Reply With QuoteFirstly, found a piece of glass, same width, longer than than the cracked portion. Next, apply silicone sealant (aquarium safe type) on top of the center brace, join that piece of glass with center brace.
6ft Tank center brace cracked!!!!
I woke up this morning and found a small block of glass at the bottom of my tank. I saw that my center crossbrace was cracked in the middle.
There goes my 6ft X 2.5ft X 3ft which I bought 2nd hand. Lasted only 3 months...sigh.
I contacted David from QWS who made the tank and he told me I'm screwed basically but he'll come down to have a look anyway.
Now I have to transfer my 12" RTG to a 3ft tank for the moment till I can afford another tank or something. Unless someone can come out with a miracle idea. Sigh.........
Firstly, found a piece of glass, same width, longer than than the cracked portion. Next, apply silicone sealant (aquarium safe type) on top of the center brace, join that piece of glass with center brace.
Wow! You should be glad that your tank didn't burst due to the water pressure.Originally Posted by sithspawn
Hope you already removed all or most of the water in the tank.
Repair it as what nys has mentioned... should work and you can salvage your 6 ft tank
~| MakE ThE BesT oF EverythinG ThaT LifE BringS TheiR WaY! |~
I think with such a big tank, is better to replace the tank if possible or at least replace the center brace.
David is gonna have a look at it this week but a replacement bare alone cost $1800 for that dimensions!
Just wondering is euro brace more expensive than center brace? Is your tank 12mm glass? I am thinking of getting a tank that size.
Can check with him and let me know?
It is unwise to replace a tank for so much $$$ if can salvage the existing tank for just a few red note.
Fyi, silicone sealant ~$5. Glass brace for $x.
Perhaps, total cost may <$10.
Last edited by nys; 3rd Sep 2007 at 12:05.
If this was a 3ft tank I would have confidence to do it but this one crack with 3 twisted lines from what I see and plus the fact it has to hold back 1.2 tons of water pressure.....I will post a pic if I can get hold of a digital camera....It is unwise to replace a tank for so much $$$ if can salvage the existing tank for just a few red note.
Fyi, silicone sealant ~$5. Glass brace for $x.
Perhaps, total cost may <$10.
see what david has to say 1st
if diagnosis no good then even though its gonna be a significant sum of $$$
i would still rather be safe and replace it
1200+ litres of glass, water, soil, rocks, wood, plants and fish bursting out is no joke
the thought of it possibly happening.............
Baton courtesy.....service with a smile!
I would disagree with this reply. Since the center brace has broke, the other part of the tank assembly are currently holding the pressure and may have expanded by a few millimeter. If you use a new center brace and apply silicone, what you are doing now is applying a glass portion to an already expanded container of water, which will not do the job the original brace had done. If you had taken this route, then the tank would have expanded by a few millimeter and if you are unlucky, it will leak at another part of the tank assembly, where the silicone is at it's weakest.It is unwise to replace a tank for so much $$$ if can salvage the existing tank for just a few red note.
Fyi, silicone sealant ~$5. Glass brace for $x.
Perhaps, total cost may <$10.
That center brace has a dual purpose, to act as a brace to prevent the tank from expanding width wise and as a indicator. If it broke, it means that the force is greater than what it is accomodating. The fact that it broke and not the silicone peeling off showed that the silicone used is of a good quality.
My recommendation is to remove 1/3 of the water volume of the tank right now as a precaution and safety. This will help in lessening the pressure of the water acting on the remainder part of the tank. Of course if you could remove more water, it would be better. For your next tank, add eurobracing and a center brace too. If you are going for the same size tank, ask for a thicker eurobracing and center brace.
If you've learnt, teach, if you have, give.
Don't walk behind me as I might not lead, don't walk in front of me as I might not follow. Walk beside me, as my friend.
Mohamad Rohaizal is my name. If it's too hard, use BFG. I don't mind.
I would disagree with this reply. Since the center brace has broke, the other part of the tank assembly are currently holding the pressure and may have expanded by a few millimeter. If you use a new center brace and apply silicone, what you are doing now is applying a glass portion to an already expanded container of water, which will not do the job the original brace had done. If you had taken this route, then the tank would have expanded by a few millimeter and if you are unlucky, it will leak at another part of the tank assembly, where the silicone is at it's weakest.
Sound logical. On the other hand, glass doesn't flex if I'm not wrong. So, where are the likely parts that might expanded?Another possibility for the center brace to crack was due to limited space for expansion/ contraction.
That center brace has a dual purpose, to act as a brace to prevent the tank from expanding width wise and as a indicator. If it broke, it means that the force is greater than what it is accomodating. The fact that it broke and not the silicone peeling off showed that the silicone used is of a good quality.
Strongly agreed.
My recommendation is to remove 1/3 of the water volume of the tank right now as a precaution and safety. This will help in lessening the pressure of the water acting on the remainder part of the tank. Of course if you could remove more water, it would be better. For your next tank, add eurobracing and a center brace too. If you are going for the same size tank, ask for a thicker eurobracing and center brace.
Since the aro is at the other tank, better emptied the tank than later flooded the house if so "lucky".
Baton courtesy.....service with a smile!
nys, the other likely part that are expanded are the silicone. We do not know if the silicone used in that particular tank are applied evenly or not. Sometime during the application of silicone, there might be bubble formed in the silicone itself. Before the brace broke, the silicone may be in constant pressure but since the brace broke, there might be a sudden extra pressure at certain place of the tank that MIGHT have stretched the silicone a little bit. Now if the silicone had bubble formed during the application stage, this part would gave way as it's surface gripping area had diminished because of the bubble being formed in the silicone.
If you've learnt, teach, if you have, give.
Don't walk behind me as I might not lead, don't walk in front of me as I might not follow. Walk beside me, as my friend.
Mohamad Rohaizal is my name. If it's too hard, use BFG. I don't mind.
There are things that shouldn't be bought 2nd hand imo....
Regards,
Peter Gwee
Plant Physiology by Taiz and Zeiger
I would disagree with this reply. Since the center brace has broke, the other part of the tank assembly are currently holding the pressure and may have expanded by a few millimeter. If you use a new center brace and apply silicone, what you are doing now is applying a glass portion to an already expanded container of water, which will not do the job the original brace had done. If you had taken this route, then the tank would have expanded by a few millimeter and if you are unlucky, it will leak at another part of the tank assembly, where the silicone is at it's weakest.
Sound logical. On the other hand, glass doesn't flex if I'm not wrong. So, where are the likely parts that might expanded?
That center brace has a dual purpose, to act as a brace to prevent the tank from expanding width wise and as a indicator. If it broke, it means that the force is greater than what it is accomodating. The fact that it broke and not the silicone peeling off showed that the silicone used is of a good quality.
Strongly agreed.
My recommendation is to remove 1/3 of the water volume of the tank right now as a precaution and safety. This will help in lessening the pressure of the water acting on the remainder part of the tank. Of course if you could remove more water, it would be better. For your next tank, add eurobracing and a center brace too. If you are going for the same size tank, ask for a thicker eurobracing and center brace.
Since the aro is at the other tank, better emptied the tank than later flooded the house if so "lucky".I believe both of you are not tank makers or anything related to glass care in profession. It might or it might not break if he use silicon. Are any of you going to give him personal assurance to your advises?
I would suggest leaving the "advise giving" tasks to the pros.
Here are some pics.
The views are as follows: top, from the bottom, left closeup, center closeup and right closeup
Here's a full view of my tank
Baton courtesy.....service with a smile!
In my reply, the tank owner should add thicker center bracing AND euro bracing for his next tank IF he would want to get it with the same dimension. The advice that I also included is to remove 1/3 of the water RIGHT NOW to lessen the pressure acting on the remainder part of the tank. The owner has currently emptied the tank of it's content.
Yes, I am not in the tank making trade but IF someone comes in here asking for advice, my reply as I have made to SithSpawn is quite adequate and does not need trade skill expertise. We are dealing with glass here and if it break or crack, automatically a replacement is needed. SithSpawn came in here asking for ideas for his situation and NYS had advised to replace the broken center brace and DaveTeogh also agree with what NYS had replied. Stephen Chung and Lee1224 are the 1st to advice to replace the tank rather than to repair it. I came in, read what other has posted and had disagreed with NYS method and even provided some practicality ideas as to why and what is needed to be done. PeterGwee had replied that there are some things that shouldn't be bought 2nd hand. I may agree with this but I didn't reply though as I know everyone here has different financial background.
I had replied to SithSpawn with all the knowledge I've known in regards to this hobby. If it was inadequate in anyway, I apologise to SithSpawn for my shortcoming. And in regards to "...leaving the advice giving to the pros...", where do I stand in this matter? Should I or shouldn't I...?
Last edited by BFG; 7th Sep 2007 at 20:13.
If you've learnt, teach, if you have, give.
Don't walk behind me as I might not lead, don't walk in front of me as I might not follow. Walk beside me, as my friend.
Mohamad Rohaizal is my name. If it's too hard, use BFG. I don't mind.
Relax... Relax...
From the pics, it seem like the MH light was too close to the center brace and "heated" up the brace. Hence the brace was expanding but due to the limited "space", force exert (pushing effect from the front and back wall) on the brace and cracked.
Hi all,
I believe the same user already posted similar message in other message boards and gotten advice and help from a reputed tank maker, let's wait and see if he updates us here.
Cheers!
- eric
Good to see you have empty the tank for safety purpose. If not your place will end up to be a mini swimming pool. Best solution buy new tank as it always come with warranty.
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