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Tragedy at 2am... :(


Devrens

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So I was woken up tonight by a very loud POP noise and immediately jumped out of bed to check the two aquariums in my room. Quickly found that my 20 gallon had a huge crack around the left curved front, so ran outside and ran a hose in through my window. Then set to work trying to save what fish I could.

I lost all of my Kuhli Loaches as they freaked out and burrowed in when I got the net out. I guess by the time I got the plants out and managed to get them out I'd stressed them to death. None of my neons made it either. :(

It's a pretty ratty feeling losing so many fish, but I'm so so so happy that the sound of the tank cracking woke me up as it was cascading water out of the cracks. 

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Do the tanks with the curved front edges have a greater chance of cracking? Looks like the crack started right in the middle of the curve. The tank was slightly unlevel due to it being on a corner / L-Shaped desk. Was also bought used, so no telling what it went through before I had it. :(

Ah well...going back to bed I guess...what a crappy night. :\

 - Dev

Edited by Devrens
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Sad news

Tanks with curved glass do appear to have a higher incidence of cracking, but if the surface was even slightly un-level that is more than enough to cause the glass to fracture.  

I've also been told that once a new tank is placed on position and filled, every time it is moved the chances of it giving are increased.

 

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Well I went to bunnings first thing today and got a couple 2x4s cut for bracing. Then spent the morning with level getting the desktop level as possible before running to HFF in Albany and grabbing a new tank.

So the silver lining was an excuse for a bigger tank. ;) Though I certainly don't want a repeat. I also learned at HFF that not having Styrofoam under the old tank probably doomed me further. The more you know!

6JwTlqj.jpg

 

 

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Sorry to hear about the tank but it sounds like you have a suitable replacement. :)

Mine are all under 20 mm of polystyrene. I think that certainly helps as I haven't had one pop in a very long time.

it was certainly an eye opener. I'm kind of uncomfortable about my other second hand tank now. :(

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My 4ft must be getting up to 20 years too. I am more concerned with the sealant giving way than the glass cracking. I have been told tanks should be re-sealed every 10 years. The tank has been moved twice in that time.

Polystyrene is good but doesn't help in an earthquake O.o

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I had to rush the scaping of the new tank last night, we had a family dinner to attend which left me with one hell of a time limit. However, I wanted to get my Gourami out of the other tank as he was being a little terror...

So as of this morning this is how I'm looking...have a lot of growing in to do and discovered that I had some BBA on the back of one of my pieces of driftwood that is now facing the front. >:( So will pickup some Excel next time I'm out to hopefully nip that in the bud.

Overall, it still has a lot of growing in to do!

N8SeIue.jpg

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Poly is definitely necessary under most tanks but some branded tanks (such as Juwel) state not to use poly under their tanks as they are braced in a way that they don't need it. I think AquaOnes may be similar (my little 31L came with a thin sheet of black foam with it, not that I think it does much lol). 

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  • 1 month later...

Sorry to hear you lost your fish - I practically lost a whole tank of fish once and it is devastating.  I have also cracked a tank vacuuming but luckily didn't lose any - I think they lived in the bath that night until I sorted out a new home.

Shame you're in Auckland, I would have happily taken your old tank off your hands :)

 

 

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