Roy
Mon Jan 08, 2007, 09:24 PM
Got home last night to find the display tank in the lounge room completely empty.
160 odd ltrs of water all over the carpet and soaking up into the curtains :cry:
Went into crisis mode and started laying down the towels.
Fortunately it wasnt a discus tank, but it did have a bit of livestock in it:
20 rummynose tetras, 3 Julii corys, 3 sterbai corys and 2 BN.
Most of the stem plants were dried out and completely gone (metal halide lighting will do that) but the crypts were a little dry but had damp roots (thankyou remanants of rockwool). One anubias was complete mush, but the other two might survive, i propogated all 3 onto driftwood over the last 12 months, so will be rather unhappy if they go, lots of time to get them growing at a nice size.
Before (a few months old, had since added about another 6-8 crypts and planted the wallichi all the way to behind the right hand driftwood with cuttings, some awsome root growth on them when i cleaned up last night)
http://www.pbase.com/cmdr_roy/image/69031126.jpg
After (sorry about the reflection, light coming in the window and doors)
http://www.pbase.com/cmdr_roy/image/72783265.jpg
Loungeroom (stripped the tank down and moved all the couches out to another room until dried out)
http://www.pbase.com/cmdr_roy/image/72783267.jpg
Leftovers (split the sand and flourite out of the tank, seperated at a reasonable rate, bowl of crypts shown, got a big storage bin from Bunnings last night and replanted them all, took the opportunity to split some apart as they were getting large)
http://www.pbase.com/cmdr_roy/image/72783268.jpg
So what have i learnt, dodgy silicone job on the bottom was the fault, found it when i had drained the tank and moved it outside. Water does run uphill, if there are curtains available to assist it. I lost a lot of fish that i have spent the last 4 months growing, was really happy with the tank. I can grow plants :D the root systems on the wallichi and crypts were all developed and healthy, so i know i can do it again.
Where to from here....im not sure, pretty annoyed/upset/angry/depressed about it all right now, but i dont think i will give up. Need to get a new tank if i want to have one on display in the loungeroom, do i go another 4ft, or something a little smaller like a 3ft. I have a spare 2ft at home, but i dont think it will have the same visual appeal and impact, but would be easier to light and look after etc. So im at a crossroads regarding the tank and the idea of having one in the lounge room. If i get home tonight and find the discus have leapt to freedom im calling it quits.
Roy
160 odd ltrs of water all over the carpet and soaking up into the curtains :cry:
Went into crisis mode and started laying down the towels.
Fortunately it wasnt a discus tank, but it did have a bit of livestock in it:
20 rummynose tetras, 3 Julii corys, 3 sterbai corys and 2 BN.
Most of the stem plants were dried out and completely gone (metal halide lighting will do that) but the crypts were a little dry but had damp roots (thankyou remanants of rockwool). One anubias was complete mush, but the other two might survive, i propogated all 3 onto driftwood over the last 12 months, so will be rather unhappy if they go, lots of time to get them growing at a nice size.
Before (a few months old, had since added about another 6-8 crypts and planted the wallichi all the way to behind the right hand driftwood with cuttings, some awsome root growth on them when i cleaned up last night)
http://www.pbase.com/cmdr_roy/image/69031126.jpg
After (sorry about the reflection, light coming in the window and doors)
http://www.pbase.com/cmdr_roy/image/72783265.jpg
Loungeroom (stripped the tank down and moved all the couches out to another room until dried out)
http://www.pbase.com/cmdr_roy/image/72783267.jpg
Leftovers (split the sand and flourite out of the tank, seperated at a reasonable rate, bowl of crypts shown, got a big storage bin from Bunnings last night and replanted them all, took the opportunity to split some apart as they were getting large)
http://www.pbase.com/cmdr_roy/image/72783268.jpg
So what have i learnt, dodgy silicone job on the bottom was the fault, found it when i had drained the tank and moved it outside. Water does run uphill, if there are curtains available to assist it. I lost a lot of fish that i have spent the last 4 months growing, was really happy with the tank. I can grow plants :D the root systems on the wallichi and crypts were all developed and healthy, so i know i can do it again.
Where to from here....im not sure, pretty annoyed/upset/angry/depressed about it all right now, but i dont think i will give up. Need to get a new tank if i want to have one on display in the loungeroom, do i go another 4ft, or something a little smaller like a 3ft. I have a spare 2ft at home, but i dont think it will have the same visual appeal and impact, but would be easier to light and look after etc. So im at a crossroads regarding the tank and the idea of having one in the lounge room. If i get home tonight and find the discus have leapt to freedom im calling it quits.
Roy