Tank cracked!!! Please help!!

DebraB · 05/24/2010, 04:10 AM

About 2 weeks ago we started setup on a Biocube with HQI lighting. Everything was going great until we noticed a large puddle under the tank late last night. There is a large crescent shaped crack at the back of the tank! The light that came with the setup appears to be too heavy and has caused a stress crack. I am new to saltwater, I have had a planted discus tank for about 10 years and never had a tank crack.

WHAT DO I DO?!?!

Dino · 05/24/2010, 04:26 AM

Well first thing is getting everything that is IN the tank OUT. Buckets, clean rubbermaid containers. Fish and everything can live in a clean rubbermaid container for quite a while if needed. Just set it up like you would a tank, powerheads, heaters. With the tank only being two weeks old *hopefully* you don't have much in there anyway as it was probably still cycling. That is the lesser of the matters right now though.

After you get everything cleaned out can look at the damage. With a tank like that you more likely than not end up needing a new tank.

DebraB · 05/25/2010, 08:07 AM

Thanks for the advice! We are still cycling, so the only inhabitants were snails and a couple hermit crabs. We had an old 30 gallon setup from when we bred discus...it has a Fluval MSF 204 cannister filter. Can that be coverted somehow to use with a saltwater setup? LFS said no, but I don't have a lot of confidence in them at the moment.

Dino · 05/25/2010, 08:14 AM

Is it just a normal 30 gallon tank? As long as you never dosed copper based medications in it there shouldn't be any problems. Canister filters aren't used all that much in saltwater but a few people adapt them into fuges of sorts. Instead of having ceramic rings and floss and whatever else in the bins they instead stuff them full of live rock.

DebraB · 05/25/2010, 08:27 AM

Never used any meds in that tank. There is live rock and sand in it now, I am using the Fluval to keep the water moving. The tank isn't reef ready. All of my experience is freshwater. I need a shopping list before I go to LFS. All suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Palting · 05/25/2010, 11:13 AM

As far a s shopping, I would first take the tank back to the LFS for a refund. No acceptable reason for a new tank, Biocube or otherwise, to spontaneously crack in 2 weeks.

Beyond that, what are you shopping for? The 30 gallon tank to be a saltwater tank?

05/24/2010, 04:10 AM	#1
DebraB Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 3	Tank cracked!!! Please help!! About 2 weeks ago we started setup on a Biocube with HQI lighting. Everything was going great until we noticed a large puddle under the tank late last night. There is a large crescent shaped crack at the back of the tank! The light that came with the setup appears to be too heavy and has caused a stress crack. I am new to saltwater, I have had a planted discus tank for about 10 years and never had a tank crack. WHAT DO I DO?!?!

05/24/2010, 04:26 AM	#2
Dino Freak of Nature Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Finding my way back to the boondocks Posts: 11,048	Well first thing is getting everything that is IN the tank OUT. Buckets, clean rubbermaid containers. Fish and everything can live in a clean rubbermaid container for quite a while if needed. Just set it up like you would a tank, powerheads, heaters. With the tank only being two weeks old hopefully you don't have much in there anyway as it was probably still cycling. That is the lesser of the matters right now though. After you get everything cleaned out can look at the damage. With a tank like that you more likely than not end up needing a new tank. __________________ Cody I will love and miss you until the last beat of my heart Harley & Rusty.

05/25/2010, 08:14 AM	#4
Dino Freak of Nature Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Finding my way back to the boondocks Posts: 11,048	Is it just a normal 30 gallon tank? As long as you never dosed copper based medications in it there shouldn't be any problems. Canister filters aren't used all that much in saltwater but a few people adapt them into fuges of sorts. Instead of having ceramic rings and floss and whatever else in the bins they instead stuff them full of live rock. __________________ Cody I will love and miss you until the last beat of my heart Harley & Rusty.

05/25/2010, 11:13 AM	#6
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	As far a s shopping, I would first take the tank back to the LFS for a refund. No acceptable reason for a new tank, Biocube or otherwise, to spontaneously crack in 2 weeks. Beyond that, what are you shopping for? The 30 gallon tank to be a saltwater tank? __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
starphire tank crack . stop laminated glass crack HELP	Chicago	Do It Yourself	168	08/24/2011 12:18 PM
500 gallon starphire now has crack HELP	Chicago	Large Reef Tanks	29	01/15/2010 09:55 PM
Cracked Eheim 1260 outlet	the register	Do It Yourself	1	11/16/2009 01:25 PM
Tank cracked, Replace the cracked glass	tootsiedaisy	Do It Yourself	4	01/16/2008 08:15 PM

05/25/2010, 08:07 AM	#3
DebraB Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 3	Thanks for the advice! We are still cycling, so the only inhabitants were snails and a couple hermit crabs. We had an old 30 gallon setup from when we bred discus...it has a Fluval MSF 204 cannister filter. Can that be coverted somehow to use with a saltwater setup? LFS said no, but I don't have a lot of confidence in them at the moment.

05/25/2010, 08:27 AM	#5
DebraB Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 3	Never used any meds in that tank. There is live rock and sand in it now, I am using the Fluval to keep the water moving. The tank isn't reef ready. All of my experience is freshwater. I need a shopping list before I go to LFS. All suggestions are greatly appreciated!