Death of the Big Clear Kahuna

**scolley** · 02-03-2007, 04:14 PM

I was sitting in my home office, on a conference call, when I heard the distinct - LOUD - sound of rushing water. I got up and glanced in the kitchen. Nope, no one in there. So, I stepped away from my business call and found - to my great dismay - 75 gallons of water RAPIDLY exiting my home built all glass tank.

The failure was nothing less than catastrophic. No slow leak here. It probably started slowly, but the water pressure pushed the back glass panel a good 1/4" away from one of the side panels. Once about 65 gallons was out, the water stopped leaking. It took about somewhere between 30 and 90 seconds. Sorry I was too busy to get a good picture.

What you see below is the aftermath. 6 discus and a whole lot of plants and driftwood crammed into a 40g garbage can - hoping for no deaths.

I'll need to post links to this in all my "Kahuna" related threads. Both the DIY and Photo Album threads. But that will have to wait. The day after this happened I had to go on a 3 day business trip. So these poor fish have been without food for 4 days, crammed into a garbage can. This weekend will be dedicated to buying and setting up a new tank. No time for posting.

I'm bummed that this happened, and think I know why it happened. IMO it was not a random event. But that speculation will have to wait. I've got to go get a tank. No time for crying now... I'll do plenty of that later. Now I've got things to do...

jt20194 · 02-03-2007, 04:22 PM

Steve, I am so sorry to hear about this! Anything I can do let me know. You have the right attitude though, just move on!

Jim

JenThePlantGeek · 02-03-2007, 04:39 PM

My heart absolutely broke when I saw this... :: hugs ::

I'm so sorry!

Cardinal Tetra · 02-03-2007, 04:43 PM

That sucks so much. I wish the the best of luck and hopefully everything will survive!

yoink · 02-03-2007, 04:45 PM

Oh no, I was hoping the title was some cruel joke. Sorry to see that.

**dipan** · 02-03-2007, 04:47 PM

That just terrible. I'm sorry that happened to you and your fish/plants.

On a positive note, I know you'll outdo it in your next revision, though!

I've read a majority of your "Big Kahuna" thread, like many other here, and learned lots. You've contributed so much. Thank you.

alexandre · 02-03-2007, 05:04 PM

I am speechless, I don’t know what to say, apart I am so sorry for you. But I’m sure your next tank will be even more beautiful.
Wish you all the best for setting up your next aquarium.

daFrimpster · 02-03-2007, 05:05 PM

Sorry for your loss!
The next Kahuna will be even better!!

distrbd · 02-03-2007, 05:14 PM

A100 gal.tank 6 foot long broke on me 3 years ago ,I know how much pain in the a** it is to fix it all up.but you'll get through it all.

<Frawg> · 02-03-2007, 05:16 PM

Hope the fish make it!

Sorry - I've enjoyed reading all about Kahuna.

Scott
Sanford, Maine

**SuRje1976** · 02-03-2007, 05:22 PM

Oh my god...Steve if there is ANYTHING I can do to help, please let me know.

**fresh_lynny** · 02-03-2007, 06:37 PM

holy crap! Steve that totally sucks!!!!!!
The fish will hopefully be fine...What can we do. I am not far from you, let us know if we can help in any way. So sorry!

Betowess · 02-03-2007, 06:41 PM

Whooo. Hope all survive. That is terrible news. Good luck with the new tank.

**bharada** · 02-03-2007, 06:49 PM

Steve, so sorry that you have to live through our worst hobby nightmare. I hope that fish, house, and owner make it through this alright. Best of luck!

Betowess · 02-03-2007, 07:07 PM

One thought Steve. While you are gone, maybe your family could transfer the plants to another garbage can with some regular water from the house - the plants will be fine - to give the Discus more room in the main temporary can.

02-03-2007, 04:14 PM	#1 (permalink)
scolley Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (10) Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: connecticut Posts: 3,190	Death of the Big Clear Kahuna I was sitting in my home office, on a conference call, when I heard the distinct - LOUD - sound of rushing water. I got up and glanced in the kitchen. Nope, no one in there. So, I stepped away from my business call and found - to my great dismay - 75 gallons of water RAPIDLY exiting my home built all glass tank. The failure was nothing less than catastrophic. No slow leak here. It probably started slowly, but the water pressure pushed the back glass panel a good 1/4" away from one of the side panels. Once about 65 gallons was out, the water stopped leaking. It took about somewhere between 30 and 90 seconds. Sorry I was too busy to get a good picture. What you see below is the aftermath. 6 discus and a whole lot of plants and driftwood crammed into a 40g garbage can - hoping for no deaths. I'll need to post links to this in all my "Kahuna" related threads. Both the DIY and Photo Album threads. But that will have to wait. The day after this happened I had to go on a 3 day business trip. So these poor fish have been without food for 4 days, crammed into a garbage can. This weekend will be dedicated to buying and setting up a new tank. No time for posting. I'm bummed that this happened, and think I know why it happened. IMO it was not a random event. But that speculation will have to wait. I've got to go get a tank. No time for crying now... I'll do plenty of that later. Now I've got things to do... __________________ steve You wanna know what I really think? You can see at www.wetplantlogic.com. 180g high tech, "generally" low maintenance, planted discus tank Last edited by scolley; 10-31-2007 at 02:49 AM.

02-03-2007, 04:22 PM	#2 (permalink)
jt20194 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2) Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Reston, VA Posts: 135	Steve, I am so sorry to hear about this! Anything I can do let me know. You have the right attitude though, just move on! Jim __________________ Planted Discus Tank and Automatic Water Changer

02-03-2007, 04:39 PM	#3 (permalink)
JenThePlantGeek Carebear (View User Tanks) PTrader: (35) Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 3,127	My heart absolutely broke when I saw this... :: hugs :: I'm so sorry! __________________ Circle City Aquarium Club (Indianapolis) - VP & Horticulture Awards Program Chair I <3 Eheim #195 Everyone seems normal... until you get to know them.

02-03-2007, 04:43 PM	#4 (permalink)
Cardinal Tetra Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (24) Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Lancaster or Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 356	That sucks so much. I wish the the best of luck and hopefully everything will survive! __________________ --- Huy Tank: 10 gallons, 65 watt coralife aqualight, DIY CO2, Filstar xP1

02-03-2007, 04:45 PM	#5 (permalink)
yoink Algae Crumpler (View User Tanks) PTrader: (66) Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,977	Oh no, I was hoping the title was some cruel joke. Sorry to see that. __________________ "Yeah, I wanted to help - that was before Montagne lost his fricking arm." -Arzt

02-03-2007, 04:47 PM	#6 (permalink)
dipan Professional Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (8) Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 186	That just terrible. I'm sorry that happened to you and your fish/plants. On a positive note, I know you'll outdo it in your next revision, though! I've read a majority of your "Big Kahuna" thread, like many other here, and learned lots. You've contributed so much. Thank you.

02-03-2007, 05:04 PM	#7 (permalink)
alexandre Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: May 2005 Location: cyprus Posts: 77	I am speechless, I don’t know what to say, apart I am so sorry for you. But I’m sure your next tank will be even more beautiful. Wish you all the best for setting up your next aquarium.

02-03-2007, 05:05 PM	#8 (permalink)
daFrimpster Wannaru Gube (View User Tanks) PTrader: (16) Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: springfield, IL Posts: 755	Sorry for your loss! The next Kahuna will be even better!! __________________ Regards, Sam 10g nanoreef 20g planted 20g & 29g fw fish only 10g Hex planted 55g planted 65g SW Macroalgae & Fish 175g FW

02-03-2007, 05:14 PM	#9 (permalink)
distrbd Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: TORONTO,CANADA Posts: 708	A100 gal.tank 6 foot long broke on me 3 years ago ,I know how much pain in the a** it is to fix it all up.but you'll get through it all.

02-03-2007, 05:16 PM	#10 (permalink)
<Frawg> Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4) Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Maine Posts: 160	Hope the fish make it! Sorry - I've enjoyed reading all about Kahuna. Scott Sanford, Maine

02-03-2007, 05:22 PM	#11 (permalink)
SuRje1976 Mad Scientist (View User Tanks) PTrader: (9) Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Montclair, NJ Posts: 594	Oh my god...Steve if there is ANYTHING I can do to help, please let me know. __________________ Sergio C. SuMo Aquarium Regulators My Automatic Water Changer - My Automatic Fert Doser - ADA 120P Journal

02-03-2007, 06:37 PM	#12 (permalink)
fresh_lynny Plant chick (View User Tanks) PTrader: (59) Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New York, NY Posts: 3,238	holy crap! Steve that totally sucks!!!!!! The fish will hopefully be fine...What can we do. I am not far from you, let us know if we can help in any way. So sorry! __________________ Eheim Chickie #203 Filstar Pimpette # 56 not-so-newby anymore? 90 gal acrylic, Coralife Aquapro 150x2 Metal Halides, 55x2 50/50 PC, 3 lunars, Hydor inline, 9w TurboTwist UV, Pressurized CO2, Rhinox 5000 glass co2 diffusor, Rex Grigg CO2 all-in-one, Milwaukee pH controller, 2 Eheim Pro II 2026's, Filstar XP3 backup, lilies, Eco Complete, Greg Watson dry ferts, EI mod http://web.mac.com/lynny_lynny/iWeb/Site/Velkommen.html http://www.paparazzi.com

02-03-2007, 06:41 PM	#13 (permalink)
Betowess Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (27) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Skagit County, Washington State Posts: 3,199	Whooo. Hope all survive. That is terrible news. Good luck with the new tank. __________________ Three Tanks...Eheim 2128 & XP3-90G, Eheim 2128-65G, Eheim 2232-25G.... Tek 4x54 watt T5-90G, Aqualight 96watt PC 65G low tech, 65 watt Aqualight-25G.... Hydors-90G & 65G ... Flourite in 90, 65, & 25 Gallons, .... Auto Water Change/Auto dosing on 90 & 65 gallon..... AGA member......

02-03-2007, 06:49 PM	#14 (permalink)
bharada Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (9) Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 2,581	Steve, so sorry that you have to live through our worst hobby nightmare. I hope that fish, house, and owner make it through this alright. Best of luck!

02-03-2007, 07:07 PM	#15 (permalink)
Betowess Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (27) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Skagit County, Washington State Posts: 3,199	One thought Steve. While you are gone, maybe your family could transfer the plants to another garbage can with some regular water from the house - the plants will be fine - to give the Discus more room in the main temporary can. __________________ Three Tanks...Eheim 2128 & XP3-90G, Eheim 2128-65G, Eheim 2232-25G.... Tek 4x54 watt T5-90G, Aqualight 96watt PC 65G low tech, 65 watt Aqualight-25G.... Hydors-90G & 65G ... Flourite in 90, 65, & 25 Gallons, .... Auto Water Change/Auto dosing on 90 & 65 gallon..... AGA member......

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