The Great Leak of '03

[shawmutt]

I got up this morning while it was still dark, and started to get ready for work. As I walked by my 10 gallon, I heard the filter making a bunch of noise. I figured it must have gotten some air trapped in it or something, so I tapped it a few times. It still was making the noise, and I thought "great, piece of crap filter's going to make me late for work." I turned on the light and turned back to my tank. There was only an inch of water left in the tank. All the fish were barely covered--the hatchets were on their sides. I ran and got my 5 1/2 gallon, filled it up it water from the tap, threw some declorinator in it, and put my fish in. I dumped what little water remained in the tank into the 5 1/2 gallon, and started cleaning.

One hatchet already is pretty much dead, and I have a feeling I'm going to lose most if not all of the fish. I really needed to take a step back, I've done all I can to this point--so here I am, typing my story.

Let's count the cons: 1. The carpets soaked through. 2. I live on top of a bridal shop 3. I probably lost a good eight or more gallons of water (although no more then 10 ). 4. My landlord's business is right next door, and when I go down in a half-hour, I'm going to have to tell him about it. 5. Neither the bridal shop nor my landlord's shop is open yet, so I have to sit here and think about which rack of dresses my fishtank is spilling onto. 6. My landlord will most likely make me break down my 30 gallon, which will be the end of my hobby. 7. I have renters insurance, but I just bought it without looking at anything, so I have to sit here until Allstate opens to find out if they cover water damage.

Let's count the pros: 1. uh...I respond well to emergencies? 2. I got a day off of work, even if it's not a "fun" day.

Holy crap, I feel like I'm a little kid again and my parents are just about to find out I really screwed up. I really need to buy a house.

Updates to follow.

 

[Allivymar]

Urk. Not how one wants to start off the week!

Just a thought, which may or may not make you feel better LOL

The carpets likely soaked up much of the water, especially if it was a slow leak. Chances are little if any wound up downstairs, although if you haven't got fans blowing on the carpet get em now. Gotta dry em before mold sets in.

 

[TankGirl]

Whatever water did not get absorbed by the carpet and padding hopefully was absorbed by any insulation between the floors and/or by the ceiling tiles (if there are any) so probably the worst will be a stain on the ceiling of the bridal shop. This kind of leak could have happened from any number of household mishaps, like leaking faucets, tubs and toilets, so I am hoping it won't be the end of your hobby. I would hate for you to have to tear down the African tank, after all you have gone through to get it right! Sorry about your fishy losses, and your Monday morning crisis

 

[cowfish7]

Poor little guys - I have nightmares about stuff like that happening (I did have a tank leak once).
I wouldn't think 8 or so gallons would cause damage, other than to your carpet, but let us know how it turns out.

cowfish7

 

[Sinuhe]

Oh no, that would be horrible! At least you have a carpet to absorb most of the water.

Some years ago when I was living in a different apartment, my neighbors upstairs must have spilled a bucket of water or something, because some water dripped through into my apartment, from between the ceiling and outer wall, on the books I had by the window. Now, I live on the top floor, 4 floors of apartments below me to spoil if one of my tanks leaks

 

[madasafish]

Sorry to hear it!

Just a couple of things... I've had about 10 G of watter spill in my kitchen. I managed to get it mostly mopped up, and never heard from my downstairs neighbors....

What was the cause of the leak? Was it a crack in the tank, or was it the filter. I once pushed my tank a little bit too far back and put pressure on the filter. This caused the filter to slope about 10 degrees back towards the wall, and any water coming through the filter ran back into the tank and out onto the floor.

The carpet may well have taken care of much of this, esp. if you've mopped up since then. I'd take a leisurely stroll through the bridal shop, looking surreptitiously at the ceiling. Nothing apparant, no problem...

 

[Tigerlily]

Wow Shawmutt, what a terrible Monday you're having!

I hope everything turns out alright and the bridal shop doesn't have any damage. It would be terrible to have to get rid of your other tank because of this. I agree though that your carpet probably absorbed most of the water. I had a hot water heater leak into an downstairs neighbor's condo once. It took a lot more than 10 gallons to damage their ceiling. I found out that my carpet was *very* absorbant!

Please let us know what happens, and how the rest of your fish are faring.

 

[shawmutt]

Well, I went and told my landlord this morning, he didn't throw a fit like I thought he would. Of course, I did tell him I spilled a "little bit" of water on the carpet and immediately cleaned it up (hey, compared to any other body of water, ten gallons IS a little bit! ). I put a fan on the floor, and the carpet is mostly dry (thanks alli). I decided to break the tank down, so I can focus on the 30 gallon and not have to worry about getting another 10 gallons on the floor. I called my lfs and explained my situation, and they agreed to take my fish. I put the half-full 5-1/2 gallon tank in my igloo cooler and made the 30 minute trek to the lfs. They took my fish from me . The girl who was helping me said she liked my talking catfish so much she would probably take it for her tank--which is really a good thing because that guy's been around for over two years. When I came back home there was no note on my door or message on my answering machine about water dripping from the ceiling or anything--so far so good in that respect.

The sealant in the bottom of the tank is the source of the leak, but I still have to investigate the tank to see what actually caused the sealant to start leaking.

I'll just have to ignore my MTS until I get a place of my own, or maybe a basement apartment.

 

[shawmutt]

sigh...now that I have no tank with my jaguar skull I guess I have to change my avatar. BTW, all the fish made it to the lfs safe and sound, including the hatchet I thought was dying.

 

[RogerMcAllen]

You can't change your avy. I associate users more with the avy than the name because it is easier to pick out of a long thread of posts.

 

[William]

I work with floors for a living.

So I can tell you that even the shortest of carpets [ like the carpets you see at malls or what not ] are extremly absorbant.

So you shouldn't have any worries, unless the stain [ Shows how far the water spread ] was less than a foot in diamater if it was a quick gush out of the tank ]


But even then, the subfloor, and all the various things between roof and floor would have most assuredly caught it and, if nothing else, routed it elsewhere.

 

[TankGirl]

Yeah, I second the motion that you don't change your avatar. It is too cool!

 

[BrianNY]

I feel for you Shawmutt. That is my biggest nightmare. It happened to me once when I lived in an aptartment in NJ. A 29 gal filled with Angelfish. Lost all of them cause the tank was bone dry when I discovered it. There was no damage to the apartment below, but the wood floor warped and I wound up having to replace a section.

Hope all goes well for you man.

 

[Timanator]

Thats too bad. I hope you get your tank fixed and maybe get a bigger tank for X-mas!!!!!


I wish I had considering neighbors like you when I lived in apartments...