Carpet Wet!!!

you mentioned it being in a basement?

I suggest that you go around the perimeter of the room and check the juncture of the wall and slab very thoroughly. If there is a gap or joint between the slab and wall, it is possible that it is not your fish tank but moreso a spot where ground water or built up moisture leaches into the basement side of the house.

Often larger gaps / joints are deliberately put at this juncture to allow for some moisture to drain into in a worst case scenario. It is all part of how the foundation was designed and / or constructed to help handle water in wet seasons.

This can be somewhat common and then becomes very annoying in "finished" basement situations once carpet and paint and other finish treatments are installed.

It sounds like you have taken some proactive and responsible steps with the plastic sheets etc. Just take a bit of time and investigate the rest of the area though. Look for mildew / mold (black spotting) on the walls or slab, again paying attention to the juncture of the wall or slab. check the carpet in a few other spots too.

Does your basement have a sump pit?

And of course, take the advice of the others here and check your entire setup very thoroughly as well.

If you are leaking salt water for a while - there would be some very obvious stains and salt rings at the perimeter of the wet areas.

Id tell you to taste the carpet - but that is just too downright gross!

best of luck and keep us posted.

regards,
elizabeth

 

Be prepared that you may have to find a different place for the tank because if the ground is rotting around it, it might start to give way.
I've always put my tanks on ceramic tile. Carpet is not good for fish tanks unless you have no choice in a rental. It's a tough spot your in. Best of luck to you. I'll stay posted.

 

Do you have an ATO "Auto Top Off"??? My kept on getting his floor wet due to his ATO switch was getting stuck. Also, do you have a sump? I have seen skimmers leak & cause this as well...

What is your setup? Tank size, do you have a sump, where is your skimmer, is there a return pump, etc... Other than that we are just shooting into the dark.

 

First salt will NOT rot wood. On wood boats we used to pour pounds of salt into the bilge area & stringers when it was being stored out of the water for winter. Now, fresh water WILL rot wood. You mentioned this is in the basement. Have you gotten alot of rain or has the snow been melting?? I live in New England & weather is just like Canada. You may have a crack in your floor's foundation and the water table is rising & come up through the crack.

That is why most homes have a sump pump. My guess is this, you have a sub floor on the concrete, perhaps even foam sheet to insulate. There is a crack somewhere in a wall or floor & it may not even be near the tank. Water works it's way over time, rotting the wood & finally getting onto the carpet.

If it's wet enough, taste it. I bet you it's fresh water. If you have a sump pump adjust the float to pump, so that it will pump sooner.

 

Ok thanks for all the quick replies!
Like I said, I live in Canada so right now outside is full of snow. What I think may have happened is there may be a leak or somthing in the wall itself. My fish tank is basically sitting on concrete covered by maybe an inch of carpet with very thin foam underneith so I am not too worried about my tank giving weigh. What I am worried about is the possibility that the dry walls around the fish tank may have mold. I am 19 years old living in parents home so I cannot afford to ruin a whole wall to run my tank haha. Anyhow, the wall looks to be alright, it is just the pieces of wood that I am worried about. I also thought that it was weird for wood to rot in a 1 month perid with only percipitated water as a source of moisture. I will probably get a dehumidifier and see if it helps. Any advice as to whether I should replace the wood or not? They are just small strips. I actually don't even know what those are for.

Thanks again everyone!!

 

"carpet tack strips"....they are used to hold the carpet edge down at the perimeter of a room. Depending how much has deteriorated, you can replace it, i truly suspect this is a foundation / humidity / water table issue.

A dehumidifier is always a good idea in a basement - just remember to empty the collection container often.

also, please please please get your power cords away from damp areas and create drip loops if at all possible.

best of luck

 

oh dont worry, my setup changed quite a bit. A lot more spill protection. the powerbar is now mounted on the wall so there will be no worries about electrocuting me

 

+1 im always checking my carpet as its happened many of times to me

but hope you get your problem fixed