Glass Tanks in California?
- Thread starter Armando
- Start date
Bebo77
Premium Nonpaying Member
Where in California..
Maybe you can help me out with my aquatronica...
i had mine made out of acrylic.. one rock falls during an earthquake hits the bottom of the tank or even worse, a landside hitting the side... bye bye tank...
a lot of people have glass tanks here though..
Maybe you can help me out with my aquatronica...
i had mine made out of acrylic.. one rock falls during an earthquake hits the bottom of the tank or even worse, a landside hitting the side... bye bye tank...
a lot of people have glass tanks here though..
My three glass tanks survived a big earthquake out here a few years ago. No big deal.
Kenfuzed
New member
If the earthquake is bad enough, it won't matter if you have glass or acrylic. Either tank will tip over unless you do an inwall design, and I think most large thick wall tanks can withstand a rock fall or slide inside. A quake strong enough to shake the glass apart at the seams would be so bad that your tank will be the least of your worries.
818
New member
I have the 110 in my room, but before I fill it up me and my Dad are screwing metal brackets that are on top of the stand to the wall behind it that way it will be harder for it to tip over.
As for the rock falling down, you need to make sure that the rock formations you construct will not tip over so easy.
Then again I would just do what Ken said and do an in-wall.
Sam
As for the rock falling down, you need to make sure that the rock formations you construct will not tip over so easy.
Then again I would just do what Ken said and do an in-wall.
Sam
NicoleC
New member
Don't skim on a quality glass tank (forget the Petco off-the-shelf specials) and well-crossbraced stand with a sturdy bottom rim, and you will withstand most earthquakes. Securing your rock carefully (drill and use acrylic rods, etc.) will prevent many accidents.
Even a "medium" earthquake like Northridge took out a lot of glass tanks where acrylic survived. But also plenty of folks with glass made it through okay, for various reasons up to and including well-built stands with heavy sumps under them to minimize the top-heaviness.
Carefully shielding your electrical and using GFCIs is more important, because electricity happens all the time and earthquakes rarely do. A small backup generator or a big beefy backup battery are critical for those rare emergency occasions, and I'm afraid electricity is not so reliable as it used to be here.
Of course, I went with acrylic anyway. I'm paranoid. It doesn't take much to bust a glass tank seam.
Even a "medium" earthquake like Northridge took out a lot of glass tanks where acrylic survived. But also plenty of folks with glass made it through okay, for various reasons up to and including well-built stands with heavy sumps under them to minimize the top-heaviness.
Carefully shielding your electrical and using GFCIs is more important, because electricity happens all the time and earthquakes rarely do. A small backup generator or a big beefy backup battery are critical for those rare emergency occasions, and I'm afraid electricity is not so reliable as it used to be here.
Of course, I went with acrylic anyway. I'm paranoid. It doesn't take much to bust a glass tank seam.
Gooli
New member
this is true...but you can avoid this by having:
1. a 2-3" sandbed so if a rock falls it wont break the bottom glass (which is tempered in most cases)
2. pile the rocks with enough distance from the sides and front which will also allow the magnet cleaner to fit through nicely for cleaning.
1. a 2-3" sandbed so if a rock falls it wont break the bottom glass (which is tempered in most cases)
2. pile the rocks with enough distance from the sides and front which will also allow the magnet cleaner to fit through nicely for cleaning.
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7052809#post7052809 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bebo77
Where in California..
Maybe you can help me out with my aquatronica...
i had mine made out of acrylic.. one rock falls during an earthquake hits the bottom of the tank or even worse, a landside hitting the side... bye bye tank...
a lot of people have glass tanks here though..
supernareg
New member
if the quake is big enough to topple ur tank.... then ur tank will be the LEAST of ur worries.
NicoleC
New member
Everyone always says that, but I don't buy it for a minute. A quake doesn't have to be very big to tip over an extremely top heavy piece of furniture, especially a "rolling" style quake.
On the other hand, if there is a big quake the last thing you need is a living room full of broken glass while you are checking the gas main, rounding up the kids and the dog, etc.
On the other hand, if there is a big quake the last thing you need is a living room full of broken glass while you are checking the gas main, rounding up the kids and the dog, etc.
So Cal shaggy
New member
I have yet to loose a glass tank to an earthquake but I am paranoid about that happening so both my stand and tank are secured to the wall. I have braces attached from the stand to the wall and a nylon strap wrapped around the top of the tank and attached to the wall
