View Full Version : For people in the California area, what do you do in an earthquake?
NJ Devils Fan
03-14-2003, 2:45 PM
I have been thinking about this for a very long time. If there is an earthquake, what do you do with the fish tank? I mean, does it usually break when there is one? Do you have to position them a certain way?
Here's the advice I got when I asked:
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6775
blitzen25bm
03-15-2003, 4:29 AM
haaven't had a real big one since i started up tanks again. but i remember when i was 5 or so and you know how at school they tell us to go under deskes well i ran under the aquarium stand. i mean it shakes butt hey dont last too long so ou dont really get rocking like on a boat. but thats why our new 180 is acrylic. hope the stand can hold it up if it wants to shift though. -john. oh and at stores they sell earthquake glue and stuff and our bigscreen tv is bolted to the floor under the carpet.
TrashmanTodd
03-15-2003, 7:25 PM
Hey All,
I remember this one time about 10 years ago. I live in the Bay Area, we had this one quake that was pretty big. I was able to keep it from falling over, but the water still splashed up to the ceeling. Luckly I didn't loose anybody.:D
Todd
karfixer
03-15-2003, 8:12 PM
I've thought about this, and what I am planning is to build a stand that has several inches of room around the tank and a raised lip of a couple of inches. This way the tank is much less likely to fall off the top, as well as giving the whole thing a larger footprint for better stability. I will be using straps to help keep the stand from walking away from the wall(s). My biggest concern is an extended power outage that would cause problems with filteration and more importantly-heating. A couple of weeks ago the condo complex that I live in had a power outage for 3 hours in the evening. One of my heaters failed and killed one of my new Giant Dainos :( they are hooked up to surge protectors and a UPS! The place I was living @ during the Northridge 'quake in '94 had a very large tank that moved around but didn't fall off of the entertainment center it was mounted on- this was solid wood about 7 ft long 3 ft wide and 3 ft tall. The tank was probably 5'x2'x2'...This wasn't my tank, but held up just fine.
irishspy
03-20-2003, 10:16 AM
Originally posted by NJ Devils Fan
I have been thinking about this for a very long time. If there is an earthquake, what do you do with the fish tank? I mean, does it usually break when there is one? Do you have to position them a certain way?
During the Northridge earthquake of 1994, a friend's 50 gallon was hurled from its stand to the middle of the living room, where it went through a glass-topped coffee table and shattered. There were only two small fish in the tank at the time, but the mess overall was incredible.
--Anthony
nvision
03-21-2003, 1:52 AM
back in 1989 with the 7.1 quake, i was in a 3rd floor apt with a 55g glass tank in the living room. i guess the tank was well covered because it hadn't spilled a drop. guess we lucked out. also, having a very sturdy stand would definately make it safer.
i can't imagine dat being a good idea... imagine if the stand gives way, ouch.
Originally posted by blitzen25bm
well i ran under the aquarium stand.
RENEGADE
03-21-2003, 12:06 PM
i live in northridge and one of my friends had a 55g i think, it broke and cut her pretty bad(it was glass)in '94. but normely we here in earthquake central put all are stuff on the floor when a quake happens so it doesn't fall during a aftershock