Tank Disaster...

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Few nights ago while sitting in my living room I heard a loud crack followed by water flooding my floor. 34G of water on the floor in about 20 seconds...probably less than 20 seconds. Tank cracked from the top to the bottom diagonally across the back pane.

Anyways I was lucky enough to save everything from the tank and set up a tank I had empty in storage.

I didn't keep the sand in water and actually left it in the broken tank on my patio. I would like to clean it and reuse it...should I? I have thoroughly washed sand before and reused it but it didn't sit out for a few days.

Advice?

[Delphinus]

Man alive!! Wow, guess it pays to keep the odd old tank in storage, you never know!

My guess is the sand is pretty gross by now, but could still be cleaned, so the real deciding factor is whether you can stomach the task of cleaning it.

[paddyob]

I moved in July of last year and it took me a month to reset a tank up. My sand sat in 5 gallon pails in a hot garage the entire time. I rinsed it with the garden hose and then let my tank cycle. No more than 3 weeks and my water was fine. My rock was all cured in my small tanks so only my sand had issues.

If you are able to let the tank cycle it will be fine!

[Maverick00]

thats always been my biggest fear :sad:, good to hear you were able to save most of everything.

[dsaundry]

Speaking as one that now knows tank disasters the sand should be fine if rinsed...

[freddy]

Any idea's of why the tank cracked?

[fisher]

How would you like to wake up to this cracking sound at 6:30 http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww307/ktown/P1010218.jpg

[Maverick00]

:puppydog: ...

[eli@fijireefrock.com]

Sorry to hear.
what a seine to wake up to.
i have had he occasional over flooding my basement by under calculating for the sump holding. But never a crack or i should say a disaster break.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Don't know for sure what happened but I'm pretty sure it was a bulkhead I tightened a little too much. Must have been slowly cracking for months. I had a 90g break on me on once as well. It was set up for over a year, not drilled and suddenly one day the front pane cracked from one corner to the top. Tank and stand were perfectly level so no idea why that one happened either!

[daniella3d]

No brace?

Is that why it cracked?


How would you like to wake up to this cracking sound at 6:30 http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww307/ktown/P1010218.jpg

[fishoholic]

That sucks, thank goodness you had another tank laying around and was able to save everything.

[Jason McK]

Oh Man that sucks! hope everything makes it.

J

[Wayne]

Oh man that sucks, certainly my worst fear with my tank. Good luck with the clean up, hope you have a wet/dry vac.

[goby1]

OMG this thread is giving me an anxiety attack. I had the brace crack in my 46g bow, total fluke that I caught it before it blew out and I was able to put a temporary brace across the top while I replaced the tank. I check my tank nightly for any signs of cracking or leaking - definately my biggest fear. Good luck with the clean up.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Well, if it makes anyone feel better, I'm quite sure it was my error not the tank just cracking. The bulkhead is behind the tank and in a place that I have to use a tool to tighten (which of course is not a good idea). I'm quite sure I over tightened it just a little and it cracked over time.

The tank broke 3 days ago and clean up went fine. Had a shop vac and my floors are sealed concrete so water just pooled up on them. If my floors were not concrete the restaurant downstairs would have been pretty ****ed I would imagine!

[spoot]

Glad to hear everything is OK, and the cleanup was easy. At least you were home when it happened.

I don't ever want to experience my tanks cracking over my hardwood.

[lastlight]

Justin you said you were pretty stoked about the new setup. I think I've given you enough time to heal mentally...show us them pics =)

[Lance]

Wow! Glad to hear things went well; if one can even say that about a broken tank. Could have been so much worse.
Good luck with the next one and leave that wrench in the toolbox! ;)