Tank neeeds to come down
- Thread starter der_wille_zur_macht
- Start date
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
Things are still pretty much up in the air but I don't trust the tank long term as it stands now. The tank is a DIY wood tank as noted earlier, so conventional repair techniques are out. Basically this is my own dumb fault - during setup, I decided to run the water level about an inch higher than originally planned, which meant the bottom half inch or so of the eurobrace was under water (the brace is a 1.5" thick sandwich of oak plywood). Since I hadn't originally planned on running this way, I didn't pour the epoxy on the brace, I just brushed on several coats (for those not familiar with wood tank construction, pouring is more reliable because it results in a thicker coat). It turns out there was a tiiiiiiiiiiny pinhole in the epoxy on the face of the brace. Small enough that I didn't notice it during testing of the tank, but large enough that water has soaked into the wood inside the brace, which has caused it to delaminate (i.e. the plywood itself is splitting apart).
The only reasonable repair method I can think of would be to remove the brace and epoxy in a new one. It would be more effort than it sounds considering the tank is "in place" in the house and behind drywall. Conventional wood tank methods wouldn't work. Hence I'm not really sure what to do in the long term sense. I guess I have three options:
1) Take it offline, repair it. Good: I get to use the tank. Bad: a crapload of work, unconventional methods, and no 100% guarantee of success.
2) Take it offline, do a superficial repair (dry the wood out and epoxy over the crack) use it for something that doesn't need the integrity (i.e. the world's biggest tree frog tank, or lizards, or something like that). Good: I get to use the tank. Bad: It's not a reef.
3) Rip it all out and forget it ever happened. Good: I don't have to deal with it. Bad: No tank. Big hole in the carpet/drywall/etc.
Ryan thanks for the offer. I'd consider except I don't know if I want to set up something that large on a temporary basis.
Things are still definitely in flux, thanks for all the offers of help. I'll let you all know what's going down as soon as I have more figured out.
The only reasonable repair method I can think of would be to remove the brace and epoxy in a new one. It would be more effort than it sounds considering the tank is "in place" in the house and behind drywall. Conventional wood tank methods wouldn't work. Hence I'm not really sure what to do in the long term sense. I guess I have three options:
1) Take it offline, repair it. Good: I get to use the tank. Bad: a crapload of work, unconventional methods, and no 100% guarantee of success.
2) Take it offline, do a superficial repair (dry the wood out and epoxy over the crack) use it for something that doesn't need the integrity (i.e. the world's biggest tree frog tank, or lizards, or something like that). Good: I get to use the tank. Bad: It's not a reef.
3) Rip it all out and forget it ever happened. Good: I don't have to deal with it. Bad: No tank. Big hole in the carpet/drywall/etc.
Ryan thanks for the offer. I'd consider except I don't know if I want to set up something that large on a temporary basis.
Things are still definitely in flux, thanks for all the offers of help. I'll let you all know what's going down as soon as I have more figured out.
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
Jay, any chance you'd part with that 75? Does it have an overflow? Stand? Lemme know. . .
jaybfresh
Pitcher Hill Reef Society
Part with meaning permanently? It's actually a friends tank that he brought over because he moved into an apartment. I can check with him if he'd want to sell it, but it would be available for long term use even if just as a loaner.
It is not drilled but does have a stand. I might have an external overflow hanging around for it
It is not drilled but does have a stand. I might have an external overflow hanging around for it
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
Just brainstorming at this point. If it was available permanently I might be interested, though I want a drilled/drillable tank so if that's tempered anywhere it's probably not worth it for me.
Still looking for a submersible to help with the move and to run on my temporary tank (and potentially whatever long-term setup I concoct). Something in the Mag 9 range would be perfect. If anyone has one to loan or sell, please let me know.
I think at this point it's safe to say I'm out of the "big reef tank" game. Because I don't really have a way to know the extent of the damage I'm crossing option 1 off the list.
Still looking for a submersible to help with the move and to run on my temporary tank (and potentially whatever long-term setup I concoct). Something in the Mag 9 range would be perfect. If anyone has one to loan or sell, please let me know.
I think at this point it's safe to say I'm out of the "big reef tank" game. Because I don't really have a way to know the extent of the damage I'm crossing option 1 off the list.
sg1838
New member
Wow...that totally sucks. Your build thread was one of my favorites, and I was SO looking forward to seeing the finished product on one of my trips to Syracuse. I can only imagine how you must feel (this would probably be an "I'm getting out of the hobby" event for me).
Anyway, I'm SO sorry to hear of your problems, and hope that you can get it worked out as quickly and easily as possible.
Hang in there...
Anyway, I'm SO sorry to hear of your problems, and hope that you can get it worked out as quickly and easily as possible.
Hang in there...
TheFishMan65
New member
Once the tank is dry (maybe half full) could you cut out a one inch section of the euor brace where the hole is. This would allow you to inspect the wall of the tank and the rest of the euro brace for any water. If the wall is wet I would say all bets are off since there is no telling the damage to the wall. If the euro brace is wet just cut out some more of it. Once you get rid of the bad wood add a brace across the top (epoxied to the wall and the existing brace leftovers). Now coat all the bare wood with 50 gazillion coats of epoxy.
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
Pascal has a mag12 he's letting me borrow so I'm all set for equipment for the temporary tank. Thanks everyone for pitching in.
Fishman, I COULD go that route, and might attempt it, but honestly - doing that would be a LOT more work than it sounds. The framing for the drywall above the tank pretty much covers up the brace, so just cutting it out would be impossible without disturbing drywall. Plus, there's the aspect of having nasty smelly epoxy in the house for a few weeks (about how long it would take to recoat the repair). Not really something I want to get involved in. I really think the only way to have a 100% foolproof repair would be to take it out of the house, back to my shop, do the repair there, and then re-do the install, framing, drywall, and so on. And THAT is also a lot of work.
I'm really hoping this can be a "make lemons into lemonade" kind of thing, but we'll see.
asianer - my PM box is stuffed full. I owe you something, it's ready to ship - can you email me your shipping address?
Fishman, I COULD go that route, and might attempt it, but honestly - doing that would be a LOT more work than it sounds. The framing for the drywall above the tank pretty much covers up the brace, so just cutting it out would be impossible without disturbing drywall. Plus, there's the aspect of having nasty smelly epoxy in the house for a few weeks (about how long it would take to recoat the repair). Not really something I want to get involved in. I really think the only way to have a 100% foolproof repair would be to take it out of the house, back to my shop, do the repair there, and then re-do the install, framing, drywall, and so on. And THAT is also a lot of work.
I'm really hoping this can be a "make lemons into lemonade" kind of thing, but we'll see.
asianer - my PM box is stuffed full. I owe you something, it's ready to ship - can you email me your shipping address?
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
I've got about a billion unread PMs and I don't want to clean out my box without reading them all so it might be a few days - can you shoot me email instead?
It's s w n e n d e r s and the domain is yahoo.
It's s w n e n d e r s and the domain is yahoo.
block head
New member
this sucks. maybe kent or osborne can come up with a good fix.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
sorry to hear of this.
I don't know how I can help.... but if you think I can just ask.
I don't know how I can help.... but if you think I can just ask.
Hi DWZM,
Sorry to hear about this. I think you could fix it readily, though I've not seen the actual problem. How about clamping the tank to the correct dimensions and then screwing on a cross-brace? I did that, as originally, I didn't have any braces but the 1/4 bow made me nervous. So I added the braces later. Just another option for you.
Sorry to hear about this. I think you could fix it readily, though I've not seen the actual problem. How about clamping the tank to the correct dimensions and then screwing on a cross-brace? I did that, as originally, I didn't have any braces but the 1/4 bow made me nervous. So I added the braces later. Just another option for you.
TheFishMan65
New member
How much is delaminating? If the width of delmination is less than half the widith of the brace. Then it may not have reached the wall behind the brace. This assumes the water spreads squally from the pin hole leak. If so can you use a jigsaw, sawaall, coping saw and cut as close the wall as easily possible. If the inside is dry then maybe you could just reenforce the section cut out.
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
It's delaminated in two spots (i.e. between two plies, the one directly above the pinhole leak and the one directly below). One of them runs almost the entire 6' length of the brace, the other is much shorter - maybe 2 feet or less. Either way, it's pretty bad (IMO at least).
One of the things that worries me is that the cracks are right about where the screws would be penetrating the brace, which means it's likely they now have no "grab" in the wood, if that makes sense - plus it means there's a potential path for water along the screw into the rest of the structure. Both things that worry me in the long term, even if I managed to come up with a fix.
Kent, what did you make your cross brace out of?
One of the things that worries me is that the cracks are right about where the screws would be penetrating the brace, which means it's likely they now have no "grab" in the wood, if that makes sense - plus it means there's a potential path for water along the screw into the rest of the structure. Both things that worry me in the long term, even if I managed to come up with a fix.
Kent, what did you make your cross brace out of?
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