When your bursts !

[Lesley]

our 400g front panel decided to let go
So now doing the best we can with half the rock 18 fish ( 13 tangs ) & no sand bed till new tank arrives
Pretty happy tested last 5 days no Ammonia or nitrites and nitrates at highest 5ppm

Ato water changing 100lt a day hoping will stay steady for next 10-12 weeks

Please double check your insurance policies as we thought had plenty but the damage to the house has been devastating

Was this to this in 10 mins

 

[Marlon2024]

What insurance do you have and did they cover?

 

[Jdeleon]

WOW!!!!! I wouldn't even know what to do! did you have the container at hand? did all the water spill or it held some? just nuts. will tank manufacturer cover anything?

 

[Marlon2024]

Was the tank glass or acrylic was it rimless?

 

[mi-reef]

Totally speechless. Hopefully the tank was in the basement where the damage is somewhat containable.

 

[brandon429]

this is resoundingly devastating but if theres any bright side, what you are doing to preserve the life in tow is skip cycling gold standard.

its horrendous to have to be using the science of preservation without cycle, but the CPR you are doing on this truly giant setup is amazing and gives others hope for similar instances. the live sand was not needed to keep ammonia at bay, those were incidental bacteria. the fact you moved delicates to a holding container and not a bunch of old sand already differentiates reactions here away from what a large percentage of reefers would have done fearing they couldn't live without the bacteria.

clearly you are exporting still w skimmer... its good aeration and the rocks were already well-kept before the event

above par tank care before is making a big difference now in no ammonia as relocation is underway

are you able to save/house most of those fantastic corals for preservation Im hoping?

 

[Lesley]

While watching cricket at 10pm
We heard a noise - water
Both looked over at the tank

With in seconds of hearing a little water , there was no doubt what was happening - the 7ft length front seal had popped

No stopping it
Within 6 mins we had no water in the tank
100+ corals and 18 fish

We had lost power as water and got into the electric supply

We had the foresight to grab 2 x 200lt barrels right at the beginning & lean them against the front panel we captured about 300 ltrs of spilling water, while scrambling to the back of the house to grab an ibc

Dumped the ibc into lounge floor
Husband passing rocks to me and me literally throwing them in ibc
No regard for corals at this stage at all
Our priority was getting all the rocks out so fish wouid be easy to catch

Corals all over sand
Fish now flapping - no water we just grabbed them all by hand and threw them
Into one of the barrels

With them now back in water we started up the generator - pumped the fishless barrel water into the ibc

Was enough to just cover rocks
So I then pumped any sump water to ibc
Netted all fish out barrel into ibc & used the remaining barrel water to top it up
Added flow & heat
This is what I saw when power was restored

Now how do you remove 1300ltr water - call SES
30 mins later 2 trucks 8 guys restored power - wet vac moved furniture
Can't thank these guys enough for
Giving up sat night

SES - your carpets ate ruined & all skirting boats , kitchen kick boarding & possibly cupboards
Who you insured with
RAA - oh good ring then straight away tell them ses says emergency claim
Its 1.40am
Ring RAA - lovely lady Answered after 10 mins says putting you through to assessor who was whispering into phone as to not wake her husband
Tells me she can have carpet people here by 4am
Well no that's fine don't wake him
So 7am carpet man st door

Yes 4 bedrooms , office. Lounge dining just like that

Good news is.
All stock survived bar 1 bristle tooth tang whose just vanished
Not so sure about corals
So she's gone - dead - no more
Sad day for us I promise you

Thanks

 

[Lesley]

Aquarium was glass
Euro braced top not bottom

 

[Joshky]

Wow I'm so happy you all were home when it happened, things could be much worse! I still can't imagine what you're going through and hope that I never have to deal with this, by far my worst nightmare.

 

[Lesley]

I have farmed out all my cuc to fellow refers as I don't believe they wouid survive
Clams also

My sps was sent into rtn within 24hrs and unfortunately have been lost

Lps & softies I think shouid survive

These are my 3yr old colonies I am literally so sad to lose them

 

[lobster]

Wow man look at the bright side! You guys was home and was able to save most of the livestock!

 

[Fin]

Every reefers worst nightmare. So sorry this happened to what was an incredible aquarium. Awesome that you thought quick enough to salvage as much as you could. It has to be very disappointing though. I hope you get back up and running very soon.

 

[InvertEnvy]

Thank you for sharing. So sorry for your lose. I can't imagine what I would do. Now I have an idea. Hope you are able to save most of your corals.

 

[Mike&Terry]

So sorry to see this happen to you... We went thru the same ordeal in 2010 with a bottom seal rupture on a less than 6 month old 300g tank. Glad you were able to save your fish and much of your coral.

 

[pirate2876]

Good grief, dont show this to your wives guys.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Wow, bet your glad you were home when it happened. Sorry for your losses, it was a beautiful tank. Hope you rebound and come back strong. Hang in there.

 

[Maritimer]

Absolutely terrifying ... I can't believe you guys were as level-headed as you were, and that is what saved those fish. And your home from worse damage than it received.

Very sad for the loss of such a beautiful tank . . .

~Bruce

 

[Reef man 89]

That's horrible. That is all our fears right there. But at least you were home for it.

 

[locito277]

Sorry about the tank. You ordered one already? Same size I'm guessing?

 

[Lesley]

Sorry about the tank. You ordered one already? Same size I'm guessing?

Gone bigger and safer.
This tank had been sold to new owner & was due to be taken in about 7 weeks when new tank arrived
Very experienced builder
I am terrified to be honest & did think of selling , getting out
If new tank not already 1/2 done we would have just left