Post by FlamingKetchupX on Aug 14, 2003 14:29:15 GMT -5
Ok, I am living proof that BAD THINGS happen to good people (well, I got the whole "person" thing down. Not too sure about the whole "good" thing..) But, I will not let that get me down. In my case, if it weren't for bad luck, I would have no luck at all. So here I have listed a few very simple lessons to make sure "BAD THINGS!" happen to you!
Anyways, since a gazillion years ago (or last December) I've been "working on" a 30g tank.
My cousin donated it to me. The only apparent problem was a teeny, tiny crack in the seal. No problem. Three dollars later, I patched up that crack, and filled up the tank.
-"BAD THING" Lesson Number One-
If you are going for that bold "wet carpet" look, be sure to patch up aquarium sealer without looking up on HOW to do it. You'll get that daring, bold look that designers are raving about everywhere!
Ok, BIG MISTAKE! It probably didn't help that my mother is a totally neat freak, but only one load of towels later, the stink of wet carpet was barely detectable. I researched on some decent D.I.Y tips, and learned what I did wrong (like not scraping it completely off, only putting an inch of water in to make sure that it wouldn't leak, ect).
Well, it was January when I braved it again. The tank was temporarily placed on a desk in my basement where there is no carpeting. A safe playing field, right? Ok...
-"BAD THING" Lesson Number Two-
The following tip is best recreated in conditions where the average temperature stays at a steady zero degrees K. Michigan winters (and summers) are ideal for absolute zero temperatures.
Be sure to take no notice of the gap between the glass panels and the plastic base while you work on your brother's new college desk if you want the bring back the psychodelic "broken glass" look from the 70's on your office equipment.
This time, I only placed about three gallons of water and gave myself a pat on the back. While choking on the fumes from the applying the sealer a few days earlier, I opened a window (yes, in the basement. Don't ask questions) and ignored the tank for the next couple of days.
Instead of returning to a broken tank (which some may have speculated from the "BAD THINGS" tip from above) I found ice frozen in "cute little cracks" all over the desk (..! ACH!). With a little mayo 'n vinegar, all the watermarks disapeared, but not without a heck of a lot of frustration on my part.
-"BAD THINGS" Lesson Number Three-
Sometimes, even when the most tedious precautions are taken, there is someone up there who thinks that screwing with your head is hillarious.
It took me four months to brave it one last time. I went down to my last drop of sealent and tried to apply it to the best of my abilities with a broken nozzle that mysteriously appeared when I showed my older sister how to use it.
I even did a merry little jig when not only THREE gallons of water stayed in the tank, but THIRTY(!)!! Even with filteration, gravel, tank decorations, and fishies, did everything stay in place!!
.. NOW HERE IS WHEN I SWEAR THIS THING IS CURSED!
For the first time in my natural life, my parental unit decided to watch one of "my movies" with me (read: animé) so you can imagine my joy as I popped in a tape at 11:23 at night (I'm usually in bed by that time, lol, I'm such a trouble-maker!) and sat enthusiastically at the screen.
Ok, so my mom fell asleep immediately ("but Disney bought rights from Studio Gibli, mom! You'll LOVE this movie!") so I couldn't blame her for "this mysterious noise coming from the next room."
.. It sounded at first like a leaky sink, so I ignored it and continued in my recreational activities ("AW! Chihiro is so CUTE!") when the leaky foucet turned into the same noise a power filter makes when it's on, which is odd, because my mother hates this sound so I keep them all turned off at 10:00 at night. So my curiousity got the best of me, so I ventured into my "fishie room" and felt the all too familiar feel of "wet feet" and saw the tank water at 1/3 of what it was earlier that day(!).
It was a stroke of luck, that I had ONE extra tank (a med tank) left, but 10g isn't exactly efficiant for two fishies who fight over territory in a 50g.. >.< The problem is temporarily fixed (and by "fixed" I mean, the towels are in the drier right now, and I am using a freakin' quilting grid to seperate my africans).
And do you know what my cousing (the DEMON who left me that tank!) said..?
"You think you had it bad--?"
All I can say, it was a stroke of luck (HAH!) that I was actually awake at all when it happened. I can't imagine what would of happened if I woke the next morning to two little fishies dead. But, the fact of the matter is, I am not going to be leaping at the opportunity to "fix" a leaker tank ever again. Nope. Not me. It would take about sever shots in my frontal lobe to ever give me the brain damage required to ever willingly do that again. I'm sorry if this topic came a little off-topic to you, I just thought it would be interesting if you could share your "BAD" experiences.
Anyways, since a gazillion years ago (or last December) I've been "working on" a 30g tank.
My cousin donated it to me. The only apparent problem was a teeny, tiny crack in the seal. No problem. Three dollars later, I patched up that crack, and filled up the tank.
-"BAD THING" Lesson Number One-
If you are going for that bold "wet carpet" look, be sure to patch up aquarium sealer without looking up on HOW to do it. You'll get that daring, bold look that designers are raving about everywhere!
Ok, BIG MISTAKE! It probably didn't help that my mother is a totally neat freak, but only one load of towels later, the stink of wet carpet was barely detectable. I researched on some decent D.I.Y tips, and learned what I did wrong (like not scraping it completely off, only putting an inch of water in to make sure that it wouldn't leak, ect).
Well, it was January when I braved it again. The tank was temporarily placed on a desk in my basement where there is no carpeting. A safe playing field, right? Ok...
-"BAD THING" Lesson Number Two-
The following tip is best recreated in conditions where the average temperature stays at a steady zero degrees K. Michigan winters (and summers) are ideal for absolute zero temperatures.
Be sure to take no notice of the gap between the glass panels and the plastic base while you work on your brother's new college desk if you want the bring back the psychodelic "broken glass" look from the 70's on your office equipment.
This time, I only placed about three gallons of water and gave myself a pat on the back. While choking on the fumes from the applying the sealer a few days earlier, I opened a window (yes, in the basement. Don't ask questions) and ignored the tank for the next couple of days.
Instead of returning to a broken tank (which some may have speculated from the "BAD THINGS" tip from above) I found ice frozen in "cute little cracks" all over the desk (..! ACH!). With a little mayo 'n vinegar, all the watermarks disapeared, but not without a heck of a lot of frustration on my part.
-"BAD THINGS" Lesson Number Three-
Sometimes, even when the most tedious precautions are taken, there is someone up there who thinks that screwing with your head is hillarious.
It took me four months to brave it one last time. I went down to my last drop of sealent and tried to apply it to the best of my abilities with a broken nozzle that mysteriously appeared when I showed my older sister how to use it.
I even did a merry little jig when not only THREE gallons of water stayed in the tank, but THIRTY(!)!! Even with filteration, gravel, tank decorations, and fishies, did everything stay in place!!
.. NOW HERE IS WHEN I SWEAR THIS THING IS CURSED!
For the first time in my natural life, my parental unit decided to watch one of "my movies" with me (read: animé) so you can imagine my joy as I popped in a tape at 11:23 at night (I'm usually in bed by that time, lol, I'm such a trouble-maker!) and sat enthusiastically at the screen.
Ok, so my mom fell asleep immediately ("but Disney bought rights from Studio Gibli, mom! You'll LOVE this movie!") so I couldn't blame her for "this mysterious noise coming from the next room."
.. It sounded at first like a leaky sink, so I ignored it and continued in my recreational activities ("AW! Chihiro is so CUTE!") when the leaky foucet turned into the same noise a power filter makes when it's on, which is odd, because my mother hates this sound so I keep them all turned off at 10:00 at night. So my curiousity got the best of me, so I ventured into my "fishie room" and felt the all too familiar feel of "wet feet" and saw the tank water at 1/3 of what it was earlier that day(!).
It was a stroke of luck, that I had ONE extra tank (a med tank) left, but 10g isn't exactly efficiant for two fishies who fight over territory in a 50g.. >.< The problem is temporarily fixed (and by "fixed" I mean, the towels are in the drier right now, and I am using a freakin' quilting grid to seperate my africans).
And do you know what my cousing (the DEMON who left me that tank!) said..?
"You think you had it bad--?"
All I can say, it was a stroke of luck (HAH!) that I was actually awake at all when it happened. I can't imagine what would of happened if I woke the next morning to two little fishies dead. But, the fact of the matter is, I am not going to be leaping at the opportunity to "fix" a leaker tank ever again. Nope. Not me. It would take about sever shots in my frontal lobe to ever give me the brain damage required to ever willingly do that again. I'm sorry if this topic came a little off-topic to you, I just thought it would be interesting if you could share your "BAD" experiences.