First big disaster:(

[MrsE88]

I need to take some time and step away from the situation, so I’m going to vent a bit.

I’ll try to keep it short and cut out the details leading up to this.
My 135g sprung a small slow leak. It has been leaking for a few days. I didn’t realize that was happening till this morning. I was about to walk past the tank and my sock got wet. I went to yell at the dog....then it hit me. The water in the tank was dropping way faster then any of the other tanks. I open the door to the stand and the wood was wet
My heart sank. Now I was running around looking for tubs to put the fish in. I started emptying the tank while prepping containers.
Fast forward 5 hours... My male gt Oliver and my female Greenie are in an 18g tote with a heater and filter running. My female gt Jade is in a 20g tote with the giant danios and rainbows with a filter but no heater.

I’m exhausted.
I’ve emptied the sump and removed it from the stand. I’m going to put my husbands african cichlids in there for now. That will free up my 75 for Oliver and the gang so they aren’t in little tubs.
It’s so far from ideal, but it will have to work till I can fix the tank.

I’m so overwhelmed. I still have to remove the wood and sand from the tank and try to pull it away from the wall so the carpet can dry. I just don’t have anymore energy

Now, I am glad that it was just a leak and not a blowout. It could have been much worse. And I’m thinking it might just be a seal issue. If that’s the case it will be an easy enough fix. Just time consuming.

Pictures of the stand. Can anyone tell if it looks like the structural integrity has been compromised?

 

[Backfromthedead]

That stinks but ive seen much worse tank failures and related damage. Seems like you managed to avert disaster until you can make the necessary repairs.

Good luck.

 

[MrsE88]

That stinks but ive seen much worse tank failures and related damage. Seems like you managed to avert disaster until you can make the necessary repairs.

Good luck.

Thanks.

I know I am lucky it isn’t worse.... it’s just the last thing I needed right now. I’ve had a lot going on so this just made me break down.

 

[deeda]

So sorry for the leak in the tank and the ensuing chaos.

I would let the stand fully dry out by flipping it so the wet sections are better exposed to air. Once it's dry, evaluate how it looks and feels by hand and check that nothing has de-laminated, feels loose or the joints don't still seem tight.

 

[BIG-G]

I had this very thing happen to me but with a 150 saltwater reef tank.
I lost all the animals and rock. Not dead just had to give them up to store and friends.
The good news is you’re probably correct about the inner seam . That’s what my problem was. I resealed the tank and I’m still using it today. That was about 8 years ago

 

[MrsE88]

So sorry for the leak in the tank and the ensuing chaos.

I would let the stand fully dry out by flipping it so the wet sections are better exposed to air. Once it's dry, evaluate how it looks and feels by hand and check that nothing has de-laminated, feels loose or the joints don't still seem tight.

I’ll be sure to do that. Sadly it’s going to be standing for a while. I can’t move it myself so I’ll have to wait for help. The best I might be able to do is move it off the already wet carpet.
I’m hoping it wasn’t wet long enough for any permanent damage to have been done.

I had this very thing happen to me but with a 150 saltwater reef tank.
I lost all the animals and rock. Not dead just had to give them up to store and friends.
The good news is you’re probably correct about the inner seam . That’s what my problem was. I resealed the tank and I’m still using it today. That was about 8 years ago

That’s good to hear that it was able to be fixed and used from then on out. I hope that will be the case with mine too.
I feel pretty confident it is the bottom seam. It was the only place that looked wet. Everywhere else is bone dry. It’s just hard to inspect due to the way it sits in the stand. I’ll need to get it out and get a better look at it to be sure.

 

[Mdoka]

Hate to see this happen to anyone, thank god it wasn’t a blowout! If I were you MrsE88, I would reseal the whole tank and not just the bad seam, but I’m one of those worry warts. Maybe others could give their opinion on that. I feel your pain and hope you get some help to get it back up and running. I can tell by your post, you’re all tuckered out already.

 

[Niki_up]

So sorry this has happened to you and your fish.

If you have heaters or fans you should put them in that area now, even if you can’t move the tank now.

Glad you caught this before it got worse

 

[Coryloach]

I know I am lucky it isn’t worse.... it’s just the last thing I needed right now. I’ve had a lot going on so this just made me break down.

This sucks.

I totally get how you feel. I've had several tank break downs and lost some fish but others survived and have thrived since although I was on the brink of giving it all up at the time. I had to keep them in totes for ages until I got a new setup. Thankfully my fish and I made it through.

My advise is to take a good look at the damage and evaluate whether you might need a totally new setup, Make sure there is no structural damage and the tank didn't leak due to a leveling issue. You won't be able to sleep at night if you don't see through it right. I know I wasn't and even the sound of the flow would wake me up, thinking water is pouring on the floor again...

For some reason these things never happen in the best moments of our lives either...

 

[MrsE88]

Hate to see this happen to anyone, thank god it wasn’t a blowout! If I were you MrsE88, I would reseal the whole tank and not just the bad seam, but I’m one of those worry warts. Maybe others could give their opinion on that. I feel your pain and hope you get some help to get it back up and running. I can tell by your post, you’re all tuckered out already.

Definitely! If I’m going to go through the work of saving the tank I’m going to do it to the best of my ability. The sad part is the bottom seam(from what I recall) was in great looking shape. So I’m shocked that that’s where a leak formed.

So sorry this has happened to you and your fish.

If you have heaters or fans you should put them in that area now, even if you can’t move the tank now.

Glad you caught this before it got worse

I never thought to use heaters, I should pop one in there to help dry things out. Fans was all that came to mind right away. Thanks!

This sucks.

I totally get how you feel. I've had several tank break downs and lost some fish but others survived and have thrived since although I was on the brink of giving it all up at the time. I had to keep them in totes for ages until I got a new setup. Thankfully my fish and I made it through.

My advise is to take a good look at the damage and evaluate whether you might need a totally new setup, Make sure there is no structural damage and the tank didn't leak due to a leveling issue. You won't be able to sleep at night if you don't see through it right. I know I wasn't and even the sound of the flow would wake me up, thinking water is pouring on the floor again...

For some reason these things never happen in the best moments of our lives either...

That is the reason I broke down. There is already so many stressful things going on and my fish/tanks are my escape from it all. And last month I had my pump on this tank burn out scaring the crap out of me. And now this....
I will be sure to completely check everything over. The tank was level when set up but I never checked it again after that. It won’t hurt just to make sure it’s still level. And of course level it again when it’s ready to be up and running.