Emergency!! Help

[endlessblue]

Just finished setting up my new 150g, yesterday. I just saw this!!!! A huge crack in the brand new glass sump ***. It's no big to get out, I need to drain the tank and move the stand to put it out. Or is anything else like a glass glue or something wow I hate my life right now

 

[lighthouze08]

wow that's a big crack, i would drain the sump and get it out asap. You can run the tank w/o the sump just fine, i did it when i was waiting for a new skimmer. Looks like you have a center brace, hopefully you can pull it out from the side?

 

[endlessblue]

Omg

 

[wvreef]

looks like a 75 gallon.....mine cracked the same way....come from the divider in my tank I let the water coming in the sump go over the divider instead of going thru the bottom to release all the pressure from the water falling down into it.....will have to replace the whole tank.....sorry to see this...

 

[Zalman]

Looks like it is still holding water though? If you are feeling brave you could always cover the cracks with silicone. I had a tank set up for years that had a crack in it. Isn't always pretty and could start leaking at any time though

 

[reefermad619]

Are this dividers glass or acrylic?

 

[DanEnglish]

you can drain the sump, DRY IT WELL, then silicone a plate of glass over the crack. I have had that work very well, but your need to cover a large area on either side of the crack, and do it wile the tank is empty and dry

 

[endlessblue]

It's acrylic baffles, in a 40gal Breaders if that matters, I going to puke!!


Why would it crack?!!

My safest bet here is now to get it out I think, I called a LFS that sells 100% acrylic sumps I have one for years. I tried to build this one myself and look what happened. Now I have hours of work and $500 to blow on a new sump

 

[Sk8r]

bone, desert dry, to get a good seal.
Personally I'd always worry that the stresses that cracked it might not be done.

 

[endlessblue]

Ya that what I'm a afraid of, it's best to get a new one. It's my 3rd tank, I set this one up at my business (restaurant) I can't have a flood. This is the worst news ever

 

[glenns]

Check out this site. Maybe it will help you avoid tearing down your tank.

http://www.melevsreef.com/install_sump.html

 

[schristi69]

Any high/low spots on the shelf the tank is sitting on? If the edges on the tank are not fully supported you can get a crack due to stress.

 

[RocketEngineer]

The reason it cracked is simple: Acrylic and glass do not expand at the same rates. It is my understanding that acrylic will absorb moisture, causing it to expand which in turn will cause stress on the tank. If the baffles are tight when they are installed, the expansion will eventually break the glass. For this reason, the general recommendation is glass baffles in a glass tank and acrylic baffles in an acrylic tank.

RocketEngineer

 

[disc1]

I have never heard of acrylic absorbing water.

 

[jimmyj7090]

Ask James (Acrylics), acrylic does absorb some water, hence the warping often seen when acrylic covers are put on tanks (because the wet side absorbs more than the dry side).

Not sure that is what caused this crack, but I have heard of it happening several times and saw with my own eye what I believe to be a tank cracked by an acrylic divider once in the past.

OP - were the baffles fit tight in the tank? How long did the sump have water in it before the crack?

 

[endlessblue]

Check out this site. Maybe it will help you avoid tearing down your tank.

http://www.melevsreef.com/install_sump.html

Thanks that idea did cross my mind. I way try to see if that center wood beam can be removed without anything falling. That would save my life right now.

 

[endlessblue]

Any high/low spots on the shelf the tank is sitting on? If the edges on the tank are not fully supported you can get a crack due to stress.

It was level I checked before.

 

[fdonophan]

Is your center brace removable at all to get it out? I was able to remove the center brace on mine breifly to get my sump into the stand, and then put the brace back in.

 

[endlessblue]

Ask James (Acrylics), acrylic does absorb some water, hence the warping often seen when acrylic covers are put on tanks (because the wet side absorbs more than the dry side).

Not sure that is what caused this crack, but I have heard of it happening several times and saw with my own eye what I believe to be a tank cracked by an acrylic divider once in the past.

OP - were the baffles fit tight in the tank? How long did the sump have water in it before the crack?

Water was is for 48hours, the baffles were tight enough to stay put once in place buy could be knocked over. I think the acrylic expanding did it. I have tanked endless closer looks and can see other baffles have actually moved a few mm. Should have bought one made

 

[kgross]

Acrylic does expand with water and if you don't leave enough space for it to expand it will crack the glass tank. I have seen it happen many many times. I always cut the acrylic 1/4 inch short to leave lots of room to expand.