Reasons for Tank Crashes

[sen5241b]

Folks I'm trying to compile a list of reasons for tank crashes (or any major tank disaster). Help from advanced or beginners is welcome. Enter both noob type mistakes and unusual incidents. Please contribute! Later I'll condense and order these based on prevalence for everyone.

- Sand bed or DSB becomes saturated with detritus and when stirred up causes ammonia spike or worse --Hydrogen Sulphide!!!!

- Some livestock, usually an invert blocks pump intake, leading to non-functional filtration system

- Extended power ooutage

-- Livestock introduced before cycle complete

 

[sen5241b]

Also:

-- major disease outbreak

-- major pest infestation such as coral eating nudibranches

 

[mblack]

Dropping lights in tank and electrocuting everything

Tank burst

Unsuitable livestock choices

 

[wontonflip]

Tank stocked with too many livestock too fast.

 

[sen5241b]

Dropping lights in tank and electrocuting everything

Tank burst

Unsuitable livestock choices

A 'tank burst'!? What the hell is that?

 

[mblack]

A 'tank burst'!? What the hell is that?

when the glass smashes and you get wet, usually from not enough bracing or an old tank

 

[daugherty]

reeffreak had that happen with a brand new tank the seals broke. can you imagine 210 gallons of water all over your house

 

[lilyicu]

Not acclimating your livestock properly

 

[dcantucson]

Chemical spill-adding too my of something and shocking your system!

 

[dcantucson]

Poor water quality-over feeding, etc

 

[Gdbyrd]

Adding saltwater when you top off your tank and not checking your water parameters.

 

[dcantucson]

Equipment failure.

 

[daugherty]

not topping off and letting the water evap so the SG raises to high

 

[sen5241b]

reeffreak had that happen with a brand new tank the seals broke. can you imagine 210 gallons of water all over your house

I heard one person who put a big piece of LR on the bottom glass too hard and cracked it.

 

[winyfrog]

- If your thermostat in your house sticks on and you don't have a chiller, your tank will boil.
- Phosphates to high.

 

[yote]

Failing to test on a regular basis.
Not studying the tank and livestock daily.
faulty/outdated test kits
letting your RO/DI filter cartridges get old and worn out

 

[sen5241b]

Some guy here in the DC put a dwarf moray eel in his tank thinking because if was 'dwarf it wouldn't be that bad'. It started out by eating 2 fish that cost more than $260 --each.

 

[Bifferwine]

Using contaminated water is a pretty common one... Either tap water that has not been dechlorinated or has been poisoned by something. Anyone that remembers Jermpool may remember how he filled his reef tank using a garden hose...that had copper fittings.

I think adding an anemone is high up on the list too!

 

[tankedchemist]

- Sand bed or DSB becomes saturated with detritus and when stirred up causes ammonia spike or worse --Hydrogen Sulphide!!!!

sorry... I tried to let it slip by, but.. I can't! It's spelled sulfide. :)

Mantis shrimps... though that might fall under the same kind of heading as nudi infestations.

 

[dcantucson]

How 'bout putting you fist through the glass because you're frustrated.:frustrat: