Tank Emergency!

[menschems]

I woke up this morning to find that the water level in my 58-gallon tank had dropped about 3-4 inches. The tank is primarily my wife's hobby and she is out of the country for two more weeks. It seems like water is seeping out from the bottom frame of the tank - it is bubbling up out of the wood-colored framing along the bottom.

I live in an apartment and I do not want to flood the people below me. I also do not want to lose our fish, inverts, live rock or live sand.

The leak was really bad, so I had to empty the tank. I divided up the rocks (some w/inverts), fish, sand and water between the fuge (20 gal) and three large plastic buckets. I do not have filters for these buckets, but I am setting up power heads in each one to keep the water moving and to (hopefully) keep the oxygen levels up. I hope most of our tank inhabitants survive.

I guess the question now is whether or not I get a new tank (while my wife is still out of the country) or try to find new homes for all of the fish, inverts, live rock and live sand. This is all very upsetting to me, and I could really use some feedback from you folks.

If anyone has an empty (reliable) tank I could borrow/buy - or if anyone is willing to babysit for some lovely creatures (fish, inverts, live rock, live sand, etc.) please let me know.

I live in SW Yonkers, at the border with Riverdale. My LFS opens in a few minutes, so I will be there for a while this morning.

Thank you!

- Eric

 

[Deanos]

Good thinking, Eric on moving the inhabitants. Petco should have 65g (also 36" X 18") tanks in stock. I'm not sure how old the tank is, but it may be in your best interest not to reuse the sand. The livestock should be ok in buckets with a powerhead as long as the water temperature does not deviate wildly.

 

[Deanos]

If you need to find new homes, please list as best you can, what types of coral and fish you have. This will allow members to determine if they can safely house your livestock.

 

[heuerfan]

Eric you should call your wife and let her know and find out if she wants you to replace the 58 gallon tank with a new one. If not then they should be fine in the buckets with the powerheads. I'm assuming you don't have any corals but if you do you could always run your lights over the buckets. Maybe get one large rubbermaid container to hold everything instead of the 3.

Good luck!

 

[meschaefer]

Welocome to MR. Hope we can help.

I think the last thing that you want to do is make a rash decesion on this. I understand that this is probably not what you wanted to deal with when waking up, but it doesn't need to be a complete disaster.

Seperate out your fish, coral and inverts into different containers, that way a lack of filtration is not as large of a problem. You could also try putting some live rock in with the fish, I would think that this should help a little. Power heads are a must, try to angle them up a little to get the water moving on the surface so you will have more oxygen exchage.

Do you have contact with your wife, while she is away? If so, wait to talk to her before running out and buying a new tank. She may want something specific, if she is being forced to change the tank. (i.e. she may want a reef ready tank or different size, etc etc)

As long as you don't have a school of tangs in one five gallon bucket (i.e. alot of fish) you should be ok for a couple of days if not longer. Luckly this is summer and you don't ahve to worry about keeping each bucket heated, although the water temps getting to hot could become an issue.

 

[menschems]

Thanks. The tank is about 3 years old, and the sand is at least that old. We had about 4 inches of sand.

We have 4 fish: maroon clown, yellow tang, royal gramma and a lawmower blennie.

Inverts: lots of mushroom polyps and some other things that I cannot name (I will need to get the names from my wife).

One big problem is that we have been (unsuccessfully) fighting an invasion of aiptasia and bubble algae. Anyone who takes something from us would have to be willing to risk those as well. Maybe the safest thing all around is to get a new tank.

 

[scarf_ace1981]

sorry to hear. was it leaking from the bulkhead or was it leaking from one of the seams? we here would love to help you out. just remember that if you are putting things in buckets or other tanks, there needs to be some flow in the tank. make sure the water doesn't get very warm or they will all suffer.

all the best. jon-

 

[menschems]

I have left messages all over for my wife and I hope to hear from her soon. I have the tank inhabitants spread out between 4 separate holding areas:

1. 20-gal fuge is holding the large rocks that made up the base of our reef
2. large rubbermaid tub (on wheels) is holding the rocks from the top (with corals on them) and the 4 fish
3. large rubbermaid tub is holding the rest of the rocks with the coral
4. large rubbermaid tub is holding as much of the sand as I could scoop up (and some water)

the three rubbermaid tubs each have a power-head in them to keep the water moving and to aerate

i cannot get the 4th power head to work for the fuge

i am glad to know that there is a good chance the living things will survive for a day or two

i do not want to buy a new tank if I do not have to

thank you all for the help so far

 

[scarf_ace1981]

was the tank reef ready? by that i mean, was the tank drilled w/ holes and plumbing attached in any way?

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Best way for us to help you is by showing us whats going on in pics. Snap a few and upload them to the site.

 

[menschems]

was the tank reef ready? by that i mean, was the tank drilled w/ holes and plumbing attached in any way?

No. We had an external hose taking water from the big tank down to the refugium below, and a pump to bring the water back up to the big tank. No drilled holes or plumbing.

I just checked and it appears that the tank was no longer completely level. I guess it is possible that after enough time this somehow caused the leak.

 

[menschems]

Best way for us to help you is by showing us whats going on in pics. Snap a few and upload them to the site.

OK. Give me a few minutes.

 

[menschems]

Here are pics of the basic setup. The 58 is on top and the 20 is below. The big filter hanging off of the 58 was never used (long story).

The fuge is full of (base) rocks from the big tank and the sand/rocks from the fuge itself.

 

[menschems]

The big (clear) bucket is holding the rocks w/coral and the four fish.

The red bucket is holding the rest of the rocks w/ coral.

The blue bucket is holding the sand (and everything else that was living in or on the sand.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Pic of the leak area?

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Put the powerhead for the sand in the fuge.
that is more important.

 

[scarf_ace1981]

do you know the types of corals she had in the tank? is there a pic of what the tank looked like when it was up and running?

 

[bklynreef]

If I were you I would go out and buy her an early biorthday present. Go with a 110 gallon, you wont regret it and make sure this time it is not pressed or particle wood. These tend to decay over time especially when they get wet. Alot of places have tanks at cost this time of year since everyones away. Im sure the gang here can direct you to a great store thats reasonably priced. Dont for get to feed the fish in the meantime. Where are you in the NYC area?

 

[alrha]

the sand u may as well throw away, and you can use that bucket (after you rinse it out) for other things.
If you want, i can hold some fish 4 u in my 20gal quaranteen tank if you can get to south bklyn tonight.

 

[jrodjordan]

Monitor the temp in those buckets...

some powerheads get really hot-especially this time of year. You dont want to cook any of your animals. if you have an air pump you could use that, but it wont make much of a current, you could alternate btw the two if it gets too hot in the buckets.

But All should be fine. No need to panic, Go get a new tank or see if one of the MR members has one s/he can sell you.