Major accident/problem with my tank tonight....

[cbeitel]

Major accident/problem with my tank tonight....

I was working on the tank when I heard a loud 'POP'. I finally found it was the top center brace on my Oceanview tank. My Coralife Pendant was very close to it when it heppened. It is a 150w MH HQI. It was maybe 1-2" above the glass and it was hot. I wasn't actually working around the tank when it happened. I was sitting on the ground glueing a frag near the sump, so I didn't splash it.

The crack runs from side to side the width the brace. (not long ways)

Here are my questions

1. Has this happened to anyone else?

2. Is this a stress crack or a heat crack?

3. Should I be worried? Has the damage been done? Will it get worse?

Here are some pics...

The tank prior to install, Note the center brace

The Crack

Close up

Sketch

 

[cbeitel]

Here is my lighting set up. This build is still in progress.

I have 3 150w Pendants and 2 54w T5's

Here is a better look at the center light placement. It was 1-2" off the glass when it happened.

 

[Freed]

1"-2" would definitely lead me to believe it was from it heating up from the lights. Don't know what to tell you on a remedy though or if it will hold. Might be able to replace the cracked piece or squirt weld on 16 into the cracks and then clamp to hold together.

 

[Gremraf]

My guess is that it was heat related. I would think that as long as it doesn't get larger, it may be fine. If it was horizontal to the front glass instead of perpendicular it would be a much larger issue.

Why was the middle light that close to the glass?

Disclaimer: Not an engineer or stress fracture specialist.

 

[cbeitel]

Thanks for the input.

The light was close because my fixtures are still work in progress. (Need to add 2 more pulleys to each side) My pulley system for the T5's doesn't raise and lower evenly so it was tilted and it pulled and light even closer than I normally keep it. I do keep them close, normally 4-5" off the glass. I'm not keeping them that close any more!.

I am praying it was a heat crack. I just don't see why the brace would crack before the sides or bottom, so it must be from the lamp and maybe splash got it.

I was putting 2 true perculas, button polyp, pulsing xenia, green mushroom, and a peppermint shrimp in when this all happened. The 2 percs are already in love :inlove:

Either way, I won't be sleeping tonight...

 

[rickyfins]

Heat crack for sure! I had this happen also with some glass I had sitting on top of the tank for splash.

I have a 55gal I have been running for over a year with the center brace missing without any problems. I can see the glass bowing though if I look down the tank longways.

thanks,

Rick

 

[cbeitel]

What a relief!!!!!!!

I have been hoping for someone to reply and say just that.

I was worried I had a stand problem. The glass that cracked is 1/4" and the main tank is 1/2" thick.

Anyone else see this before?

 

[rickyfins]

The piece of glass I had was on the top of my sump and it was also 1/4" thick. I only had a 2X65w pc fixture on it and within an hour or so the heat caused it to crack and break. My glass break was in a squiggly line across the glass in the same manner as yours. Just be glad it wasn't tempered or it would have shattered into the tank!

At least you didn't have your fixture end up in the water like I did. I am glad I caught it in time or it would have fried and so would the tank. I heard the noise and ran right over. I thought the glass would have been thick enough to prevent such an event, but I was wrong.



thanks,
Rick

 

[Sk8r]

I'm betting that heat expanded it until the frame stopped it, it buckled, and broke. I think if you just replace the brace, you're fine.

 

[reefshadow]

Same exact thing happened to me, on my 80 gallon all-glass tank. You are lucky that the sides of the glass are reinforced with the plastic framing. Mine was only a piece of glass siliconed under the tank frame and so when it went, it had zero support and bowed out almost an inch (the crack was almost an inch wide).

Mine was definately from heat, I was running a 175 s.e. over the middle of the brace.

To fix it we drained the tank until the crack closed, then epoxied a couple of acrylic squares over the crack to in effect patch it. I still can use that tank and this was a few years ago. You probably won't need to drain your tank because it isn't bowing, but I would definately patch it with some pieces of acrylic and epoxy or silicone.

You need to run a fan directly over the brace in the future to avoid a repeat performance of this prob.

 

[cbeitel]

Thanks so much for all the feedback.

As many of you know, this is quite an investment. I had just finished putting in many corals and fish. I have been worried that I would lose everything. Thank goodness this seems like a fixable problem.

I think I'm going to go with a euro-brace. Has anyone installed one or know where to get one?

Thanks again!