# Emergency! aquarium has cracked!



## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

:shock: I just returned from fishing and discovered that my 75 gal. has cracked in one corner. I am losing approx. one gallon every two hours! I have just came from walmart where I was able thanks to credit card  able to purchase 29 gal. tank and can;t seem to form a plan due to panic mode not expierienced since sixth grade when I was called upon to recite the preamble to the Constitution. I have three rubbermaid tubs and to compound my problem I have fish that will be here tues. 75 gal .houses 5 keyhole cichlids , a pair of dwarf panda cichlids, three nanus corydoras, a raphael catfish, a clown pleco, and two lyre tail black mollys. My quarantine tank 10 gal. currently has two gold rams being treated for Ich which i believe was introduced after adding watersprite from possible diseased tank. My 55 gal. has two Discus ,a dozen neon tetras , Five skunk corys, five otocinclus, and approx nine baby lyretail black mollys. I woul very much appreciate someone with a clear plan of attack to help me formulate same. Time is of the essence I believe What day is it?


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## GeegaFish (May 4, 2008)

I feel your plight. I had a leak in my 40 gallon a few years ago and went into a similar panic mode. Keep breathing....it will be ok!

I don't keep all the different species of fish you do, so I'm not familiar with everyone's needs. Your best bet, though is to put some of the fish from the 75 into the 55 gallon if you can. They may be crowded for a bit, but should be ok while you repair your tank.

I'd take some of the water from the 75 and put it into your new 29 to move some of your fish over there, asap. Again, they'll be crowded for a bit too, but should be ok. 

Then, you need to calmly (if possible) assess what the 75 leaking tank needs for fixing. In most cases, it is just that the silicone sealant at the corners needs to be replaced. This takes a bit of time but can be accomplished with a little effort. Perhaps you already know how to do this?

Hope this helps, some...you're not alone. We're pulling for you and your fish. Good luck.


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## herefishy (Dec 14, 2006)

Many times my lfs's will have a used tank that can be purchased at huge discounts. Try checking yours. Most times this normally happens at the "mom and pop" shops. If you have the funds, all you need to replace is the tank, buy a new tank. Using the substrate, decorations and water from the cracked tank. 

Although complete disaster, the total "blowout of your current tank, hasn't occurred yet, it may happen at any moment. I have had 4 tanks self destruct in my years in the hobby, ranging in size from a 29g to a 150g. Believe me I know the effects of catastrophic failure of a tank. I truly believe an aquarium owner invented the wet/dry vac. 

I would drain as much water as possible from the 75g to lessen the loads on the tank. I know it sucks, been there, done that. My heart bleeds for you. If I chuckle, please forgive me. But, in watching you, I see myself flying around in total panic, tripping over chairs, wondering where I put the heaters, looking for the adapter to plug in the shop vac (ok found that, now where is the rest of the hose?), looking for the gravel siphon (I put it in a place so that I wouldn't lose it)........ So, my humor is not directed at you , but to the memories I have of my own calamities within the clalmity itself. My imagination is running wild with visions of me and my own memories.

Just to give you a chuckle. When my 150g decided to turn my living room into a swamp, I lived in an upstairs apartment, right above the community manger!!!! Yes, I let go many expletives!! Panic is not a word that could even begin to describe my actions. Chaos and bedlam come close. You can say my first words when I walked into the apartment. It begins with the word. "Oh, ....". I cannot write my first words here. But, I think you may know them by heart.

A word of wisdom, don't lose your temper!!! It only makes it worse. The voice of experience(s) is speaking. Yeh, I know, I wrote "experience(s)" plural. I had so much fun the first time that I had to experience the thrill thrice more. Insane, eh? Maybe I'm just an closet adrenline junky!!!


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

geegafish, and herefishy, I would like to offer a big Missouri Thank you. as I was draining my aquarium the water level was getting down to the point where it became necessary to unplug the emperor 400 and 280. This was after I had run off the girlfiend and the dog with many expletives never before heard in my otherwise quiet neighborhood. I discovered an almost steady trickle of water coming from the base of the 280 (bought brand new a week ago at petsmart) Upon closer inspection I observed a hairline crack. Whats more, It appeared that at some point someone attempted to seal it. Once I removed it from tank and sopped up all the water from around the stand the water quit leaking. I swear, when I arrived home this morning after fishing all nite it looked for all the world as though a leak in the bottom corner had occured as tank is a little out of level. not so much you can notice but enough so that said trickle was making its way to the point of least resistance. Anyhow I gave it an hour to be sure that my assesment was valid and now i am pleased to have the problem of what to put in the 29 gal. i purchased at walmart. Once again, THANK YOU! and I will leave with these words.... WE the People of the United States in order to form a more perfect union , establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. I remember it like it was yesterday!


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## herefishy (Dec 14, 2006)

And you didn't stutter once!


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## Flashygrrl (Jan 18, 2008)

Ohhh, this gave me the giggles. That and whatever the hell I just drank at dinner.


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## fish_4_all (Nov 13, 2006)

One thing you can try until you can get everything set up is to take some plastic from a grocery bag or similar plastic and place it over the cracks on the inside. The pressure from the water should hold the plastic there and decrease the water loss. Vinyl may work also.


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## okiemavis (Nov 10, 2007)

Craigslist! A lot of times people are looking to get rid of a tank, and are quite happy to do it fast. You also may get lucky and find one that is still set up and already established.


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## Flashygrrl (Jan 18, 2008)

Ha, now he's got an empty 29 gallon. Any bets on how long that will last


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Have made a place at work for 29 gal. not sure what I want yet.


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