Aquarium Obsessed tank splits open!

[Tim]

I just spoke to a friend the other day and he told me a story about a friend of his who had a custom tank made by aquarium obsessed open up at one of the joints.It was a 72L x 48w x30H eurobraced glass tank.Total volume around 530gal or so. The tank was only about 15 months old and ended up opening up about 8 in. from the top, so the owner had to deal with about 120 galons of water.(and you thought you were having a bad day!)Just a word of caution on ordering a tank that wide with eurobracing.Was that the problem?Or was it just a bad joint? Something to think about.....

 

[Wes]

does the guy happen to live in PA?

 

[jhale]

wow that sucks. but at least it opened at the top and not the bottom.

 

[Tim]

No he lives local.Why did you hear another story about a tank opening up?

Your right Jhale....

 

[Wes]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/s...948964&highlight=aquarium+obsessed+tank+seams

 

[marrone]

A tank that large needs cross bracing, Euro-bracing isn't enough. This isn't the first time I've heard about something like this happening on a large tank with just Euro-bracing.

 

[partobe]

scary

 

[kimoyo]

Wow! Those are some scary pics. That's why I would never get a big tank made from glass. Smaller tank yeah, but a big tank in a living room, nahh. If I was AO I would have built a new tank and sent it out for free, if for nothing else so those pics wouldn't be on the net.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/s...948964&highlight=aquarium+obsessed+tank+seams

 

[Wes]

Wow! Those are some scary pics. That's why I would never get a big tank made from glass. Smaller tank yeah, but a big tank in a living room, nahh. If I was AO I would have built a new tank and sent it out for free, if for nothing else so those pics wouldn't be on the net.

I agree Paul stories like this scare me into thinking Acrylic only if/when the time comes to go really big. It's unfortunate, the guys at AO are nice guys and they make some really nice looking tanks...

 

[PalmTree]

Wow. I use to hate the center brace in my 180 but maybe its not all that bad anymore!

 

[alrha]

thats always one of my bigest fears.

enjoying my big fat center brace now...

 

[cali_reef]

Here is the tank Tim is talking about. I help move that tank into his house, poor guy have bad luck with tanks.
http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum...-needs-repair-sale.html?highlight=tank+repair
AO sucks and I doubt they will give him a free replacement tank, looks like they(he bought the tank thru Tony) is trying to recoup some of the money by selling the leaking tank .

 

[Tim]

Thats the one....

 

[cali_reef]

BTW, I don't think the width of the tank was the main problem, it was the 31" height and the 3/4" glass.

 

[jhale]

that's the tank?
I think you would have to pay someone to remove it.
The cost, time, and effort involved in moving it and repairing it are worth the price of a new tank.

 

[grisha]

wow! sucks all the way and it sounds like " AO customer service" do not exist

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

The major problem is the 72" Length and 31" Height together. Even if it's 1/2" thickness the form will hold only slightly better.

It's easier to foul up with silicon over time than a glued joint in acrylics.

 

[PalmTree]

I think the bigger you go and factor in some strange measurements the more dangerous it becomes. Thats why some of the standard 75, 90, 125, and 180 sizes are so popular. Tried and true.

 

[cali_reef]

I think the bigger you go and factor in some strange measurements the more dangerous it becomes. Thats why some of the standard 75, 90, 125, and 180 sizes are so popular. Tried and true.

Those are popular because most LFS can order them with one phone call to their distributor and they are relatively inexpensive. You can only get the way they sell it, it may not be exactly how you want it.

Custom tanks are totally different than your off the shelf standard tanks and they are not for the average hobbyist. Drilling holes in the back wall weakens the glass, taller and wider tanks needs thicker glass, overflow boxes needs to match the flow for the size of the tank. etc.. they all need to be considered when you design and order a tank. Bad vendors try to sell cheaply built tanks when you ask for quotes, you may save 10% but they may break like this guys tank .

 

[cali_reef]

wow! sucks all the way and it sounds like " AO customer service" do not exist

He didn't buy that tank from AO directly, he went thru a vendor who IMO should take care of the problem for him.

The same vendor tried selling a AO tank to my friend and he botch that job so bad my friend ended up filing a charge dispute with his credit card company.