Disaster Has Struck Our Household!

yveterinarian

yveterinarian

Super Active Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2012
Location
Innerkip, Ontario
Last night my husband called me to say me Reef tank had overflowed all over the Living room hardwood floor and into the basement. He got that sorted out and made emergency water to replace what was lost. Then this morning he went downstairs to look at his 220 gallon tank and found it leaking all over the floor from the bottom of the tank somewhere!
We did an emergency evacuation of the fish and drained the tank. Luckily I happened to have an empty 75 gallon tank sitting in the basement. Now that the water is all out and we can look at the tank better, we have discovered the fitting for the drain was loose and it all leaked out there as the drain was in the bottom of the tank. This tank has been running without issue since we set it up a few years ago. A word to everyone - always check that your fittings remain tight. They can loosen without notice and you end up with a big mess! It is a dual overflow with one in each back corner of the tank.
Coupled with the split seam on my Hexagon tank in the Fall, we are not having much luck with our tanks. I am extremely close to calling it all quits! I have some serious thinking to do over the next little while. This just may be Fate's way of telling me I can't afford this hobby any more. The hydro bills are astronomical and things are just getting worse...very discouraged. :(
 
C

Canadianeh

Active Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2016
Location
T-dot
I am sooo sorry to hear that. I hope you will not quit. How about downsizing maybe? I am sure the bigger the tank the bigger the cost. I wonder if there is any insurance that you can buy for this kind of incident.
 
nathan

nathan

Super Active Member
Website Affiliate
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Location
sarnia
Sorry to here about your incident. I think we all go through that feeling from time to time.... I think you should reconsider . I think we all would hate to lose a valued member of tft and to the hobby. Good luck with your decision though....
 
SamB

SamB

Super Active Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2015
Location
GTA
Terrible news Yvette
I am sorry to hear this
Last year, one of my tanks seams split at the bottom and I did take it as a sign that maybe I wasn't cut out for this hobby
Beautiful but full of challenges
Best wishes
 
J

Janice

Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2016
Location
Mississauga
OMG. I have been planning to get a bigger tank over my husband's objections-as he is worried about an overflow like this, and that our hardwood and rugs would be destroyed-not to mention our basement down below. This has really scared me. For those others of you who have had an overflow-what caused it?
 
sunnykita

sunnykita

Super Active Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2012
Location
Woodstock, Ontario
Oh Yvette, I am so sorry to hear this, I hope that you don't have too much damage to deal with besides the tanks. All I can say is take a deep breath and wait a while before making any decisions you may regret later. If I can help in any way, give me a holler
Sherry
 
OrcaSB

OrcaSB

New Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Location
Waterloo
That is indeed a stretch of bad luck but don't give in. At this rate you've had so many leaky tank issues what are the chances you will have more? Lol
Seriously though, if you know your not going to need to move or dismantle your tank anytime soon I would just silicone the bulkheads. Ive done this before to ensure they won't ever shift and leak.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
yveterinarian

yveterinarian

Super Active Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2012
Location
Innerkip, Ontario
Thank you everyone for your kind words. They are greatly appreciated.

I am definitely taking the time to think things through but I can honestly say I have been thinking about it for quite a while now - if not getting out completely, at least downsizing. This was just the icing on the cake, so to speak. I have kept fish now for over 30 years and I can't completely see myself without them, LOL. The hydro bills though are killing me at over $600.00 per month! I know a lot of that is due to my numerous tanks so I would like to eventually downsize to one and have it in my basement. What size the one will be that I eventually keep out of my many tanks, I am not sure. I love my hobbies but have to be realistic as well.

Raising seahorses was a very expensive venture because I was too successful. I honestly didn't think I would raise so many successfully because everyone told me how hard it was and not to be discouraged if I could only raise 10 - 15 out of a 500 fry batch! 120 successful fry was a great shock to me along with that wonderful feeling of accomplishment. :) However, they ate so much food I am still trying to pay back the cost. Unless we get some serious breaks on Hydro, I just don't know what else I can do. I do know that I have decided not to raise any more seahorses. Once the ones I have kept for myself die, I will not be replacing them so that will be one complete system that I won't be continuing. I am hoping they survive many years yet though!

Currently, the fish and rock from my husband's 220 gallon are back in the original 75 gallon tank that he first purchased (from Brandon) and they will be staying there as far as I am concerned. Our saving grace is that there were only a few fish and no coral in the system so I don't think they will be overloaded in the 75. Now we have to set up a proper filtration system for them this weekend but we have the supplies to do so. Once we determine that the 220 isn't leaking anywhere other than the overflow pipe, I think he has decided to sell it and the monster skimmer we have for it. Over time, I think we will consolidate our two reef-type tanks into one but I have to research compatibility of our fish.

One recommendation I have for people thinking of upgrading is to seriously look at tanks that are not drilled on the bottom. At least if a tank is drilled at the top for the overflow and it leaks, it stops leaking once the level goes down enough. When it is drilled on the bottom, there is no stop until it is empty. Just my $0.02 worth.
 
nathan

nathan

Super Active Member
Website Affiliate
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Location
sarnia
yveterinarian said:
Thank you everyone for your kind words. They are greatly appreciated.

I am definitely taking the time to think things through but I can honestly say I have been thinking about it for quite a while now - if not getting out completely, at least downsizing. This was just the icing on the cake, so to speak. I have kept fish now for over 30 years and I can't completely see myself without them, LOL. The hydro bills though are killing me at over $600.00 per month! I know a lot of that is due to my numerous tanks so I would like to eventually downsize to one and have it in my basement. What size the one will be that I eventually keep out of my many tanks, I am not sure. I love my hobbies but have to be realistic as well.

Raising seahorses was a very expensive venture because I was too successful. I honestly didn't think I would raise so many successfully because everyone told me how hard it was and not to be discouraged if I could only raise 10 - 15 out of a 500 fry batch! 120 successful fry was a great shock to me along with that wonderful feeling of accomplishment. :) However, they ate so much food I am still trying to pay back the cost. Unless we get some serious breaks on Hydro, I just don't know what else I can do. I do know that I have decided not to raise any more seahorses. Once the ones I have kept for myself die, I will not be replacing them so that will be one complete system that I won't be continuing. I am hoping they survive many years yet though!

Currently, the fish and rock from my husband's 220 gallon are back in the original 75 gallon tank that he first purchased (from Brandon) and they will be staying there as far as I am concerned. Our saving grace is that there were only a few fish and no coral in the system so I don't think they will be overloaded in the 75. Now we have to set up a proper filtration system for them this weekend but we have the supplies to do so. Once we determine that the 220 isn't leaking anywhere other than the overflow pipe, I think he has decided to sell it and the monster skimmer we have for it. Over time, I think we will consolidate our two reef-type tanks into one but I have to research compatibility of our fish.

One recommendation I have for people thinking of upgrading is to seriously look at tanks that are not drilled on the bottom. At least if a tank is drilled at the top for the overflow and it leaks, it stops leaking once the level goes down enough. When it is drilled on the bottom, there is no stop until it is empty. Just my $0.02 worth.
Click to expand...
What ever you decide we wish you the best of luck
 
AdInfinitum

AdInfinitum

Super Active Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2012
Location
Thorndale, Ontario
yveterinarian said:
Thank you everyone for your kind words. They are greatly appreciated.

I am definitely taking the time to think things through but I can honestly say I have been thinking about it for quite a while now - if not getting out completely, at least downsizing. This was just the icing on the cake, so to speak. I have kept fish now for over 30 years and I can't completely see myself without them, LOL. The hydro bills though are killing me at over $600.00 per month! I know a lot of that is due to my numerous tanks so I would like to eventually downsize to one and have it in my basement. What size the one will be that I eventually keep out of my many tanks, I am not sure. I love my hobbies but have to be realistic as well.

Raising seahorses was a very expensive venture because I was too successful. I honestly didn't think I would raise so many successfully because everyone told me how hard it was and not to be discouraged if I could only raise 10 - 15 out of a 500 fry batch! 120 successful fry was a great shock to me along with that wonderful feeling of accomplishment. :) However, they ate so much food I am still trying to pay back the cost. Unless we get some serious breaks on Hydro, I just don't know what else I can do. I do know that I have decided not to raise any more seahorses. Once the ones I have kept for myself die, I will not be replacing them so that will be one complete system that I won't be continuing. I am hoping they survive many years yet though!

Currently, the fish and rock from my husband's 220 gallon are back in the original 75 gallon tank that he first purchased (from Brandon) and they will be staying there as far as I am concerned. Our saving grace is that there were only a few fish and no coral in the system so I don't think they will be overloaded in the 75. Now we have to set up a proper filtration system for them this weekend but we have the supplies to do so. Once we determine that the 220 isn't leaking anywhere other than the overflow pipe, I think he has decided to sell it and the monster skimmer we have for it. Over time, I think we will consolidate our two reef-type tanks into one but I have to research compatibility of our fish.

One recommendation I have for people thinking of upgrading is to seriously look at tanks that are not drilled on the bottom. At least if a tank is drilled at the top for the overflow and it leaks, it stops leaking once the level goes down enough. When it is drilled on the bottom, there is no stop until it is empty. Just my $0.02 worth.
Click to expand...

Curious...is the tank bottom drilled but the bulkheads are not enclosed in sealed overflow towers? If a bulkhead leaks or breaks the most you should be able to lose is the water in the overflow box and the volume in the return section of your sump if the overflows towers are properly sealed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top