand to allow the refugium spotlight heat to dissipate. (we left it on at night) My theory is the dog went into the fuge to check out the water and either got burned by the light or tried to drink the water and shook her head or jerked her head up and slammed the light into the floor of the tank....
The dog usually stays in her crate when I am not up to monitor her activites, but my hubby forgot to put her in it when he let her back in from pottying. The chip was right where the arm of the light would have hit the tank if something smacked it though. So it was probably her. I always turned off the fuge light and closed the stand before letting her out for the day..........
Anyone who owns a Staffy Bull feels my pain when it comes to not being able to take your eyes off of them for a second!!
I think you might consider the hot light and the cooler water in tank to be a possible cause. The dog may have bumped it or it got bumped when you did some maintanance and it just took a little time to rupture. I say that because I had a rock hit my windshild one summer, and it made a little chip...but when winter came the chip started to make a line all the way across. which is exactly what you discribed.

 

[wonderland]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/390736/disaster#post_3462302
I think you might consider the hot light and the cooler water in tank to be a possible cause. The dog may have bumped it or it got bumped when you did some maintanance and it just took a little time to rupture. I say that because I had a rock hit my windshild one summer, and it made a little chip...but when winter came the chip started to make a line all the way across. which is exactly what you discribed.
That is a possibility. I was always very careful not to have the light smack the tank though.... you never know.
I did the same thing to my hubby's car too. He had a chip on his windshield. I was spraying down my horse in the driveway on a hot day and decided to spray down the car because it was dusty. The windshield cracked instantly. Oops!!
Good news is my fish is still doing beautifully. Eating well and looking gorgeous even though he went through so much just two days after he got home.... My cleaner shrimp has a couple of black spots on the side of his body. Like he rubbed against some wet paint. Not sure what that's about. He snatches up food every time I feed too so I guess he's okay....