This tank is junk now, eh?

[UncleJT]

So I bought a 24x24x16 rimless tank from CS just before he moved away but I had to put it into storage not long after I bought it. Anyway, I just recently dug it out of storage with the intention of setting it up but noticed a small chip broken off the bottom pane, left corner, someone obviously bumped it while in storage. It doesn't look too bad to the naked eye but it's been bugging me so I decided to take a macro shot. The macro shot makes it look really bad. What do you think? meh.

Side View:

Front View:

 

[JohnK]

It's kind of hard to see exactly what is chip and what is just silicone?

To my eye it doesn't look it's that bad, but maybe I'm misinterpeting what I'm looking at??


I wanted that tank BTW..... Grr face

 

[UncleJT]

To my eye it doesn't look it's that bad, but maybe I'm misinterpeting what I'm looking at??

The actual chip in the glass is actually very small.. just a sliver to the naked eye. I think the macro is just bringing out way too much detail in the silicone. I don't know. *shrug*

 

[JohnK]

The chip is on the upper edge of the bottom pane, right at the corner, Correct?

 

[UncleJT]

The chip is on the upper edge of the bottom pane, right at the corner, Correct?

Correct

 

[JohnK]

I could be wrong, but I'm thinking that is the most structurally supported part of the whole tank and the best possible place to have minor damage like this.

Don't go by my opinion, I've only studied DIY glass tanks and I'm not an engineer, but I think it'll be OK.

Do I remember right that the end panes are 1/2" thick? If so, it's all the stronger.

 

[UncleJT]

Do I remember right that the end panes are 1/2" thick? If so, it's all the stronger.

3/8" on all panes. All the other seams are solid throughout.

 

[JohnK]

Try tracking CS down and ask his opinion. If you lost his # try searching for his screen name on ebay. (That's how I found him last time I was trying )

That tank is not really "overbuilt", but it's well built and if you think about it that spot is supported really well by the adjacent seams. From the "structural seam" perspective, I don't think that will weaken the tank much at all. From a "seal seam" perspective, it definately won't hurt the tank at all. If that chip were in any sort of stress point I would worry, but as far as I understand glass tanks, that is about as far from a stress point as it could possibly be (as long as its on a well supported and FLAT stand).

 

[UncleJT]

Here are two more pics now that the camera settings are adjusted properly. As usual, the macro shot makes it look like the damage is huge. It will be sitting on a stand constructed from 2x4's with a piece of 3/4" birch plywood on top. I plan to set the tank on a piece of 3/8" EVA closed-cell foam like I have done before on my ADA rimless tanks. Sump arrives today, hopefully I'll be able to take a pic of it on the stand a bit later today.

 

[UncleJT]

So what do you think John? Fill it up?

 

[JayM]

I say fill it.

 

[JohnK]

Well, my guess is the tank will be fine. My second guess is that if it's not fine, it would still hold together but might fail with time. (not exactly a reassuring answer but it's all I've got).

Fill it up outside and see what happens, what else can you do?

 

[Reef_Wizard]

Add a thick block of glass at the inside corner and silicone the hack out of it. It will be buried in the sand and won't have cosmetic issue.

 

[UncleJT]

My second guess is that if it's not fine, it would still hold together but might fail with time. (not exactly a reassuring answer but it's all I've got).

Yeah, it holds water fine now.. more worried about the long term as I live on the third floor. If it does start to fail, I just hope it gives me warning with a slow leak at first and not an instant, catastrophic, failure where 40 gallons is dumped on the floor all at once. ::

 

[UncleJT]

Here's the stand, sump, and skimmer for the 24" cube. I actually built it for a 36x24 footprint to accommodate a larger sump and in case I ever want to upgrade. Skimmer is an Octopus Extreme XS 160 and the sump is a Trigger Systems RUBY36s. Yes, I will not be skinning the stand. I prefer open, industrial looking, stands where I can always see the equipment without opening doors. Functionality first, form and fashion last.

 

[stevenp]

I say fill it.

+1

BTW, nice clean sump/stand layout. Looks good.

 

[JohnK]

Yeah, it holds water fine now.. more worried about the long term as I live on the third floor. If it does start to fail, I just hope it gives me warning with a slow leak at first and not an instant, catastrophic, failure where 40 gallons is dumped on the floor all at once. ::

I don't think it's going to fail.

As I understand it, damage to the glass like that will create a weak point in terms of stress on the glass and where it would fail first. Because it's right at the corner, it's about the most supported area of the whole tank. As long as the stand is REALLY flat and even, there will be no special load on that spot. If it were loaded, I would worry that a crack might form at the weak point, but it's not loaded at all at that point.

If it did fail, I would expect the failure to be a crack but not a blown seam. (ie; drip drip drip, not a tidal wave into the living room.)

 

[RadReefer]

I agree with reef wizard...If you are going to have a sand bed then it may be worth it for piece of mind to silicone a thick block of glass.

 

[delta]

I agree with reef wizard...If you are going to have a sand bed then it may be worth it for piece of mind to silicone a thick block of glass.

it's a good idea, I would take a look at glass cages internal bracing and copy that

 

[pallobi]

Add a thick block of glass at the inside corner and silicone the hack out of it. It will be buried in the sand and won't have cosmetic issue.

good call... agreed