OMG what do I do?

[Ron Reefman]

I hate to say it, but if you aren't willing to deal with a PITA event as you are just getting started, maybe you need to reconsider your plans for this hobby? Any of us who have been at this for any time at all have these kinds of PITA events every once and a while. If you aren't prepared to do it during the enthusiasm of getting started, how are you going to do it when the tank is 2 years old and you spend time working on it all the time and THEN some big PITA event happens? Your leak, if there even is a leak (I'm not so sure there is), is so small and so slow that you have tons of time to prepare and deal with this. What will you do when something really bad happens in the middle of the night and you find water all over the floor and the tank 25% empty? I'm just asking if you are really prepared to do this?

 

[JagerBlunt]

Well 1, I am willing to deal with this, I just hate that the fact that I have to deal with this not even a week after adding fish in to the system.. I know I know, I could of had problems with the acclimation, stress, ich and what not but whats the worst that could of happened, a fish dying? So, he takes a trip down the toilet.... well not really, my LFS guaranteed them for 30 days, so I would of brought him back to the store.... Now 2, if there is a leak in my tank, I'm not gonna reseal it. I'm gonna go out and buy a brand new tank, so I'm not gonna have to worry about waking up and finding 25% of my water left in the tank for at least 5 years and I'm being conservative on that too... and 3 I filled this tank up and let it sit for 3 days to check for leaks before draining it back out and bringing it inside. I wouldn't have been so upset if I found a massive leak while it was sitting outside... 3 1/2, I spent over 2 months gathering everything I needed, building sumps, a canopy, refugium light, timers, painting, ect ect.. I was SO excited to have it up and running and now I have take it all back down before one my fish has even come out of hiding after his scary azz trip from the store, to a bag, to a 10g tank, to a 90g tank, and when he does come out if I even get close to the tank he zips right back under a rock... you get what I'm saying here?

 

[S13<3]

if the tank is brand new (couple months old) the manufacturer should replace it at no charge. and fish are not just expendable materialistic things. you should have more respect for your livestock.....

 

[Ron Reefman]

if the tank is brand new (couple months old) the manufacturer should replace it at no charge. and fish are not just expendable materialistic things. you should have more respect for your livestock.....

JagerBlunt said the tank was used. And his biggest concern has been for the fish... did you even read the thread?

JagerBlunt, glad to hear that you are going to stick with it. So does the tank drip any water at all? If it's not dripping, I'd be really slow to react to the concern of a possible leak. And a leak this small, assuming there is one, has no bearing on the structural reliability of the tank. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

 

[S13<3]

"whats the worst that could of happened, a fish dying? So, he takes a trip down the toilet.... well not really, my LFS guaranteed them for 30 days, so I would of brought him back to the store...."

guess i misunderstood....
and i totally skimmed passed the used tank part. not really trying to bash the guy just hate seeing people talk like "who cares its just a fish, besides if he dies the store will just give me another one..."

 

[Snausy]

Man with that sale going on I'd just go get a new 90 and move on.

All it takes is a couple years and you WILL have said to yourself a few times "THAT IS IT, I'M DONE WITH THIS HOBBY!!!" Then you go get some towels and get it all perfect again. Once it's perfect you remember why you do it.

A vicious cycle no doubt. SW fishkeeping is a hobby that will try you.

 

[ReeferGil]

What a pain in the ***! I guess I have to make a trip to home depot and get 2 55 gallon trash bins at $60 a pop and drain it into that so I don't have to recycle my tank? So what just put a power head in the trash bin with my live rock and fish?

You don't have to buy them, just borrow them for a little while. Keep the receipt. When done, dry them off and return their clean cans to them

 

[ggsteve]

I hate to say it, but if you aren't willing to deal with a PITA event as you are just getting started, maybe you need to reconsider your plans for this hobby? Any of us who have been at this for any time at all have these kinds of PITA events every once and a while. If you aren't prepared to do it during the enthusiasm of getting started, how are you going to do it when the tank is 2 years old and you spend time working on it all the time and THEN some big PITA event happens? Your leak, if there even is a leak (I'm not so sure there is), is so small and so slow that you have tons of time to prepare and deal with this. What will you do when something really bad happens in the middle of the night and you find water all over the floor and the tank 25% empty? I'm just asking if you are really prepared to do this?

A lot of truth here, but remember, this poor guy hasn't had a moment to enjoy his reef. With all the time, expense and care the OP seems to be putting into this it has to be frustrating.

I had almost the exact same thing happen with my 65 RR newly purchased off CL, set it all up and a few days later noticed a small leak in lower left front corner leading to salt creep and only then did I see the tiny chip in the glass (I can't blame the seller because I don't know if I or my son, who picked it up for me, chipped the tank moving it). I have 40 years in this hobby and I was ready to give up. I recovered from the initial disappointment, made my plan to break down and repair the tank, but before I did that just for yucks I cleaned the area of the chip/leak really well and liberally but discreetly caulked the corner of the tank from the outside. So far after 6 months it's still dry as a bone. Viewers out there, don't try this at home because there is no way on God's green Earth that this type of repair should have even worked once. And to the skeptics out there, yes it was a leak, after 4 decades doing this I know the difference. I don't believe the outside repair worked either but it is what it is.

To the OP, good luck, once you get your tank squared away, get through your algae blooms, find and remove that villainous mantis shrimp, suffer a couple of weird live stock incompatibility issues and finally get your skimmer to stop overflowing there will be one day you will look at the tank and say "Wow!".......... The next day your prized hammer coral will have closed up and you'll have a whole new set of issues but don't worry about that for now.

 

[Ruu]

I've been keeping everything in rubbermaid stock tanks for long enough to get some pretty decent coraline growth now after my 180 had issues back in may. Once you learn to love the setup phase, its kind of fun. I actually think everything does better there to be honest - being able to see stuff is overrated.

Dave