AAHHH Broken 180Gal Reef (LONG!!!)

[esmithiii]

I have an AGA reef ready and mine is the same design.

 

[cavediver]

I edited out the double post for you.

Thanks

I think he has sort of a strange top frame configuration. It looks like the center braces come across and attach, then the front frame is made of a number of pieces which fit in between.

The top frame is all one piece of moulded plastic, which if removed would look like 3 black rectangles, connected side by side.

What matters most is the question: Are those center braces still strongly connecting the front to the back of the tank???? Please answer this important question, then we can help you.

Unfortunatly they are not. It's difficult to tell from the picture, I've croped it and added a red line to show where the crack is and the resulting bowing.

 

[SPC]

Posted by Ernie:

I have an AGA reef ready and mine is the same design.

-Ernie, your AGA has no glass center braces?

cavediver, you don't suppose the heat from your lights had anything to do with this do you?
Steve

 

[esmithiii]

That is why I went with it over the oceanic.

Ernie

 

[saltcritter]

8O


I made my own on this tank.
2x6 and 1x2s

I would not trust that plastic ever again.
I would not touch the problem!, let them fix it change it and bring 5-6 workers over to change out for a new one.

If you play with the old one you might be chancing a problem with replacement inthe future and you will not get dammages if you have a complete break and failure.
They will say you were a part in the fixing.
I hope you do not have law sue issues from your neighbors downstairs if it all fails.
If you do get sued, you will se your LRS run for the hills, so hit them now for a complete redue, or maybe , get them to give you full refund and they can buy there selves out of the problem and then you can get to building a better mouse trap/fish tank top.

I would opt to have them fix the whole problem and install a new one for you and switch the whole mess, WITH THERE PEOPLE!.
You just watch them and direct them.
If you get soft on the issue of THERE!! PROBLEM , then you will end up with the shaft in one yrs time.

You have NO!! recorse in 2-3 yrs when it all comes apart, by then they will say you had your chance and so will the courts.
If you get sued by 4 other below you, you will wish you put the screws to them.
I would not use the same type of tank!, it is a proven failure.

Just my Half penny of thought.

I am sending my pics, if you think of building your own top. This is a PROVEN WINNER!!! of a tank top/homemade and room for lights to spare.

Go get them bad tank people!!! :twisted:

 

[saltcritter]

8O


2nd shot.

I have revised my building to Srew+ counter srew 4inch+srews w/ lots of glue between the wood and in every! hole, where screws go.

I would sugest putting the plate of wood opiset of the tank glass installation, w/ wood covering the left and right front sides.

I counter sunk, 5 holes in each corner and lots of glue, do on get cheep.

1X2's go under the top about 1-2inches for water line and as a stringer and this will let you rest the 2x6 on the and around the top of tank.

I would recomed that you trial fit the four pieces and the 1x2's let you do that while you check to see if you need a tighter cut on you left and right pieces.

I used 2ft clamps to hold while I screwed this in place and made sure it was very tight.

I used 3 tubes of rubber tank silicone for outside perimators and to fill gaps that wood might leave.

the 1x2 stringer does not have to be cut to entire lengths.

After I set and glued and screwed, I left it to dry and next day I poped it off and applied the Silicone and set it all into place.

Before I glued the wood and screwed it , I used Wax paper to cover rim of tank so glue would not dribble.

After all setting was done, I fill the holes with wood filler and proceded to sand and paint.
You can paint like Live Rock colors and or Marble and ro whatever.

I can send you more detailed shot if you would like:
[email protected] , and my name is not John!, it is a bible Vers.

Here's the 2nd, pic.

I do have cross brace incenter and for larger it would take 2 -3.

This is a Winner and it has NOT Budged/split/cracked in 2+3yrs. :lol:

 

[saltcritter]

Buy the way.

Do not tell them about MH lighting.

They might say to you BUY the way.

It is not your fault, and hide the MH setup whe they arrive to give you a new one and set it up for you.

Never admit, that can cost you. :roll:

 

[danmhippo]

[off topic]
Salt critter, you got some serious green algae problem there......
[/off topic]

 

[SPC]

Posted by Dan:

Salt critter, you got some serious green algae problem there......

-I think that might be his refugium Dan :wink: .

Ernie, I saw one of the AGA 180s yesterday at my LFS and did notice it had the plastic center pcs, any concern about the metal halide heat on these?
Steve

 

[saltcritter]

That tank is in 1 yr test mode.
( OFF TOPIC RESPONCE)

:wink:
It is 1 of 7 tanks, a 90gallon w/2gal sump.

I use this for Hair tests and other Level tests.

I keep nothing but Homemade Live rock and I aclimate the rock and add Corl Algae brushings to get the other rock to grow CorlAlgae.

I do special tests w/ lighting and Spec Level teset on that tank.

I think it is a super was to do all your tests on a tank that will only be used for testing pcs of Coral/Rock/and or anything you want to Test.

I spend months watching and learning and adjusting levels to see reactions with this tank /system. :roll:

 

[saltcritter]

Only one more OFF TOPIC ANSWER TO this main topic.
I really hope things work out for you and this Mess, I can feel the stress from here.






I am sorry!,

That is 20 gallon sump.

By the way!, the tank top is 2x10 , not 2x6 as listed in above posts.

I have full specks on this build up. It really is very strong and as you can see on edge, there is NO!! seperation and or crack in seams, over 2+ almost 3 yrs.

I will build this on every tank I get that has that cheep plastic wrap.
I pull that wrap off and build this sucker around the top rim and then NO chance of this happening to you.

I wonder if the Manufactures know of this Heat/Plastic streaching thing?
:roll:

 

[platapus]

YIKES! That does not look like a supportive design! It looks like the braces are already begining to stress in the front werer they connect, in the picture above... Does that take come with any warranty?

 

[platapus]

oops..I disnt seethat that post was 2 pages . Im getting ready to get an Oceanic RR 180 or 200, the glass braces are going to be one of my prerequisists, or how ever you spell it ;-)

 

[esmithiii]

Ernie, I saw one of the AGA 180s yesterday at my LFS and did notice it had the plastic center pcs, any concern about the metal halide heat on these?

My halides are staggered between the braces (2 braces, 3 bulbs) so the braces stay cool to the touch.

Ernie

 

[saltcritter]

I think the manufactures of these tanks, know that we all are now useing MH and lots of it, so if they have a weak excuse that the plastic can not handle the heat, they should sell there stock and get out of the business.

Maybe they can sell SAND!, that's not a tricky job. :roll:

 

[esmithiii]

oops..I disnt seethat that post was 2 pages . Im getting ready to get an Oceanic RR 180 or 200, the glass braces are going to be one of my prerequisists, or how ever you spell it

When I did my research, I found that the glass bracing is more problematic when using MH lighting than the plastic. I talked to Oceanic and they stated that if the bulb is too near the glass, the glass will heat up and then any splash of water will crack it. The difference in the plastic is that it is much thinner than the glass braces that oceanic uses. Oceanic told me that the bulbs should be 12 to 18 inches from the braces. This amounts to 14-20 inches off the water. Oceanic also stated that their warrantee did not cover damage caused by MH lighting.

As for tCaveDiver's problem, it is obviously a manufacturing defect. I have inspected my tank, and the plastic is solid and quite strong.

Ernie

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah if you think about it glass is much more brittle than plastic. Of course this would be improved with increasing thickness of the glass brace. I know the 180 used AGA tank I just bought has plastic cross braces. I should put a thermocouple on the plastic and see how hot it gets, would be interesting. Hopefully we will get an update Friday, and hopefully the stress didnt pop the tank while our friend was away.

 

[jamesw]

Saltcritter, are you in Surfside TX? If so, you should get in touch w/ Marsh at www.marshreef.org

It's theh local Houston reefing club.

See you at Octogon!

James Wiseman

 

[saltcritter]

I will do that.

Thanks for the upbeat, info.

I am usually sulking, waiting for this bloom to stop. I think it is dieing off.
With 2000 more gallons planed. I 'd better get with some folks and start picking brains.

I have 1000gallons running now and all seams ok.

The cycles are getting better.

Best Regards

ANY CLUES!! , about the next POWERBUY? :wink:

 

[cavediver]

Hi guys,
Sorry for the delay in replying, vaccations are tough you know!!

When I left I drained 1/3 of the tanks water to relieve the stress on the cross braces. I didn't lose anylivestock over the week.

I picked up the new top today and had some help from the LFS to replace it. They gave me a tube of black silicone too. It's curing right now, and hopefully in 24hrs or so I'll top up the water level and cross my fingers.

I'll post another update later!!.....Thanks for all of your concern, it's nice to have people understand how stressful this can be!!!

Thanks