Thought The Tank Had Broken (Scare)

[SimoUK]

Hey guys,

I have never ran so quick, or have I ever been so scared in my life, I was sitting watching a film, and all of a sudden *SMASH!!!* we all looked at each other and just said "fish tank" I literally covered the living room floor and up the stairs in about 3 seconds, usain bolt style lol.

Got up there and saw that a pot money bank had fallen off a shelf and smashed, my heart has never beaten so fast. This may sound harsh, but I was not so worried about the fish, but what would of happened to my parents living room ceiling HAD the tank actually broken (ive never thought about this before) Ive had the tank for about 2 years almost, and was just wandering, is it common for fish tanks to break, obviously if they are hit with something, then it can break, I can understand that, but im talking what if it broke when nobody was in, the house would be destroyed, (40 gallons of water would do alot of damage as im on the second floor).

Its got me worried is all, and now im so worried i'm thinking of selling, how common is a break on its own?

Simo

 

[Proxo]

I wouldn't be worried about the fish tank smashing, i'd be worried about how the pot money bank had managed to move itself from the shelf onto the floor? ghost?

 

[onebto]

I would of thought more water damadge comes from external filter leaks than actual tank breaks but your write it is something to consider and also to check on your contense insurance Iwe did just to make sure fortunatley it is now lets hope we never have to use it.

Regards onebto

 

[fishman102]

I wouldn't be worried about the fish tank smashing, i'd be worried about how the pot money bank had managed to move itself from the shelf onto the floor? ghost?

It probably was a ghost, things fall off shevles and get moved around when no ones in the room at my house.

Oh, and SimoUK, tanks will only break on their own if they've been in use for quite a few years, mabye after 4-5 years. But even then it is very uncommon, the only tank that had ever broke on its own that I had was a ten-gallon that had been in the family for like over thirty years (firt housing a newt, then a frog, then some minnows, and finally it was housing three goldfish when it broke).

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

I've never had a tank break on me.

My last tank I owned for 9 years, I bought it second hand and my boyfriend has had it a year and a half now. The only "break" that the tank might have come across is a leak, however a few month ago we re-sealed the whole tank just to make sure as years of cleaning do eventually make an impact on the silicone.

 

[divegirl]

I had a external that decided to pump backwards on the day of my 40th [I posted it on here if I remember rightly] and it was just funny......came home from walking the dogs to find my front room sloshing in water and my comm tank in my bedroom with 3'' of water in it!!!! The floor in the front room has never been so clean .Just did a quick vac clean and refilled it....lol
I did have a tank crack once....the down side being it housed a single 'black' piranha [Serrasalmus niger] who measured about 9'' at the time and he wasn't happy about being in a toy box over night....but survived!

In 22 years of serious fish keeping....not bad!

Lisa x

 

[Jamepsss]

I had a similar scare a few weeks ago.

I live in an apartment block on the 4th floor of 10 and I got home from work and there was loads of water vacuum cleaners laid out on the ground floor. Then there was a big sign saying there had been a leak on the 4th floor, if you think your apartment has been affected please call this number...

I raced up to my flat, heart beating out of my chest, sheer panic. Opened my front door expecting the fishkeepers worst nightmare to greet me. When I got in I breathed a huge sigh of relief as I saw my two tanks and all my fish swimming around happy as larry. It was a burst pipe in one of the other flats.