What is your worst tank disaster?

Sticky90

Exodon
MFK Member
Jan 27, 2020
34
52
26
Well I just had my 150g fahaka tank catastrophically fail while doing water changes on my other tanks and blow a seam with no warning. Probably ended up with 20-30g of water on the ground before I got the tank pumped empty with my tanks water change pumps (thank god for multiples).

Just glad I was home at the time and that I was able to call immediate help to hold the seam while I set up the pumps in a hurry and a half.

I think I saved the flooring but I feel like I’ll find out over the next week or two.

Let’s hear your horror stories.
 

krichardson

Bronze Tier VIP
MFK Member
Jun 19, 2006
27,561
14,449
480
Datnoid Island
How horrifying.My worst pales in comparison,my 265 sprung a leak a few years ago.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bbuckley

jjohnwm

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Mar 29, 2019
3,710
8,970
164
Manitoba, Canada
My first "big" tank, a 100-gallon, roughly 35 years ago. It had been set up for only a short time; I checked it while feeding the fish in the morning, went to work, returned home a few hours later to retrieve something I had forgotten...and found the tank almost empty, with my fish flopping and gasping in a couple inches of water at the bottom. A seam had given way, releasing 90+ gallons of water onto the wood parquet floor in my apartment. When I found it, the floor was only slightly damp; the water had vanished, presumably draining through the crevices between floors and walls. The building was poured concrete slab. I have no idea what became of all that water, never heard a peep from downstairs neighbours, building management, or anyone else. Just gone...poof!

This incident put me on the road to DIY plywood tanks; I have never purchased a tank larger than about 50 gallons ever since that disturbing event.
 

The Masked Shadow

Redtail Catfish
MFK Member
Jul 19, 2020
4,913
5,069
154
Southern California (San Diego)
My first "big" tank, a 100-gallon, roughly 35 years ago. It had been set up for only a short time; I checked it while feeding the fish in the morning, went to work, returned home a few hours later to retrieve something I had forgotten...and found the tank almost empty, with my fish flopping and gasping in a couple inches of water at the bottom. A seam had given way, releasing 90+ gallons of water onto the wood parquet floor in my apartment. When I found it, the floor was only slightly damp; the water had vanished, presumably draining through the crevices between floors and walls. The building was poured concrete slab. I have no idea what became of all that water, never heard a peep from downstairs neighbours, building management, or anyone else. Just gone...poof!

This incident put me on the road to DIY plywood tanks; I have never purchased a tank larger than about 50 gallons ever since that disturbing event.
Wow! I wonder what happened.... So you build LITERALLY every tank you own besides the small ones? What is the cost difference between both?
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store