grrrr ANOTHER *#@& leak!

[Anonymous]

I wonder when I'll stop being a cheap ass. I've been using rubbermaid containers for sumps since well as long as I've been in saltwater. Well I thought I found the mother of all rubbermaids! A nice 50 gallon container, perfect length, perfect width, and has been holding up great for a month. Well not so long ago, I unplugged one of my return pumps and when I plugged it back in it made a nasty grinding sound, but it does that occasionally so I whacked it against a rock in the sump and boom problem solved. Well I get awoken at 3am to a dripping sound, ugh... open the door to the fish room and just about the entire floor is shiny... not knowing what my eyes were seeing I walk in to see if I can find a drip then realize my socks are soaking wet. So I mop it all up (I posted this tale some time back). Well found the leak was a slight crack on the bottom, apparently th little "nubs" for feet on the bottom are very strong but the curved portions where they stamp them out on the machine are not and it created a leak, so figured I fix it... used epoxy, water tested ok, put it back, filled it up again this time it didn't test good, so crap.

Go to Target get another one, get home and notice a crack in the same f'ing place! So I go to exchange it, and part of me wonders if this isn't a fatal flaw in the design.. but dismissed the idea. So fast foward to this morning, woke up 6am open the door to the fish room to let the humidity air out... and wet floor #@(&(#&@(*&#(*@&(*#&@&#(*@& grrrrrrrr damnit.. luckily this time I got the shopvac with the little water sucking/squeegee attachment so cleaning was quite easy, but I have no idea where the leak was. So I cleaned up and found out... it's coming from the sump, well I knew exactly what the probem was, and empty the rocks out, water, and all equipment, pull it out and yup... little crack around the nubs. Well 3rd time is not the charm I'm not getting another one of these! Luckily I have a smaller rubbermaid, 30 gallons, with no fatal flaws I can see, so hopefully we won't get burned again.

But anyways just wanted to rant, because I'm starting to hate this hobby.

 

[mike90]

why dont you just invest your money in a sump and eliminate all these headaches? to me it would be worth it.

 

[Anonymous]

because I have two major strikes against me, one is being a bit of a cheapass and two I know this setup is temporary at best, granted temporary may last a year or more but still it's not a permanent fixture. And while yes it would make sense to just invest in a sump those two things are quite powerful

 

[mike90]

to me it would still be worth it. i know the sumps can be expensive though. its amazing how much they charge for some constructive plexiglass. lol

 

[Anonymous]

When you noticed a crack in the same place, then took it back and bought another one anyway - you entered the realm of BONEHEAD. :lol:
When you get tired of this, go spend a few dollars on a glass tank. :?

Really - I'm tempted to drive up there and box your ears.

 

[Ben1]

or just buy a glass tank and use acrylic sheeting to make baffles. If you dont have a dremel to drill it use over the side piping to your external pumps.

A 29 gal or so isnt that expensive.

 

[Anonymous]

Exactly. I made the sump for my in-wall 150. I used a glass tank, and small glass panels that I had cut to size (you can use acrylic, but silicone sticks MUCH better to glass) and simply siliconed them where I wanted them.
Simple, cheap, and no leaks.

 

[Anonymous]

Leaks blow!!


That's all I got.

 

[WRASSER]

WET TOO 8O

 

[das75]

Being cheap myself, could you fix the leak (or another tub) and place that in the orginal one to spread out the weak area?

 

[WRASSER]

If you have to buy two, you should have bought one 55 gal. tank and be done with it :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

Leaks blow!!


That's all I got.

I can always count of you buddy - tell it like it is man!

 

[Anonymous]

Many people have had problems with the Rubbermaid containers with the little feet. That particular design will almost always crack and develop a leak.

 

[Anonymous]

When you noticed a crack in the same place, then took it back and bought another one anyway - you entered the realm of BONEHEAD. :lol:
When you get tired of this, go spend a few dollars on a glass tank. :?

Really - I'm tempted to drive up there and box your ears.

Jebus....if you can't afford the hobby, get out. This is SUCH a peeve of mine. I can't stand cheapass hobbyists.

I don't want to direct my wrath at sfsuphysics in particular.

Rant-mode is ON...

Buy the proper equipment!! it will save you money in the long run. Not to mention headaches and possible livestock losses. It never ceases to amaze me that for a couple of measly dollars, people are willing to sacrifice live animals.

Grrrr. If you are not willing to do this right, find another goddamned hobby.

*rant-mode off*

 

[Anonymous]

8O You go girl *snaps fingers in "Z" patern* 8)

 

[Mihai]

I just got a 55 gal sump for $7 from a LFS that moves. They sold any tank in the store for $7! Look in the newspaper - you're bound to find a 29 gal for under $30...

M.

 

[Anonymous]

Mike, I think I have an old glass 30g hanging around, want it for free, if I do have one?

 

[Anonymous]

Gresham, as kind as that is, I think I'll pass because 30 gallons really doesn't afford me much in the way of mistake room for backflows without having the water level really low. Plus with 200 gallons worth of tank, that water level is going to drop like rock from the evaporation. I actually had a 38gallon glass tank there, and I removed that for the rubbermaid ironically because I thought that tank was leaking. I've since turned the 38 into a zoanthid tank though so it's not getting sump duty again

 

[Anonymous]

What size are you looking for, I'm a walking LFS if yah haven't figured out

 

[Anonymous]

It's crap like this that makes me wonder why I got a tank in the first place. :x