well i wanted to upgrade my 55gal. tank for awhile now. well i have no choice now. went out of town yesterday and got a call from my stepson. my tank was almost empty! it was leaking out of a corner. luckily nathan was able to save my 6 sunnies and most of my plants. i don't know what happened . never heard of a tank failing like that. is there a way to repair a tank ? i found a used 75 gal. in the swap, buy, sell guide for $100. im going to get it tonight but it doesn't have a stand. im going to have to build one as i can't afford to buy one right now. they don't give them away thats for sure! 1st. day of my wifes vacation and we spent it mopping up water off her new floating floor! sorry for the ranting. had to vent a little.
55gal. disaster!
Started by
Guest_jacksmelt_*
, Aug 29 2013 08:58 AM
12 replies to this topic
#2
Michael Wolfe
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Posted 29 August 2013 - 09:50 AM
mopping is no fun... but a tank upgrade and a stand building project sounds like lots of fun.
Look around here, I think some others have shared their stand plans... and please take pictures as you go and share yours!
Look around here, I think some others have shared their stand plans... and please take pictures as you go and share yours!
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#3
Guest_Irate Mormon_*
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Posted 29 August 2013 - 09:52 AM
Tanks can be resealed - it will cost you about $10 and a couple of hours of your time.
As for why tanks fail: I tend to blame the stand before pointing a finger at the manufacturer. The tank does not have to be 100% level, but when empty it cannot rock on the stand , not even a little bit. A lot of people will go ahead and fill the tank up when it rocks a little bit, and as it settles down it doesn't rock any more. What this does is transfer uneven stress to the seams and the structure of the tank, increasing the likelihood of catastrophic failure. Instances where one of the glass panels (typically the front) fails are almost ALWAYS the result of uneven support. Also, you should level your stand from the bottom of the stand rather than placing shims under the high corner(s) of the aquarium. Some people place a sheet of styrofoam underneath the tank - this seems to work too. Note that if your stand is on carpet or a wooden (as opposed to concrete) floor, it may settle unevenly over time, so the styrofoam makes sense as a precautionary measure.
If you decide to tackle the resealing job I can walk you through it.
As for why tanks fail: I tend to blame the stand before pointing a finger at the manufacturer. The tank does not have to be 100% level, but when empty it cannot rock on the stand , not even a little bit. A lot of people will go ahead and fill the tank up when it rocks a little bit, and as it settles down it doesn't rock any more. What this does is transfer uneven stress to the seams and the structure of the tank, increasing the likelihood of catastrophic failure. Instances where one of the glass panels (typically the front) fails are almost ALWAYS the result of uneven support. Also, you should level your stand from the bottom of the stand rather than placing shims under the high corner(s) of the aquarium. Some people place a sheet of styrofoam underneath the tank - this seems to work too. Note that if your stand is on carpet or a wooden (as opposed to concrete) floor, it may settle unevenly over time, so the styrofoam makes sense as a precautionary measure.
If you decide to tackle the resealing job I can walk you through it.
#4
Guest_gerald_*
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Posted 29 August 2013 - 10:18 AM
Exactly - it's the twisting stress caused by uneven support (all four corners not in a plane) that causes most leaks or cracks. I use styro under tanks to even out small irregularities in the stand, but styro will NOT correct the twisting stress caused by one corner of the stand being too high or low relative to the other 3. After resealing (or replacing) the tank and shimming up the stand, put about 2 inches of water in it and then push/pull up and down on each corner to see if there's any rocking free-play.
Tanks can be resealed - it will cost you about $10 and a couple of hours of your time.
As for why tanks fail: I tend to blame the stand before pointing a finger at the manufacturer. The tank does not have to be 100% level, but when empty it cannot rock on the stand , not even a little bit. A lot of people will go ahead and fill the tank up when it rocks a little bit, and as it settles down it doesn't rock any more. What this does is transfer uneven stress to the seams and the structure of the tank, increasing the likelihood of catastrophic failure. Instances where one of the glass panels (typically the front) fails are almost ALWAYS the result of uneven support. Also, you should level your stand from the bottom of the stand rather than placing shims under the high corner(s) of the aquarium. Some people place a sheet of styrofoam underneath the tank - this seems to work too. Note that if your stand is on carpet or a wooden (as opposed to concrete) floor, it may settle unevenly over time, so the styrofoam makes sense as a precautionary measure.
If you decide to tackle the resealing job I can walk you through it.
#5
mattknepley
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Posted 29 August 2013 - 03:01 PM
I feel your pain! We were all set to go out of town for a camping trip when our dinosaur 40g hex failed at the bottom. Fortunately it wasn't catostrophic and we had time to relocate all the inhabitants into another tank. I think this one just got old, it's at least 14 years old, but has a custom stand that came with it, and it sat rock solid on it. We'll be doing the "silicon shuffle" soon, too. 
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."
#6
Guest_jacksmelt_*
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Posted 29 August 2013 - 05:58 PM
it was on a metal stand from petco. i cut a piece of plywood the size a little bigger all the way around than the tank then centered the tank on the plywood. checked it both ways and it was level. this tank was 25yrs. old when i got it so i think the silicone was pretty weak already. the plastic corners had cracks in them also but i thought i was ok. wrong! im just going to go w/ this 75gal. i think the ol' 55 has done its time. too bad as the glass is still perfect on it. insurance is going to cover the floor damage and pay for a new tank replacement as well as replace my pumps and filter system that shorted out so im going to come out on top anyway. luckily i have my 70gal. old freezer, minnow tank still running from last winter to keep my sunnies. I've got plenty of time to get my new tank prepped for them. thanks for the info guys. im definitely going to put styrofoam under this time.
#7
Guest_jacksmelt_*
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Posted 30 August 2013 - 07:15 PM
well i got my 75gal. its only 2in. wider than my 55gal. so im going to use the same stand i had the 55 on and reinforce the back with 2 by 4's to make the stand wider. im going to cut another piece of plywood to cover the whole top and connect the whole frame together. going to brace the wood frame on the corners w/ triangle pieces of plywood to give it lateral strength. this should compensate for the extra 140lbs. of water in a 75gal. and the wood will be in the back so it won't be visible from the front. do you guys think this will work? sure beats building a whole stand from scratch.
#8
Guest_Skipjack_*
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Posted 30 August 2013 - 07:26 PM
Probably will be fine, but as mentioned before STYROFOAM! I have never filled a tank bigger than 30 gallons without foam underneath it. As the water weighs it down, it settles into the foam, and compensates for any irregularities.
#9
Guest_jacksmelt_*
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Posted 30 August 2013 - 08:24 PM
im assuming you're talking about 1in. blue board right?
#10
Guest_Skipjack_*
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Posted 30 August 2013 - 08:44 PM
That is what I have used mostly, but have also used 3/4" standard styrofoam. Honestly I believe the standard styro probably is more effective, as is is somewhat softer, and will allow for more settling. It is just not as clean, durable, or waterproof.
#11
Guest_Irate Mormon_*
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Posted 30 August 2013 - 11:26 PM
And hey - save the glass from that 55 - you will need it someday.
#12
Guest_AussiePeter_*
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Posted 11 September 2013 - 04:40 AM
im going to cut another piece of plywood to cover the whole top and connect the whole frame together.
What happens when plywood gets wet? Maybe an occasional bit of dampness won't matter, but those type of woods do like to swell if water sits on them.
You actually don't need anything under most of the aquarium. I usually have it sitting on something that goes all the way around the edge with one or two cross members. Although a 75 is getting up there a bit.
I've always been amazed at how flimsy many aquarium stands look and feel, yet the seem to hold which astounds me a little bit!
Painted cinder blocks can actually look nice for making a stand out of. Just make sure you spray them with at least 3-4 coats or else the finish will look uneven. I then lay 2 inch boards across the top, polystyrene and you are good to go.
Cheers
Peter
#13
Guest_jacksmelt_*
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Posted 13 September 2013 - 07:58 PM
ill be coating the plywood with exterior paint and use the styrofoam to make up for any warpage. the cinder blocks are a good option but as im living in a 32 year old trailer, anymore weight added to the floor probably isn't a good idea.What happens when plywood gets wet? Maybe an occasional bit of dampness won't matter, but those type of woods do like to swell if water sits on them.
You actually don't need anything under most of the aquarium. I usually have it sitting on something that goes all the way around the edge with one or two cross members. Although a 75 is getting up there a bit.
I've always been amazed at how flimsy many aquarium stands look and feel, yet the seem to hold which astounds me a little bit!
Painted cinder blocks can actually look nice for making a stand out of. Just make sure you spray them with at least 3-4 coats or else the finish will look uneven. I then lay 2 inch boards across the top, polystyrene and you are good to go.
Cheers
Peter
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