Filter Leak, Burst Pipe

[big_sw2000]

Hi
I have a fluval 190 corner tank. Running 2 fluval 205 filters.
One of the return pipes from filter to tank, split in the night. Luckly only draining about 1/4 a tank of water on to my tiled floor.
The only problem i can see. The wood stand has take a fair bit of water. It has started to swell, just a little around the bottom near the dooe hinge.
The top of the stand, which the tank sits on, has swelled just a little. There seems to be water between the tank and the stand.
Its got between the plastic lip around the bottom of the tank.
Just wondering if this will affect the strength of the stand.

Thanks Steve

 

[OldMan47]

My first impression is to tell you that the water may well weaken your stand. Most stands these days are made of pressed wood particle board with a thin layer of plastic colored to look like wood on the surface. If you are seeing swelling, you have water getting inside that pressed wood which will definitely weaken it. The stuff will turn into little more than moist sawdust if it gets wet and stays wet for very long. In your situation I would set up another tank, or a large water change bucket to hold the fish temporarily, then drain the tank completely and dry out the stand. Once it is truly dry, evaluate what you still have for a stand. Chances are the top that you saw swelling is no longer useful for holding a tank up. That can be replaced with a nice piece of plywood of about the same thickness or a bit more, which will not fail if you get it wet. The plywood can be covered with some veneer to look just as nice as the old stand's top. The next thing to consider is whether or not the vertical parts that held up that top surface are still serviceable. Chances are far better that they are still in good enough shape to use again but do have a hard look at them. If they are good to go, get that piece of plywood, finish it to suit yourself and set everything back up. Now you are ready to place the tank back in place and fill it with water. If all looks well, you can return the fish to their now even more secure home.

 

[big_sw2000]

Thanks Oldman

Yes ive had tank apart, i think ive been quite lucky. It is just the very front on the stand along the edge that got wet. The plastic vaneer has split a little. But the top is still solid.
As for the side, it all looks fine, just a little split in the vaneer again. But its all still solid. The biggest prblem was the right hand door took most the water, and swelled big time.

Thanks Steve