Can large waves break a tank?

F

fsbbn@hotmail

New member
Hi! I have been following reefcentral for years but this is my first thread. I appreciate everyone sharing their wisdom.

I have a 17ft by 6 ft by 33 inch (1.5") acrylic tank made by ATM. I have just redone my pumps and the configuration is as follows. On each end I have a wave box in tune with a Tunze 6305 in the wave mode and a masterstream in tune with another 6305 in the pulse 40%-100% mode. Total to two waveboxes, two master streams (20K Gal/hr) and four 6305s.

I am getting a wave of approximately 2.5". My questions is, has anyone expirenced fatigue at the seams over time and eventually breaking of a tank because of the wave action? I just want to make sure I don't release over two thousand gallons of water in my house.

Thanks you.
 
Take a chance to see if the tank can hold. With good bracing at the base and top Im sure the tank will hold. With a 1.5" thick acryllic it should hold.
 
waves produce enormous stress on the seams and yes tanks have given way, I'd also run this question by ATM, they make great tanks, as a precaution I'd consider placing a stainless steel perimeter bracing on top
 
You didn't say if your tank is euro-braced. If not, adding some bracing couldn't hurt.

Give it a try, and make sure to take lots of photos. We're big on disaster movies. ;)

Dave.M
 
You can't mention a 17' x 6' tank without posting some pics!

Hopefully some on here will be able to answer your question, but you might also want to check with the tank builder or even a structural engineer.
 
Assuming 2.5 inch travel of water with a sinusoidal wave then.

2.5" x 8.5' x 6' = 18360 cu inches of water.

That's 79 gallons of water displacement.
That's 634lbs of water displacing with kinetic energy every time the wave moves up or down. That's about the weight of two "biggest loser" contestants jumping on the seam every time it goes up and down.

I dunno, I'd ask ATM.

Cheers,
Aaron
 
Thank you for your responses. I contacted ATM this morning after one of you advised me to do so. They said it won't be a problem as the pressure is height dependent and the water does not exceed the height the tank is made for.

I am inserting some photos. This is a work in progress. I moved to Anchorage this summer and started this tank. I used to have a reef tank but I decided to go to FOWL as I now have a two year old son and a daughter due next month.

These photos are two months old. Since then I have added a pair of flame angles, and a pair of cross hatch triggers. I also updated the pumps to include the Tunze Masters this month.

I use LED lighting from CoralSky.

For a tank this size, I have a dedicated filter rool with a HRV system. I used a 300 Gal rubbermaid tub to hold the skimmer etc, I use my old 600 Gal reef tank as a refugium and a 60 gal tank to grow algea. I am still in the process of getting all this stocked up.

As a skimmer I curently use a H&S with the 3 pump model. I have the 5 pump model (A 450) which is a beast of a skimmer sitting in the garage. I will use that when the fish are a little bigger. The A 450 does not seem to function as efficiently as the smaller skimmer. The A 300 is made for 1250 gal, and the A 450 for 2500 Gal.

I tried to attach two photos but I am not sure if they came through.
 

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I think only one photo got attached so I am now attaching my filter room photo. This again is a two month old photo and work is in progress to update.

I love angels and here is my stocking list. I don't plan to add any more fish:

six bar, blu face, majestic, emperor, french, lamark, key hole, coral beauty, flame, maculosus, anularis. (So far no issues with figthing)

Tangs: unicorn, regal, kole, tomani, blonde naso, bule, yellow, sohal, valmingi.

male and female cross hatch, blue throat trigger, green bird, tusker and blue cheeck wrasse. Finally a zebra moray and two other reef friendly wrases.

Hopefully I have not added too many fish. If they get crowded I will move some to the 600 Gal refugium.
 

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dogstar74 said:
Assuming 2.5 inch travel of water with a sinusoidal wave then.

2.5" x 8.5' x 6' = 18360 cu inches of water.

That's 79 gallons of water displacement.
That's 634lbs of water displacing with kinetic energy every time the wave moves up or down. That's about the weight of two "biggest loser" contestants jumping on the seam every time it goes up and down.

I dunno, I'd ask ATM.

Cheers,
Aaron
Click to expand...

Good math dogstar74.

I have always wondered about my Tunze wavebox also, although it is nothing compared to fsbbn@hotmail's situation. I get a 0.5 inch wave on my 180. I would like it to be more, but the teeth on my overflow boxes are not cut low enough to generate a bigger wave than that. I would need to cut them lower.

fsbbn@hotmail, any more photos?? :bigeyes:
 
When you get a chance could you put up a couple more shots? I love big Fowlers and your tank looks like it going to be the poster boy.
 
I know how you feel with the kids. Ive got one going to college soon and the other one is in sports. There is no time or extra money for a reef tank right now. I have to do the FOWLR for awhile. How much does your tank weigh?

Dave
 
The tank is a little over 3000 Lbs.
Had to build a new double door to get it in. I bought the tank six months ago. I have an older 600 gal. The 600 has been with me for about six years. It used to be set up as a reef but now it is a refugium with 800 lbs of sand.
I only use Tunze pumps in the main aquarium as I like the fact that they are 12V. I have had pump wires pinched over time and recieved shocks. I don't want my kids to experience that. Also, Roger is an amazing customer service rep.

I am just about done with the whole quarentine process. I reduce salinity and add quanine phosphate. After that i quarentine as i add new fish. I try not to add too many fish after the final quarentine.

i will slowly built the tank up to house leather corals and mushrooms.
 
dogstar74 said:
Assuming 2.5 inch travel of water with a sinusoidal wave then.

2.5" x 8.5' x 6' = 18360 cu inches of water.

That's 79 gallons of water displacement.
That's 634lbs of water displacing with kinetic energy every time the wave moves up or down. That's about the weight of two "biggest loser" contestants jumping on the seam every time it goes up and down.

I dunno, I'd ask ATM.

Cheers,
Aaron
Click to expand...

thats not correct, just becasue you have 634lbs of water moving doesnt mean 634lbs are being exerted on the ends of the tank.... heres an example, you have a radio flyer wagon with 634lbs in it, its in motion going forward at about the speed of a wave, now stop the cart, did it take 634lbs of force to stop the cart? nope, and not too mention a 2.5" wave isnt 79 gallons of water...., your math is way off, that wave might be 1/8 that volume, if you had a 79 gallon wave that was 6' wide , the wave would be about 12"-16" tall or even taller.....
 
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