Sump cracked

[mchabot]

I have a 20 gallon long that I just got setup as a sump today. I was sitting in the living room watching the game and I heard a pop. There is now a crack running from the bottom to the top on one side of the tank. Can this be repaired? I'm about to quit this hobby, its so frustrating to spend a whole day setting this thing up and now have to spend hours tearing it down. Will the live sand live in a bucket for a while if I use a spare heater? Any suggestions anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated.

 

[coraljunky]

I'm not sure if it can be repaired. As a back-up, use any container or bucket as a sump for now. Plumb the return directly into and set the pump inside the container/bucket.

 

[mchabot]

The tank can't be saved, I just got it emptied and its cracked all the way through. The glass on either side of the crack is actually misaligned. I have the live sand and my chaeto in a bucket with my sump light right now. No heater, I think the bacteria in the live sand will survive at room temperature. Guess I'm in the market for a new 20 gallon long. I have a 18 gallon rubbermaid I'll substitute for now.

 

[scsinet]

What kind of surface did you set the tank on? Was it solid, level, and flat?
Lucky for you 20L tanks are pretty cheap.

 

[tarball]

What caused the tank to crack?

 

[mchabot]

It was on carpet that was level and deep. The only thing I can think of that made it crack is a imperfection in the glass from the start or I put a baffle in too tight. I trimmed them so that they fit in easily by hand but maybe I created a pressure point with that. I'm going to buy some of that insulating foam from home depot for the next one.

 

[scsinet]

I'd be more inclined to blame the carpet... setting tanks down directly on carpet is risky. Glass tanks are designed to be supported around their plastic bezel bottoms, and carpet puts pressure up onto the glass. That may have caused it.
Of course it could be be baffles too... without seeing it I couldn't begin to make a truly educated guess.
Still, you may consider cutting piece of 3/4" ply to sit between it and the carpet next time.

 

[ameno]

Had the same thing happen on a 30 gal. one time, I had the baffles a bit too snug and after a few months I came home to about 25 gal. of water on the floor, now I make sure the baffles go in with no pressure on the sides.

 

[mchabot]

This may sound like a rookie question (because it is) but what kinds of water parameters will bacteria in live sand survive in. Right now my live sand is in a bucket with a heater but the salinity is low 1.020 (probably because I was adding RO water to the sump when I noticed the crack and it didn't have time to mix).
Matt

 

[ketill]

Is a "baffle" the same thing as what is called a " bulkhead"
?

 

[big]

Originally Posted by Ketill
Is a "baffle" the same thing as what is called a " bulkhead"
?

Not at all A bulkhead is what goes threw the side of a tank to use as a drain or other uses like an overflow. A baffle is a divider to separate different area within something like a sump

 

[big]

Originally Posted by mchabot
This may sound like a rookie question (because it is) but what kinds of water parameters will bacteria in live sand survive in. Right now my live sand is in a bucket with a heater but the salinity is low 1.020 (probably because I was adding RO water to the sump when I noticed the crack and it didn't have time to mix).
Matt

Matt, we all started with rookie questions NP, that is how we learn. Although that is a low salt content, the little critters will do OK in that. It may be a bit too low for normal inverts but the bacterias are hardier. Just do be carefull that there is not a die-off. Smell will often tell your nose as well as anything if it is still OK

 

[mchabot]

Well my girlfriend just made fun of me but I smelled the bucket and it smells like normal salt water. I'll continue to monitor but it seems I'm ok. Still working on a replacement sump, anyone know where to get a deal on a 20 gallon long or a 29 gallon?