What to do, what to do - I'm on the verge...

DaveDoles

DaveDoles

Can I have it like that?
Jul 8, 2005
23
0
1
San Francisco, CA
So, well over a month ago, I got a 10g from a friend of mine who lost interest and passion for the hobby. I've since cycled it, and decided to make it a female betta tank. The tank parameters are, well, I'm too downhearted to recall them. But they were all up to par at last check. This afternoon, I was well onto my sixth female to acclimate. The rest were affectionately cheering her on through the outside of the bag. I got her in successfully.

So here's the heartbreak: I patiently waited half an hour for the girls to get their bearings before I pop in a few tubiflex. Then I notice some water down on the bottom of the tank. You know, where the black framing is supposed to be sealed on the outside. I wait a few moments, then the water slowly comes up above the plastic framing...on the outside. I try to plug it with a towel, desperately hoping it subsides. But then it continues when I pulled the towel away.

I panicked. I froze. See, I waited so long- a month, in fact, to get fish in this tank. I avoided all shortcuts. Checked the intergrity of the tank. Filled the thing to the brim and waited for any leaks before I set it down in its place.

I'm at a loss.

So unfortunately, I had to put the girls in random bowls I could find around the house. It tore me up to take them out of their tank so soon after putting them in. I really should have thought of a back-up tank. I'm kicking myself.

What I'm trying to figure out is, I know I need another tank, but how long should I wait until I can put the girls in the new tank? I chucked all water except enough to cover the sand. The sand is about 2 inches thick, the tank's not leaking at the moment even with the small amount of water. Will the biological filter be alright for a day or two, until I can get a new tank running? Will the sand be fine?

I'm trying to keep myself from forcing the girls into a tank that's not ready, but I just want them to be in warm water.

I need a drink...

Dave
 
pop over to walmart and get a new 10g for $10 and just put the same gravel, filter, and decor in the new tank. you should be able to put it all back together immediately with few, if any, setbacks.

all you would need to do is get the new tank, dump the sand from the old tank in, the decor and everything else, put on the filter, fill it up with dechlorinated water, let it come up to temp with the heater, and add the fish back. bettas are VERY hardy and should be able to deal with any small fluctuations there may be.

the biofilter will stay alive so long as it is kept wet, but don't leave it without food for too long.
 
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Just set the tank up. Use the drops to remove the chloramine, have the water the same temp as the bowls, or close to it and put them in. You can cycle a tank with fish in it, you just have to be prepared to do daily, or even bi-daily water changes if necessary. And the cycling process probably takes a little longer.

I think everything is going to be just fine.
Good luck,
Mary.
 
And with Bettas, you get the added bonus they can breath air so inflmation to the gills from ammonia is greatly reduced. No way to know you'd need a back up tank, especially if it was cycled for a month without signs of leaking.
 
if you don't do the above suggestions and wind up sitting the sand and filter aside for a couple to a few days without runnning, you risk killing off everything you've cycled so hard for. The bio will not survive without working.
 
don't give up...you'll do fine, and your girls will too...

*hands Dave a drink* ;)
 
You can buy aquarium sealant at hardware stores, pet stores, and walmart. I have used it before to patch small leaks and had great results that lasted years. It has to cure 24 hours, maybe 48, before you add water back. Next time something like this happens you could siphon your water and scoop sand into a plastic storage containter and run your filter in it, or at least an air pump until you rememdy the problem. that way you still have your water and your filter is good.
 
okay, so I set up the new tank this morning. dumped the sand and dechlorinated water, started the filter back up, and the heater. only thing though, the water got all murky cuz of the transfer of sand since it was still wet. fast forward to right now, just got home from work, the water is still murky, as bad as it was when i first started it this morning. i was hoping to put the girls in tonight, but i guess it'll have to wait till the morning. sucks.

dave
 
As mentioned before, you can re-seal the old tank with silicon, and keep it in storage for a backup :thm:
 
alright, kyazh, sounds good. i didn't throw it out just yet. do all sealants work or what? in terms of quality, would it matter?
 
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