Bad news when I got home this weekend

[bobz]

I came home from a weekend away to find my 30 Gallon tank empty and all my fish dead. Talk about depressing. I had 30G of saltwater in the carpet and the tank smelled awful. I immediately took out all the live rock and put it in buckets of salt water. I had a few pieces of corals in the tank (Kenya, green ricordea, mushrooms and zoa/polyps) that I put in to a small 10G tank I use as a QT. The fish, emerald crabs were goners. I then pulled out all the sand and put that in a bucket with some more salt water. After mopping up with towels as much saltwater as I could, I moved the tank and stand in to the basement. The bottom of the tank had cracked. This was a brand new tank and I know I did not crack the glass when I added the liverock so I can only guess that it was a defect and the weight of the sand/rock and water caused an existing flaw in the glass to crack open. Here are my questions;
1) any tips on how best to clean a carpet/pad soaked in saltwater? I am guess I may need to rip out the carpet and replace the padding.
2) I am also guessing that this happened between 5pm saturday and 1pm on Sunday, we got home at 11:30PM, so at most it was 18 hours of dry time for the rock. I assume it may cycle again before I can think about using it. right?
3) I lost the ricordea and the kenya but the zoa frags seem to have survived and are opening, think they will be alright?
4) is there anyway to repair the tank or do I just junk it?

Not having a good day,
Bob Z
Marietta

 

[purplegorilla]

Man, that suxs...I would junk the tank, you may look into that PETCO $1 per gallon sale. Not sure if they still have it.

 

[caldwellm]

Im so sorry to hear of your loss- If theres anything i can do to help, gimme a shout
--Michael

 

[jaandgc]

I don't know how you had it set up but try to make sure the floor / stand are level and not bowed before installing a new tank. I have seen more tanks crack because of uneven floors and stands that any thing else.
Jerry

 

[tnyga]

Soak the carpet real good with FRESH water to dilute the salt and wet/vac the thing til dry...key is to get it diluted real well....Happened to me about 20 years ago...

So sorry for the loss...if you need a wet vac let me know...I also have a decnt carpet cleaner..

 

[flyingarmy]

Dang Bob..sorry to hear about the incident. Let me know if you want some frags to get it back up and going. I have a kenya, xenia and zoas I'll give you. JLMK!

 

[linda lee]

I'm so sorry

I have an extra emerald crab and some snails from that last Live Aquaria group buy you and Bud were so kind to put together. Let me know when I can bring them over. If there's anything else I can do (since I'm close by) please please let me know.

Also, Loren is a builder ... I'm calling him now to ask him to contact his carpet guy for any ideas.

Hang in there.

 

[bobz]

thanks for all the support guys! I did check that the floor/stand was level before I filled the tank so I don't *think* it was a problem with the base bowing... who knows. I know I will double check that next time. So far it looks like I have saved a couple of the frags I had in there...yeah! Now on to the cleanup again. Soaking the carpet is a good idea. I have a shopvac that will handle water so I'll try that. And I am dumping the tank.
Bob

 

[linda lee]

bobz;73041 wrote: And I am dumping the tank. Bob

Tank would make a nice terrarium, reptile tank or crabitat.

 

[ejorg2]

you may want to check with your insurance, I had a 150 blow out a few years back and they replaced subfloor and carpet after deductible of course.

 

[linda lee]

bobz;73041 wrote: Now on to the cleanup again. Soaking the carpet is a good idea. I have a shopvac that will handle water so I'll try that.

I talked with a homebuilder I know and he concurred on soaking the carpet with FW to dilute the salt and using the shopvac to remove as much moisture as possible.

He also suggested:

~Pull up the carpet and spread it outside to dry completely
~Pull up and discard old carpet pad
~Allow subfloor to dry completely
~Reinstall fully dried carpet over a new pad

(I'm beginning to think tanks on hardwood floors are not so bad afterall.......)

 

[bobz]

thanks for checking, i figured I would have to replace the pad too ... if this was not new carpeting I would would just rip it all out.... which I may end up doing anyway ... d'oh!
Bob

 

[FutureInterest]

Man my condolences bob. Was that the tank in your hallway? Anyways, I've unforunately dealt with this once before and I just rented a rug doctor and went to work and all is well.

As for frags if you ever find time to come on over, I've got a few you can pick out for yourself .

 

[bobz]

Aa a foot note to my losing the 30Gal tank this week, I went by Petsmart (on Barrett Parkway in Marietta) today and spoke to the manager. They replaced the tank and stand with out any questions and also offered to replace my lost fish. I explained that this was a saltwater tank and that I appreciated the offer. I was very pleased with the service... now I need to figure out if I want to set up the tank again in the same spot... I think I am going to put it up in my basement for about 6 months to make sure there is not some flaw with this design (actually a 28G bowfront tank) with the stand. Not real comfortable with this going back in my family room at this point.
Bob Z
Marietta