Jenna, I kept a 155g in my living room for 2 years on exposed fir floors and against the wall. When I removed the tank, the floors and wall only needed a good cleaning and you couldn't tell there was a tank there. And I got lots of water all over the place.

Well it looks, to me, like you're going for an "all in one" type tank, which is good. My big tank has a sump and most of my issues have been with sump overflows due to my incredible stupidity and need to tweak things at 11pm just before bed :razz:

For example, I adjust the skimmer just a bit, then it overflows everywhere because I'm sleeping and not around the tank. Or not taking the filter sock off the sump inflow quickly enough and water overflows the top of it and down the side of the sump (it used to clog after about a day and a half plus I had a crappy sump design). It wasn't a major problem, and didn't cause any damage, it was just a pain in the butt to clean up.

I have a 5 gallon nano as well (no sump) and I haven't had any problems with it (water wise) and its been running for a year.

Well, we have been in this hobby for about three years. During the second year, our 150 gallon aquarium blew a seam. Heavy water was falling out of the bottom, and luckily my significant other was home so started a siphon off the top and saved the fish as well.

We have the tank on tile so no major damage was done. But it got me to thinking - if nobody had been home and the whole thing emptied onto the floor - our house very well could have been condemned.

Freshwater system so no sump was involved. I think it is the luck of the draw in this hobby. The aquarium that blew was not even two years old yet!

I just keep towels handy like everyone else. My sump is plumbed through the wall into my furnace room, I am a little concerned about the long term effects of salt water so close to the furnace and water tanks and so forth, but I have seen no problems yet. I do like it though as it makes water changes a breeze, old water gets pumped out of the sump down the floor drain, new water gets pumped from a rubbermaid garbage pail into the sump.

My worst experience with a mess was with my very first salt water tank, I set up a 10G and it was running for about a week, fortunatley I was at home and in the bedroom when I heard a "crack" the tank split down the middle and water started gushing out.. I grabbed the thing and hauled it water and all into the ensuite bathroom bathtub, I was lucky to only lose a couple gallons onto the floor.

Like has been said, if you have a tank ful of water, it will get on the floor at some point.

So tanks can actually just "crack in the middle" for no reason? Arrgggghhhhh!
Jenna

Yup :) I keep a wet/dry vacuum handy, just for those days...

You just can't plan for every eventuality, who knows what's going to happen. Small spills can be cleaned up pretty easily with towels, mops, vacums etc, large spills are a different story. If any of my tanks were to burst and dump thier entire contents on the ground I'd simply call my insurance company.

What I do when I spill water is break out the Bissel Carpet Cleaner. Works like a charm. The only permenant damage I have recieved is from my filing cabinet. Some salt water got underneath it and I forgot to move it. It rusted and left a stain on the carpet. As long as I never move my files it will never be seen! :-)

The worst I have had is to sand and paint the wall and that was because of my neglect. The problem was from a very fine mist from splashing, like from HOB (hang on back) filters and sumps. The mist contains salt and over time can ruin the paint and/or drywall. I'm sure if I would have wiped the wall off every 2 or 3 weeks with a warm damp cloth I would have had no problems at all. The floor can be a different story where a lot more water could accumulate causing more damage.

I would have no worries with a self contained nano cube or something similar before you get into sumps and external skimmers, it's probly the best place to start. It will give you some time to read more and ask more questions. You have been asking great questions by the way. I wish I had done some research first, it would have saved me lots of time, money and frustration.

As far as glass breaking and silicone seams letting go. I believe that most nano setups are acrylic and any risk of failure would be extremely minimal.

Is there anything easy or cheap about having a sw tank? Don't answer, I already know... ahhhh
Jenna

it can be easy or cheap, not both :) (not really true, but sounded good)