lights are NOT a meth lab!

[daveonbass]

So at 1:30am, I got a knock on the door, it was a police officer that inturrupted my GF and I watching Hell's Kitchen online. He said the neighbors were calling becasue they thought I was cooking DOPE. And after I laughed about it a little, he asked if he could come in to check...so I let him in. I turned on my aquarium lights (ATI PM that is VERY purple/blue even durring the day) and he guessed that was probably the reason.

Strange part is that they told him that they could smell it too. When he left he reassued me that he didn't smell anything out of the ordinary.

what a crazy night....

[khaosinc]

LOL I know the feeling well. Got pulled over a couple weeks ago w/ a 300 gallon tank in the back. Cop was convinced I had a portable meth lab...

does this look like a meth lab?

[jflick345]

I always wonder how long it'll be before I get a knock on my door asking if I'm growing pot. lol The tank is right near a basement window so you can see the blue light as soon as you turn on the street.

[hoffy02]

I have heard of people getting visits from the FBI because of the big jumps in electricity caused by bigger tanks... Im surprised you havent been visited by the feds Khaos!!!

[zeroeffect]

I've been waiting for this to happen myself. We have our tank in the living room facing the window. When I'm coming home from work at midnight I can see the light half way down the street.

I have alot of older ppl in my area and we are all house to house. It is kinda funny because I do see cops driving down the street really slow more often now.

I'm sure it's going to happen about anytime now.

[rustyjames]

Originally Posted by khaosinc

LOL I know the feeling well. Got pulled over a couple weeks ago w/ a 300 gallon tank in the back. Cop was convinced I had a portable meth lab...

does this look like a meth lab?

Whoa...you can turn your tank into a meth lab?! Good to know in case this coral prop thing doesn't work out.

[mscarpena]

I have been waiting for a visit as well. I think why I do not is because I let all me neighbors know what it is. I also invite their kids in to check out the tank. Also my father is a local cop. It is important that you let your neighbors know because they will most likely be the one calling to think something is up.

[kryppy]

I have thousands of watts of lights going 24/7 and at night it looks like ET has landed in my backyard and I have never heard from law enforcement, even when the electric usage jumped 70%. Has always made me wonder why.

Through a thermal imager mounted on a chopper this place must look like ground zero for a thermonuclear detonation....

I guess Florida has so many grow houses my place looks like a small fish..lol

[jflick345]

I read this insane story from MN in 2008 where a subcontractor for the energy co. came to install a water heater and said he smelled "a chemical smell that made him nauseous and light-headed." The wife showed him her husband's "fish lab" with the kalk and vinegar clearly marked but the guy reported it anyway. The gas company calls the cops who get a judge to sign off on a search warrant. They literally kick in the couple's front door, drag the wife out of bed and cuff them, telling them to sit on the couch and not talk to each other. Probably took 'em 2 minutes to realize there wasn't a meth lab in the sump. lol Next time I have someone doing work in the house I'll make sure my lab glassware and syringes are put away just in case. haha

I guess within the hour the city had a contractor out to fix the door but how embarrassing.

[daveonbass]

it bothered us the most because it was reported 3 hours after the lights go out. And it was reported that they could "smell" that we were cooking dope. It was such a bogus claim. I think my neighbors are just "haterz." (too much boondocks)

[csmfish]

I would see if I could get a lawyer to find out who made the call. The police had to take notes, then, sue the neighbor. Mental and physical anguish, false police report (what smell) public embarrassment/humiliation (see mental/physical anguish) and slander. That would make them think twice!

[Genetics]

Originally Posted by daveonbass

...it was reported that they could "smell" that we were cooking dope.

It was probably the fresh smell of skimmate...

[lReef_lKeeper]

been there done that, but they came in my place with a search warrant because of the heat signature from the halides i use to run ... im a T5 guy now !!

[Ken_S_NY]

How do your neighbors know what a Meth lab smells like?

[schatzi]

Originally Posted by csmfish

I would see if I could get a lawyer to find out who made the call. The police had to take notes, then, sue the neighbor. Mental and physical anguish, false police report (what smell) public embarrassment/humiliation (see mental/physical anguish) and slander. That would make them think twice!

Police reports are usually available to the public. Just call and ask. Probably depends on where you live.

Originally Posted by Ken_S_NY

How do your neighbors know what a Meth lab smells like?

Best question yet!

[daveonbass]

Originally Posted by Ken_S_NY

How do your neighbors know what a Meth lab smells like?

that's what we said....!

[Dino]

Originally Posted by csmfish

I would see if I could get a lawyer to find out who made the call. The police had to take notes, then, sue the neighbor. Mental and physical anguish, false police report (what smell) public embarrassment/humiliation (see mental/physical anguish) and slander. That would make them think twice!

Yeah, how dare those neighbors care about what is going on in their neighborhood!


I'd be thankful to have neighbors that cared enough about what was going on in the neighborhood that when they saw something that they thought was suspicious they contacted the proper authorities. Sure is better than the opposite.

[Genetics]

Originally Posted by kryppy

I guess Florida has so many grow houses my place looks like a small fish..lol

Haha... I'm pretty sure police in south florida can tell the difference between the two.

Originally Posted by csmfish

I would see if I could get a lawyer to find out who made the call. The police had to take notes, then, sue the neighbor. Mental and physical anguish, false police report (what smell) public embarrassment/humiliation (see mental/physical anguish) and slander. That would make them think twice!

I'm not a lawyer but last I check it isn't illegal to raise concerns to local law enforcement.

[IndyReefMan]

I would have thought that it would take more evidence than an unusual smell for a Judge to issue a search warrant.

[khaosinc]

You would be amazed how little they need. When I first moved here 11 years ago I was under survailience and not a very good one. I finally talked to the guy in the white van parked on a dead end cul de sac and invited them up. At the time I was all freshwater, but I was breeding discus. But all the neibors knew was the strange guy up at all hours of the night with a black windowless van and tinfoil on the house windows. I worked nights, and I sleep during the days. The local cops are pretty cool with me now (the joys of living in a town of 1500). Border patrol still thinks I'm interesting. Shaved head and tattoos seems to always get them excited in a newer vehical.

[daveonbass]

Originally Posted by Dino

Yeah, how dare those neighbors care about what is going on in their neighborhood!


I'd be thankful to have neighbors that cared enough about what was going on in the neighborhood that when they saw something that they thought was suspicious they contacted the proper authorities. Sure is better than the opposite.

uh...ever though of just asking? A simple visit or a quick "hello neighbor" would have probaby erased all dought.

I guess it's just me...since I wasn't doing anything illegal...but I would have to be a dumb meth cooker to jus have it up and runnibg, and visible all hours of the day. It's seems obvious that I wouldn't do that, I would try to hide it.

well whatever...it was all just stupid last nigt.

[andrewk529]

welcome to the police state of america..good thing you didn't have any dogs in the house because the cops probably would have sent a SWAT team in to serve the warrant.

[twelvejewelz]

Originally Posted by IndyReefMan

I would have thought that it would take more evidence than an unusual smell for a Judge to issue a search warrant.

Ha then you dont know this country my friend. No offense to the cops but most in this country think that the badge allows them to do as they please. I could tell you some stories my friend .There are good ones but not all that's for sure. A judge can do as they please as well.Ive actually heard of this a bunch of times in the fishtank community. They should do some investigation before smashing someones door in. A lawsuit is in order imo

Originally Posted by andrewk529

welcome to the police state of america..good thing you didn't have any dogs in the house because the cops probably would have sent a SWAT team in to serve the warrant.

100%

[tkeracer619]

I would be signing them up for excessive junk mail starting...

now.

[adambirk]

this too has happened to me. i also live in a small town and the police had a report of very bright light cming from my house all day. so of corse the police showed up on my door. they had no warrent but asked if i would let them look around. of corse i had no problem letting them in. they were so interested in my 150 sps tank that by the end of the week i had almost every officer and there falmily stop over and check it out. which was really cool. i dont think there is anyone in about 60 miles of my house that has a saltwater setup so it is not something seen everyday.

also on a plus note having all those cops over has actually got me out of a speeding ticket!! the officer remebered me from when he brought his son over and asked if they could see my tank.

and like any one else with a tank i am always eager to show it off.