Anyone here ever break a tank???

[jessiesgrrl]

Ok, so a SWAM (Saltwater Addicts of Maine) friend decided to get out of the hobby and sell his 135 Oceanic tank system (72x18x24) . It was the coolest tank (technology speaking) that I ever saw in operation outside of a university facility- 4 tunze pumps with flow control set ups, a Premium Aquatics lighthouse computer controller, a crazy $650 protein skimmer in the sump....! He offered to let it go for $1250 to me even though he had it priced WAYYY more expensive to a few other folk. (I am sooo glad people seem to like me sometimes!! :lol: )

I got it home and set (what of the equipment I am going to keep on it) up, and put the lights about a foot from the glass support in the top of the tank. The lights cracked the structural glass panel in the top center of the tank. Sounded like a rifle shot! It immediately bowed outward about a 1/2 inch, and was increasing while I pumped all the water into three huge rubbermaid bins and got everything out.

So, today I went and bought a new tank. This one doesn't have a glass support in the top- it's plastic, but it is also 10 gallons less and a inch and a half shorter in height. I am thinking the plastic could melt- any ideas for how high off the tank the light should be? There are 3 250 watt HQI MH lights- one 20k (This is the one that killed the glass) and two 10ks that flank it.

:(
Laurie

 

[Chris2222000]

I have an acrylic 125 gallon same dimensions as the not broken one, and have the same halides except they are se and not de. They are about 5 inches from the acrylic and have been running forever. The acrylic never melted here, never changed colors and never had spider web cracks.
I want pics too :) :) :) :)
Chris

 

[gflat65]

I've got (3)- 250W DE's and they are burning through the wood in my canopy (there is black scorching...) They are centered between bracings on the 125, though and cause no problems there. I have them hung about 8" from the top of water.

 

[jessiesgrrl]

The heat off of these is pretty serious. I can so believe they are burning your wood! I have one bracing dead center of the tank, so one of the three lights is above it. I have it about 18 inches away because I am scared of melting it. I think I could probably drop it 4 inches, but even that puts the start of the higher heat right at the plastic. Each light is set for a 4 hour time period to mimic the passing of the sun, but even so, I'm kinda scared to leave it alone. ::eyes my bed::
:lol:
Laurie

 

[jessiesgrrl]

Actually, I am kind of thinking one more light to make it four would keep one from being directly above the brace?
:eek2:
Laurie

 

[Raskal311]

The center brace should always be tempered to withstand heat. If it wasn’t then that is the problem. When the brace broke did it break in to small pieces or just cracked into a few larger pieces? The acrylic tank should hold up fine. Then only time I’ve seen an acrylic tank fail is from the seams, which I’ve seen fairly often in reef tanks. The seams tend to fail at the top when it’s exposed to the heat from the MH. If you plan on a MH directly over the brace make sure its 8"+ high. I've also seen a few acrylic tanks that had burn marks or cracks from MHs.

 

[jessiesgrrl]

It cracked in to a few larger pieces, but also shot a few small shards right past my face. (I was up in the hood messing with a flow controller at the time- I screamed when I felt it whiz by, and Kris dropped a rum and coke in the kitchen.. Party foul! :lol: )

My new tank is glass, though it has a tempered? plastic brace instead of a glass brace. I think Chris had the acrylic, lucky guy. I was a bit oo poor to afford acrylic last minute, esp after buying this tank. :lol:

:D
Laurie

 

[ecotoxlady]

Man, that sucks. I wish I could give you any more advice on this but it seems everyone has already answered the questions the same way I would have. It sounds like it will be an incredible tank once set-up! Keep us updated on how everything goes!