aquarium about to fall apart help
- Thread starter Wisehart
- Start date
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pegasus
Well-Known Member
Ouch! That's not good. It's definitely a sign that there is a lot of stress on the front glass, and the back as well. Not sure how to cure it, but a set of pony pipe clamps could divert disaster until a permanent fix can be applied. These can be found at most building supply stores, and you can have them cut the proper sized pipe to the length you need... which would be a little more than the depth of the tank.
Wisehart
Member
I acquired some of the wood clamps, used for wood gluing and brought it back in to original specs. I will be building a metal brace for the center of the tank and leave it permanently. Hopefully that along with fiberglass and fiberglass resin it will hold for a year, or until I come up with the money for a acrylic tank. Thank you for the help.
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pegasus
Well-Known Member
Someone's got skills... lol! Yeah, that should work. 
Once you get it glassed up and it's fully cured, I'd back the clamps off just a little and let it set a few days to make sure the fiberglass is sticking good to the plastic. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. Depends on the type of plastic...
Once you get it glassed up and it's fully cured, I'd back the clamps off just a little and let it set a few days to make sure the fiberglass is sticking good to the plastic. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. Depends on the type of plastic...
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flower
Well-Known Member
Sorry, but that tank is no longer safe, the tank bowed out to cause the brace to snap...time for a new tank ASAP! It isn't just the brace under duress, the whole thing is held together by silicone on the edges, the brace is just a help to hold it steady. The tank has been compromised, and should in no way be trusted for anything but a lizard or snake habitat, no water.
pegasus
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't call a cracked brace the end of the world. As far as I know, silicone if quite flexible, as is glass to a certain degree...
As long as the seams are intact, which they apparently are or it would be leaking, it should be fine. Even leaking seams can be repaired. I'm fairly confident if the tank was compromised to the point it needed to be replaced, he'd be looking for a Shop-Vac and a mop. Just saying...
As long as the seams are intact, which they apparently are or it would be leaking, it should be fine. Even leaking seams can be repaired. I'm fairly confident if the tank was compromised to the point it needed to be replaced, he'd be looking for a Shop-Vac and a mop. Just saying...
Wisehart
Member
All of the seams look great. I've been cautiously inspecting the tank since I noticed this. I have a 50 gallon I can put them in if anything is to happen. I will try fiberglass and this metal brace first before tossing away this aquarium. I can not just afford to go out and get another tank at the moment. Thank you for your concerns
pegasus
Well-Known Member
Flat pane tanks over 3' long have a lot of pressure in the center of the glass, and that's why they install braces... to keep the front and back glass from bowing out and bursting the seams. The shape of the front glass on bowfront tanks adds additional pressure in the center. Since the glass is bowed, it has more surface area than the back glass. The longer the glass, the more pressure it has to withstand. That's most likely why the brace cracked in the front and not the back, even though the strain on the brace should have been equal at both ends. Fortunately, there was enough strength on the inside of the glass to stop the bowing before the glass broke or the silicone turned loose on the ends. As glass bows, the inner part of the glass compress, and the outer part stretches. Something as simple as a tiny chip at the top of the glass would have resulted in disaster. Glass is actually very strong, but a "cleavage line" cut across it makes it extremely easy to break. Those that have cut glass know what I'm talking about. A tiny chip is a cleavage point on glass, so either there was enough silicone to keep the glass from stretching at the edge, or you have one smooth-edged glass. Eventually, as the molecules in the glass started moving again (yeah, it happens under heat and/or stress), something would have given.No matter what the circumstances are, or were, I'm just glad you were able to catch it in time. I can't image too many things much worse than coming home to find the contents of my tank lying on the floor...
Wisehart
Member
When I started this tank the wife and kids paid no attention to it. My wife just thought I was tossing money out of the window. I've wanted to do this for years but I didn't want to start one until I bought a house so I knew I wouldn't move them from place to place. Anyhow now the wife and kids all live the aquarium and go with me anytime I buy something for it. We would all be devastated if something happened to our aquarium. I was already freaking out about it and I to am glad I caught it early. I am fully confident that this has fixed the problem and the fiberglass should further protect it. Thank you for the help, wisdom, and concern.
pegasus
Well-Known Member
Lol... I know how it is. My wife was the same way. She used to fuss about spending money on it, but she eventually came around... once it started taking shape. A few years, and several $$$ later, she doesn't mind when I buy a new fish or coral. In fact, she's usually the one that mentions we need something new in the tank(s). Gotta love her...
PS: You're most welcome, and if there's anything else you need help with, don't hesitate to ask!
flower
Well-Known Member
I have seen braces pop... And I agree it usually isn't that big a deal, but I never seen one that separated, maybe it's an optical illusion that it's spread apart that far...looks like 3 to 4 inches. LOL...But now I re-read the original post, and I see he said 5/8 ....Acrylic tanks are plastic, and we keep the water in a reef warm, I think that contributes to the tanks bowing out and breaking the brace. 3 to 4 inches however is a big split caused by some major bowing out....5/8 of an inch...not so bad.I wouldn't call a cracked brace the end of the world. As far as I know, silicone if quite flexible, as is glass to a certain degree...
As long as the seams are intact, which they apparently are or it would be leaking, it should be fine. Even leaking seams can be repaired. I'm fairly confident if the tank was compromised to the point it needed to be replaced, he'd be looking for a Shop-Vac and a mop. Just saying...
The brace created will hold for sure, but I'm not so sure a metal brace is the way to go, I always read that metal and saltwater don't mix well. Is there any danger of the condensation that will get on the brace made of metal creating a problem for the water, or is it just that metal corrodes and isn't used for that reason? There are an awful lot of sunken ships made of metal in the ocean....
pegasus
Well-Known Member
There's my flower girl... lol!!! Yeah, when I first looked at the picture, I thought it was a really bad break... until I read the post. I have to measure stuff all the time, and when I saw 5/8", I realized it wasn't as bad as it appeared. I couldn't help but wonder if we were reading the same post, as it's a fairly large tank, so it probably could have withstood a good bit more separation before becoming compromised. He caught it, you caught it, so it's all good.
No, steel (and iron) and salt water don't play well together... a highly corrosive combination. If rust were to form and fall in the tank, the main effect would be an increase in iron... and it would take a lot of rust for it to become a real issue. You're correct, there are a lot of sunken ships in the ocean, and a lot of times old ships are intentionally sank to help create new reefs. Corals use iron, so the amount released by the rusting ships can't be too much for them, according to how quickly they become populated. As long as the brace has a good coat of paint, there should be no rust. He'll just have to keep an eye on it, because it will inevitably get wet, and the saltwater will eventually work it's way through the paint. That could take a long, long time depending on the paint used. I think paint flaking off would be more of an issue than rust... but I'm not a chemist... lol!
No, steel (and iron) and salt water don't play well together... a highly corrosive combination. If rust were to form and fall in the tank, the main effect would be an increase in iron... and it would take a lot of rust for it to become a real issue. You're correct, there are a lot of sunken ships in the ocean, and a lot of times old ships are intentionally sank to help create new reefs. Corals use iron, so the amount released by the rusting ships can't be too much for them, according to how quickly they become populated. As long as the brace has a good coat of paint, there should be no rust. He'll just have to keep an eye on it, because it will inevitably get wet, and the saltwater will eventually work it's way through the paint. That could take a long, long time depending on the paint used. I think paint flaking off would be more of an issue than rust... but I'm not a chemist... lol!
lmforbis
Well-Known Member
I am and I doubt fully cured paint flake or two would be an issue. As long as it didn't have any anti mold additives. Hopefully the paint lasts till he can get a new tank. I've dropped more things than I want to admit into my tank in the last few months, including some paint chips and drywall dust.
Wisehart
Member
I did primer the brace and paint it. I will keep my eye on the brace and tank until I buy the acrylic tank I really want. I watched a video on taking the plastic off and installing a glass brace. The guy said something about it being euro. Looks nice and I'd love to try it but I don't want to empty out this aquarium at this time. I may try it after I buy a new aquarium. Wish I had access to a aluminum welder that would be nice. Thanks everyone
pegasus
Well-Known Member
Euro bracing is clean looking, and quite strong. Naturally, to do it properly, you'll have to brace the entire top of the tank. You'll need an experienced glass cutter to cut the curved piece for the front, but it shouldn't be hard to find one of those. I think it'll be cheaper than buying a new tank, and you do have a 50 that you could keep everything in until it's finished. Unless, of course, you want a bigger tank... lol!