How long do glass aquariums last....

[DSEKULA]

There are so many variables here it was really hard for me to decide on an answer. I voted 15-20 i feel like a well made tank with exceptional care etc can last longer but id expect the average tank with average care to hopefully last this long. Ime one of the big factors is size of the tank and the ever stressful task of moving said tank. The more you transport a tank the more you risk damaging it, even if you dont realize you jared the silicone. Then the larger the tank the more of a pain transportation is and the more stress etc on each seam. Ive seen 5-10 gallon tanks handed down through generations in my family, my 55gal got a reseal after 10years though because the silicone was just pealing off in huge pieces after sitting empty for a few years. And ive seen a 100gal tank set up 10years+- and get moved to only last another month tho there was no apparent damage.. just some examples. Id expect longer if the tank was set up day 1 and never moved though vs someone who relocates regularly.

 

[OlderManSea]

The oldest I have is a Marineland 30 that was purchased in 1982, still has original silicone. The next oldest is a Marineland (I think) 150 that was purchased with same silicone. Another 150 was purchased used in 1992. The owner said he had it up for 5 years. I have 4 75's that were purchased together in 1996. All of these tanks were moved from CT to WA in 2014. No leaks ever. Of course now that I have written this down, there will be couple of hundred gallons of water on the floor in the morning....

 

[strindl]

That’s awesome! The one on here is Paul b’s that I was thinking of. Every time I think of old tanks though I think back to my grandparents house. My grandpa finished their little basement like it was a dock: boat house panels on the walls, support poles wrapped in old school dock line, custom bar built out of old boat stuff with a super intricate 1700’s clipper model in a glass case about a 10 gal size off to the side. Then in the main part of the room (this is all in about a 500 sq ft space) he had a 20 ish gal tank built into the wall, with the back side being the laundry room. It had been that way from the 60s until they sold the house in 2000 something.

Was that tank all glass, or did it still have the metal frames? I had tanks in the late 60's when I was a kid and all of them had the metal frames. They also tended to leak more readily.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I just recently got my house back together after having a seam blow out on my 7 year old 120gallon glass tank. Having rhe floors redone some drywall replaced, basement ceiling replaced then the wife having to get new furniture as my punishment 12,000$ later and 3 months and finally sleeping back in my bedroom with a New tank back in living room. Acrylic does not do this. What a nightmare

 

[fish farmer]

I still have an O'Dell 10 gallon tank that's been in use off and since 1972. I still use it for a QT tank now and then.

I have an O'Dell 120 gallon that was bought used in Florida in 2001, moved to Vermont and been running for 19 years.

 

[Timfish]

A few years ago this came up in a conversation with a freind of mine who had been managing a LFS since the mid 70s. We both kinda thought there was about a 10% chance of failure by the 20 year mark.

 

[vetteguy53081]

It depends on size, amount of time dry and condition of both the tank and silicone sealant.

 

[Timfish]

It depends on size, amount of time dry and condition of both the tank and silicone sealant.

Based on what I've seen over 35 years building my own tanks and 25 years in my maintenance business I'd say it has more to do with how well the tech building a tank was paying attention. I had a custom built Oceanic (AGA) that failed after just 8 years and after removing it from the wall a large section of silicone on a bottom joint was bad, since it had a reinforced bottom joint my guess is the silicone had started to skim over. Over the decades I've left multiple tanks standing empty for years then used them so I'm dubious about silicone drying out and would like to see the research showing it happens. I have a 150 gallon tank now that was bought in 2008, sat empty for from January 2013 to October 2015 years and has been holding water over 5 years now.

 

[Jon Fishman]

There’s a whole thread somewhere with and old salty 45+ year old reef

 

[dukesdad]

How long do glass aquarium last before you proactively take them out of service or replace them to avoid a catastrophy or leak?

Obviously, there are levels of quality that could affect this number. So perhaps a high/low answer?

Anyone with real experience? Any manufacturers with tested and reliable information?

Any suggestions for what to look for, to know when an aquarium's death is near?

Good question, I'm sitting here looking at my wife top off our 30 gal. long planted tank. I bought it in 92' ran a saltwater tank for 12 years. Shut it down in 04'. it sat in the back room at here empty until about 2011. I cleaned it really good and the silicone looked amazingly good so I filled it up and watched for leaks and here we are. Doesn't leak and still very clear glass. So yeah, 41 years and counting, if well taken care of.