TANK DISASTER!!!!!!

[Jason]

So my worst nightmare came true. I awoke yesterday morning to find my newly set up 108-gallon Malawi tank/room divider had split at the corner seam and released its contents EVERYWHERE. I was beside myself to say the least. Not only was the tank nearly empty but also about 90% of the Malawi cichlids I have been growing out over the past 6-10 months for this show tank were dead (about 35 fish). I have been working on completing renovations in the basement for the past few months and this was to be my main show tank in the family room. Needless to say this has truly put a wrench in my gears.

I'm guessing the seam was put under too much stress as it has been moved three times in the last 6 months due to the renovations. I'm also assuming the last move into it's permanent home was the last straw. It's really weird though because I had inspected it before filling it and everything looked great. I even kept a very close eye on it for a couple of days after filling it and not even a drop of water was to be found. I really have no idea why the tank would just split like that.

The basement is drying out now and I'm hoping I won't have to rip out any walls but you never know I'll have to wait and see.  I now have to look at resealing the tank and rebuilding all my lost stock. Guess I'll have my show tank up to speed by next spring. 

So now I had to set up my 135 gallon (which was going to be my planted tank once the basement was done) to house the survivors of the incident, as I don't have room in any other tank. Well at least the few survivors are very happy with all that swimming room until I can replace the victims of this disaster.

If anyone is looking to thin out some stock for a reasonable price please let me know. This is a list of the fish that I will have to replace.

4 - Auloconara Baenschi
10 - Pseudotropheus demasoni
4 - Yellow Labs
3 - Red Zebras
4 - Cobalt blue
4 – Super Red Empress
3 – Lithobates (Blue with yellow strip on their back)
2 – Brichardi

Thanks in advance,

Jason

[Muad'Dib]

Jason... I'm very sorry to hear about your flood.  I've had that happen to me in an appartment. (Flooded the apartment below me.... I was lucky though.... The fish survived and it was only a 33Gal tank so there was very little damage.

Best of luck rebuilding your stock.... If I have to thin out my Litho's in the near future I"ll let you know.

[darkdep]

Jason, wow, I am speechless.  I've had big leaks before but never something as big as a blowout.  Truly sorry for your loss and trouble.

I'm about to put some mature Cobalt Blues and a large mature Baenschi on the market;  I'll offer you first dibs if you're interested.  I have juvie Lithobates and Labs coming up.

[BigDaddy]

Sorry to hear that Jason

Did the spillage come from a silicone break?  Most of the time, with new tanks, if the silicone seal is broken it is because the tank wasn't completely level.  On smaller tanks, if it is slightly unlevel, its not a big deal.  On larger tanks, however, being off by even an fraction of an inch can put hundreds of extra pounds of pressure on the joints.

[bitterman]

 :oOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUCCHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Sorry for your loose .

Can you reseal your tank or is it a total loose also?

What a shame.

Best of luck,
     bruce

[Julie]

Sorry to hear, best of luck.

[Jason]

Thanks guys, I'm still in shock. I never thought that this could happen. I was so careful.

DD: Yes I would be interested, please pm me with asking price and when you think they would be ready.

BD: The silicone seemed to just give way top to bottom at the same time. Not a slow leak turning into a larger one. When I built the stand I was extra careful and I added extra reinforcements and it was dead on level. After the tank was filled I put the level back on and once again it was dead on. With that being said perhaps once it was filled with a few hundred pounds of rocks and water the structure as a whole shifted ever so slightly which caused the extra pressure on the joint.


Bitterman: I'm going to try and reseal it but I'm nervous as I've never done a tank this big before and I wouldn't want a repeat performance. We'll see. Once I've reevaluated the stand I'll decide whether or not to reseal or get another tank.


Muad'Dib: thanks for the offer, let me know

[RoxyDog]

So sorry to hear about this Jason.    
I was thinking of thinning out my fish a bit to make room for some new ones coming.  If I do, all you have to do is help me catch them.  I'll send you a pm tonight or tomorrow with details.

[Jason]

Thanks Roxydog, that's really nice of you!

[FishBuddy]

Jason, I am very sorry to hear your loss :-(  It is sad indeed.... 

Did you lose all those labs you got my from me the other day?  Anyways, I might 2 labs that I could just give it to ya for free.  But first, I have to capture them with the trap you saw at my place the other night...  If you are still interested in it, let me know...

[az]

so sorry to hear man, it truely sucks, good luck.

[Jason]

Thanks Jon, I appreciate the offer. I lost 4 of the 6 I got from you the other night. And they were really nice. I lost a lot of beautiful fish. I had got a bunch from Pegasus last winter at only 0.5" and they were really starting to color up just in time for their new home.

[FishBuddy]

Thanks Jon, I appreciate the offer. I lost 4 of the 6 I got from you the other night. And they were really nice. I lost a lot of beautiful fish. I had got a bunch from Pegasus last winter at only 0.5" and they were really starting to color up just in time for their new home.

Ok Jason, fishing (or trapping!) time for me tonight...  Once I have, I'll move them to the breeder tank and once you are settled with the new tank, give me a shout and I'll bag them up for ya....

One question Jason, was that tank custom made or a store bought one?  If store bought, what brand is it? 

[Jason]

Thanks Jon!

It was a store bought Hagen tank.

[BigDaddy]

And the problem there is it wasn't sitting on a Hagen stand, so Hagen won't honour the warranty.

[Jason]

I know...... 

[hummer]

So, if it was on a hagen stand what would they honour? just the tank?

[Chiefs_21]

PM sent ... 4 yellow labs

Hey i'm sorry about your tank, it must be an awful site to wake up too ....

chiefs

[Seanc]

oh man! that would suck...i really hope that never hapens to me. my 120 is on the third floor, and would suck the whole house!! you should of got a perfecto 120, they give you a 5 year warranty, even if it isn't on the stand, and a 20 year if it is. i would hope that they cover some of the damages too.

but does that suck, if you want some plants just ask 

[Baldrick]

Absolutely heartbreaking