Leaking Tank | Cabinet Swollen & Locked Closed | Emergency!

[D34DLY]

Help!
 
My beautiful stand is getting damaged as we speak. The tank has leaked (about 100litres out of the 200litres) inside the cabinet. The only way for this water to get out is through the tiny cracks under the sliding doors in the cabinet.
 
Now my problem is, after having noticed a wet carpet in metres in all directions, the doors have swollen shut so tight, I have cut my finger trying to open them! I have cut the power. Any ideas on how to open the doors?!?
 
This set-up has cost me around £1,000!

 

[DrRob]

First response, empty the tank, put the fish somewhere safe, take the tank off. That'll remove a lot of the pressure from the cabinet which may now be holding the doors closed. Fish can go in another tank or into a storage container, the big clear plastic ones are good for this.
 
Then you can work out where the leak was and how to fix it, hopefully it's something simple like an external hose coming loose.

 

[D34DLY]

There's no fish in the tank. (Luckily)
 
The water has gotten into the doors, and shut them.
 
The tank is virtually unremovable due to its large size and weight.
 
I believe it may be the filter. Not the tank. As the tank has been running fine for awhile, until last night I decided to clean the filter.

 

[DrRob]

I'd still hatch a plan to get that tank emptied an moved. Partly as it takes the weight off the doors to help get them open, partly as, if the cabinet has been compromised, I'd be keen to get the weight off and assess it properly.

 

[D34DLY]

I'll need someone to help me lift it though. And that someone is at work until 6pm!
 
I'm emptying the tank as we speak.

Ah... The only tube I have in the entire house is inside the cabinet!!!!!!!!!!

 

[D34DLY]

I have taken the intake and outake pipes out of the water. Meaning the water is no longer syphoning to the bottom of the cabinet. I have faith that the tank isn't leaking.
 
The tank is unshiftable unless you can get a crane able to carry a tank full of water this size. Then the question is how you would maneuver around my box bedroom which is barely 7 metres by 7 metres. Then theres my bed... wardrobe. Giving you maybe a 1m by 4m path...

 

[Tim_UK]

you could probably open the doors by slipping a small screwdriver in and levering them open - a word of warning though if the majority of the cabinet has got soaking wet it wont be very strong now at all so those two shut doors might actually be doing some good in helping to support the tank and opening them might cause an even bigger disaster.
 
I would aim to empty it and remove any heavy decor too, then build a really quick wooden stand/support close to the existing tank so you wont have to move it far - if space is tight can you not just put your bed on its side or something. You will then be able to check your cabinet but if it is contiboard and has got very wet it won't be reusable.

 

[D34DLY]

Ok, so I have managed to disconnect the intake and outtake from inside the tank. I have also managed to empty the water down to 2cm.
 
I currently have 2 fans blowing on the doors. I will update you when something develops!
 
Right now I'm scrubbing the carpet with 5 towels.
 
(I have tried the screwdriver trick. I think they have not only expanded upwards at the bottom (thereby meaning the doors cannot slide) but also expanded outwards, (forcing them to move could potentially shred them to bits.)

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Aw man, this is one of my worst nightmares. Sorry you're having to deal with this and best of luck to get it sorted. May be worth renting one of those big fans they use the dry carpets out.

 

[D34DLY]

It's slowly hitting 11/12 hours.. and the doors are still clamped shut... Beginning to consider drilling into this beauty :'(

 

[BerryAttack]

with the amount of water that has spilled, i would say that you'll need to focus more on drying the carpet then opening the doors, if no more water is coming out focus on the floor. the last thing you need it to have mold starting, and the ceiling in the floor below showing water damage...
i would say wait until your friend helps you move the tank, opening the doors might collapse the stand and the tank afterwards... which would not be a good thing... all the best.

 

[D34DLY]

Ok, so its been a little of 24 hours I believe, and the doors are still tight. I scrubbed the carpet with all my might yesterday, went through 10 large towels, all ended up dripping with water.
 
I've woken up this morning to a very humid room, which in all honesty stinks awful.
 
There is a visible mark (and I have a black carpet?!) where the water has gone too.
 
Downstairs ceiling is showing no sign of water damage..yet.. 
 
The carpet no longer swamps up with water when you press down on it (bad - I know.), but instead just feels cold. 
 
Would turning on my radiators help? Or should I keep it all cool with the fan on the floor?

 

[DrRob]

You sir need a dehumidifier. Heat will help to get the water to evaporate, but you then need to remove said humid air. Fan on the floor is good, but the water won't evaporate into saturated air, get those windows open and get the air moving, plus it'll get rid of some of the smell.

 

[D34DLY]

Haha So the doors are STILL clamped shut...
 
Anyway, I've had the fan blasting the carpet. The smell is disappearing... So that's a good sign.. right?
 
The room isn't as humid, and was only humid due to me sleeping with the window closed last night.
 
When do you think I should give up and just cut the doors?

 

[DrRob]

When you've taken the tank off.
 
Not meaning to go on and that, just worried that the doors are now structural.