Cracked Tank.....HELP!!!

[Barday]

I just got home and my 20g coldwater tank was pouring water all over the place. My mum just about saved the fishand the carpet, but now I've got nowhere to put them.

I emptied the gravel and the rest of the water and found a huge crack on the bottom of the tank.

I've got no Idea how this happened, the tank was on a flat surface

I've got the fish (2 gold fish, 1 hillstream loach) in a 20ltr water bottle, but I'm a bit worried for the loach. Can I put him in a tropical tank?

 

[xWendyx]

Did you have foam underneath the tank? There's a petstore near us that sells foam for underneath the fishtank for a couple of dollars a piece. The theory is (and I don't know if this is correct) that even a 'flat' surface isn't entirely flat and has dents and grooves and small uneven bits that put stress on the tank. The foam absorbs this and prevents cracking.

Sorry, I have no idea about your loach. Maybe if you have an old, plastic storage container (like a kid's plastic toybox) you could fill it with water and give your loach a temporary home?

 

[Coral platy]

It could have been the tank was not on the house joinst correcly. My dads 3 foot marine cracked as it was not on the joists correctly. Ruined the floor badly. Put the loach in a bucket with the goldfish and a filter. It would be like in the tank for them. Just a bit smaller.

 

[Barday]

What would it have to do with the joists??

Does a fish tank have to be on a level surface??

That's actually worried me quite a bit now, because My 2ft square tank it in a room with a slight slope. You can tell from the water line that it is not totally straight.

Anyway, I managed to score another fish tank tonight same size, so I will be cleaning it and putting the fish in tomorrow

Thanks for your help!

 

[lucky62]

Does a fish tank have to be on a level surface??

That's actually worried me quite a bit now, because My 2ft square tank it in a room with a slight slope. You can tell from the water line that it is not totally straight.

It hasn't happened to me , water line is level . read semperfi's reply

 

[nomaddan]

Does a fish tank have to be on a level surface??

IMO. I would level your tank out. Even a slight incline will put added stress on one side of the tank. In a 20 or 30 gallon tank that might not be to big of a deal, I have a 75g tank, the water alone weighs almost 800lbs. Thats alot of to not have distributed evenly.

 

[hankey]

I cracked an 80 gallon on the side panel. It went from corner to corner so I have to think that the surface wasn't level and the tank finally twisted. What a nightmare.

 

[Barday]

Hmmm, I'll have to look into this, thanks for the reply's guys!

 

[Alurny]

is styrofam polystyrene?

 

[Barday]

Yea, I think so!