Panic stations+complete rebuild!

[Rich]

Three days into my reef's life and this morning I discovered that the Eheim hang on filter had overflowed, draining 1/3rd of the tank water onto the floor. A very quick clear up job before the wife noticed, and then down to sorting out the problem.

I replaced the Eheim with a Fluval BioLife internal wet/dry filter, using the same media, plus a carbon pad[this filter has the heater built in, so it saves a bit of room, but due to it's size, I lose a bit of room....swings and roundabouts, I guess.

The pump from the Eheim I converted into a powerhead and this is now attached front top of the the tank and adds some useful water circulation.
The Lee's skimmer I moved to the opposite side and just did a bit of a rockwork re-positioning.

I have had to drop the water level an inch or so, due to the Biolife position, but I haven't lost too much water, I don't think.


Panic over...I hope !!

Rich

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Whew! Glad to hear things are okay. Better for these things to happen early on in the tank's life rather than when it's fully stocked.

 

[Narkon'n'more]

Yes, hate to hear it happen, but glad it happen early.

Nathan

 

[incysor]

That sucks...Sorry it happened, but I suppose it's better now while there's nothing in the tank. Good job getting it cleaned up before the wife saw it. I'm lucky in that my wife is as addicted as I am...And she's caused a few spills as well. I came home on Monday night actually an as I stepped in the front door it was into a puddle. "Honey, why is there water all over the floor?" She came running out of the other room cussing.... :lol:

B

 

[Rich]

Deja Vu guys....been there, done that. I had a 365 gallon tank in the lounge a few years back...large shoal of Red Bellied piranhas, a big South American Wood catfish, large plecos etc, looked fabulous.

Until the day the stand gave way.....

Rich

 

[incysor]

Deja Vu guys....been there, done that. I had a 365 gallon tank in the lounge a few years back...large shoal of Red Bellied piranhas, a big South American Wood catfish, large plecos etc, looked fabulous.

Until the day the stand gave way.....

Rich

Ouch....That had to have been terrible. One of the guys here locally had not one, not two but 3 tanks leak on him. First was a 75 that sprung a leak, not too bad, but the living room carpeting had to be professionally cleaned, he had to scramble to get tubs and a new tank to not lose everything. This done, he got a new oceanic 72g bowfront. About a month later the 72g's front pane basically sheared off. The LR carpeting had to be replaced this time, and Oceanic sent him a new one. Again about a month later, the same thing happened. The LR carpeting had to be replaced again. This time he really let Oceanic have it, and they replaced it with a regular 90g. I have to hand it to him. I'm not sure I'd still be in the hobby if I had that kind of experience.

One day I certainly want several very large tanks in my house, but after reading the 'large reef tank' forum over on RC I fully understand that it's gonna require a lot more planning than "Hey the 300g will fit here, and the two 180gs will fit there and there." There's humidity, electircal, structural, etc... issues to deal with. Was the stand made of wood or steel? Most of the ones I'm seeing on RC for the tanks over 200g are steel frame stands.

B

 

[mikeguerrero]

Incysor,

You are lucky your wife is into the hobby like you. My wife loves staring at the fish, feeding them and talking to them. And she even places ice in ziplocks to lower the temps when it gets hot.

But when ever I come home with a new edition, she says how much and frowns. She likes them but not the price of everything.

I usually sneak the critter in, and place him in the tank, I have fooled her a couple times this way, but then I got busted and had to come clean

Now I just negotiate with her before I buy....

Mike

 

[Rich]

Brian, the word 'ouch' doesn't come near to describing it mate...the resulting flood blew the electrics in our house and the other three in my block, ruined the carpets, three piece suite, a bookcase, my prized Quad Electrostatic floor standing speakers, the TV and video plus a few odd bits and pieces.

The wife got bitten twice...once by a piranha [only a nibble though, no stitches needed] and once by the big wood cat. She found him quite happily chewing one of the legs on the dining table, and when she grabbed him he bit her arm. Hospital job, three stitches and a nasty injection...

Total insurance cost was well over £5000, and that was just our property...not adding the electricians charges.

Big tanks are great mate....if they stay together.

Rich

PS...my tank was laid on a bed of solid teak railway sleepers, a one inch thick slice of English oak across the top of them, then a layer of polystrene foam. One of the sleepers twisted due to the high humidity and allowed the whole lot to distort, cracking the front panel of the tank....with all that water inside the only way was..out !!

 

[incysor]

Brian, the word 'ouch' doesn't come near to describing it mate...the resulting flood blew the electrics in our house and the other three in my block, ruined the carpets, three piece suite, a bookcase, my prized Quad Electrostatic floor standing speakers, the TV and video plus a few odd bits and pieces.

The wife got bitten twice...once by a piranha [only a nibble though, no stitches needed] and once by the big wood cat. She found him quite happily chewing one of the legs on the dining table, and when she grabbed him he bit her arm. Hospital job, three stitches and a nasty injection...

Total insurance cost was well over £5000, and that was just our property...not adding the electricians charges.

Big tanks are great mate....if they stay together.

Rich

PS...my tank was laid on a bed of solid teak railway sleepers, a one inch thick slice of English oak across the top of them, then a layer of polystrene foam. One of the sleepers twisted due to the high humidity and allowed the whole lot to distort, cracking the front panel of the tank....with all that water inside the only way was..out !!

That's just freaking terrible. Congrats on having a wife that didn't kick you out for the night just for suggesting another fish tank. :wink:

B

 

[dragon79]

Rich:

talk about bad luck, wow, what a tough break. Hope it looks better from here on.


Mike: Your tank still overheats? Your old lady still has to cool it down?

 

[Rich]

That's just freaking terrible. Congrats on having a wife that didn't kick you out for the night just for suggesting another fish tank. :wink:
B

Ah....there's more to come. I was away at the time it actually happened, not getting home until all the fun and frolics was long past...I walked in the front door to find bowls and buckets of my fish everywhere, a VERY angry and slightly dishevelled looking wife and a bemused insurance assessor.
The wife never spoke to me for three days Brian, and then afterwards it was only to issue orders for the redecorating purchases.

It took a while to get her to allow another tank in the house, and even longer to get another big tank in the house, but now she sits alongside my 90 gallon rhom tank quite happily, and yesterday she even mentioned the fact that she missed seeing a big shoal of piranhas instead of just the one fish that I have......

Rich