Precautions you have taken in the event of a tank disaster?

Hi guys.

As the title says. I have been reading and listening to people over the last few weeks talking about hearing a loud crack like a gun shot then the dreadful sound of gushing water. Only to come to the realisation that the tank has burst.

This has scared the living day lights out of me. Just got a 1.6m by 600 by 600 and am not sure if I want it in my living room.

Any ways, do you guys make provisions for this? Large buckets etc?

 

If you have a catastrophic failure there is very little you can do. Container pick up fish and hope. If you have a tank transfer them there cleanup and start again.

 

I guess.

Well I made sure that all plugs and extension cords are above the floor.

 

Good thinking It should trip if water gets in but why chance it if you don't have too. The only conciliation is with escom an load shedding the power will be off anyhow.

 

There's really nothing you can do. If 260l or 500l hits the floor, it's mayhem. Best is to keep a clean, sterilized, 20l bucket stored somewhere for the fish that you can resque, pick up the fish with an egg lifter and start mopping up water. Still wondering where my one koolie loach is.

 

prevention is better than cure, if your water level is at 600mm it better be 12mm glass, 550mm 10mm braced, do a proper stress test fill it to the brim for 4 days atleast, check for bowing, go over the silicone work it will be a indication of the craftsmanship, hope this helps.

 

Touch wood - I have only had 1 cube 900x600x600 split on me ... probably around 02:30 in the morning, lucky I was working in the fishroom when I heard the sound that did not fit in with the rest of the tumbling water in the room. Jumped up - hugged the 4 panels to prevent further splitting. Only got back in my chair 40 minutes later cause my other 1/4 could not get the syphon going to get the water out the tank. So my top tip, make sure somebody else knows how to empty your tanks. And with a tank your size - I hope you are running a direct 20mm hose into the garden for WC's.

Make sure your insurance does not exclude damage caused by a burst tank.


Dust pan and brush to lift water off the floor into buckets and a wet / dry vacuum cleaner does wonders - even if it is a small volume one, big fan to evaporate the rest.
As with any disaster in a house - make sure the dogs are outside, nothing worse than them mulling around trying to help you when things get hectic.

Later Ferdie

 

Thanks guys.
Ok firstly I got extra cover on my insurance for water/ aquarium damage etc. costs a bit more but worth it in the end. Secondly, even though it is 600 high, it got an over flow box so water level is around 580 I would think.
You said something that scares
Me. You said 12mil glass. This is 10 mil glass. Hmm could it work? Ok with regards to the silicone. Can I go over it before filling to make a good seal? Does silicone stick to silicone? As far as I am aware you can’t do that.
What do you think?

 

This cracking tank story is giving me sleepless nights!!!! Every sound I hear now might be my tank breaking! Hahahaha. Touch wood.........

 

I think we are over stressing. if the tank is correctly braced and done correctly, tank is level etc I think we will be ok. think I want to start a thread on correct bracing done on tanks.

 

I think like most things in life there is a risk factor. Do your preparation correctly decide if the risk is acceptable to you and sit back and enjoy.

 

One has no idea how much water a tank holds until its no longer in the tank think of the last time you spilled a drink, coffee, wine or maybe juice. Remember the big mess? Now that could at max have been 250ml imagine 500L!!!

 

Any tank older then a year I bought second hand will have the silicone redone.

 

My son's 90l split late last year, luckily we were home, scooped the fish in a bucket, and had a spare tank we used, we only lost one fish which I found astonishing. Even (only) 90l of water dumped in your house is an amazing amount of water to clean up. I do worry about my 2m 800l tank.... a lot....

 

Did you ever investigate why it split? Post a picture of the 2m tank. Would love to see.

 

@dash, it was a new tank (3 weeks old) just came apart at the seam, I would guess a build flaw, will post a pic when back home.

 

Looking forward to seeing that 2m monster.