How Tough Are Tanks?

[TimNorwich]

Basically, when people/I walk into my bedroom I walk pass my fish tank (rio 125 + matching stand) and the tank rocks slightly, enough for you to be able to see the water movement.

What I'm getting at is, can it potentially crack my tank as a result of the movement?

Many thanks,

Tim

 

[Sean W.]

tanks are as tough as what they are made of... glass...


sounds like your tank isnt level, shove some paper under a leg to even it up, try to solve the problem instead of avoiding the out come...

 

[TimNorwich]

Ah well the cabinet doesn't have feet, Would it be alrite to put a length of carpet underneath the foremost part of the cabinet?

Yeah the tank slants forward slightly.

 

[Truck]

tanks will bounce around upstairs...its the viabrations from people walking...because you can actually see whats going on it may appear more than what it is because you cant normally see the viabrations

 

[TimNorwich]

Yeah, however when people walk into the room the water surface goes backwards and forwards.

 

[Truck]

Yeah, however when people walk into the room the water surface goes backwards and forwards.

yes its normal...the viabration would normally be dampened by the carpet or what ever...but are being transfered up into the tank and the viabrations cause the water to move about. but if its rocking like a seesaw then you do have a problem

 

[Truck]

woops wrong topic

 

[TimNorwich]

Whats the difference

Because my fank isn't full to the brim theres some space between the water level and the top, and in there is a white mark where the water doesn't reach

Inbetween the water level and the white foggy mark is about 3-4mm of clear glass indicating where the water moves to when the tank rocks slightly.

So in short, the tank water goes 4mm higher through rocking when the tank is shaken.

Hope you can make sense of this.

Cheers,

Tim.

 

[Truck]

Whats the difference

Because my fank isn't full to the brim theres some space between the water level and the top, and in there is a white mark where the water doesn't reach

Inbetween the water level and the white foggy mark is about 3-4mm of clear glass indicating where the water moves to when the tank rocks slightly.

So in short, the tank water goes 4mm higher through rocking when the tank is shaken.

Hope you can make sense of this.

Cheers,

Tim.

it sounds normal...when you walk you make viabrations...which are transfered through different items...and depending on what its made of they may be dampened...a floor is hard so the viabrations are transfered onto the tank stand which is more than likely made of some hard wood which will transfer the viabrations to the tank...the viabrations will be transfered into the water which will cause transverse waves...which are exactly the same type of wave as the viabrations...the waves in the water will disipate the energy in someway which is why they eventually stop

 

[TimNorwich]

Ok Well I suppose its better that the cabinet and the stand move in one motion, rather than the water being moved seperately causing the sealant stress (much like moving an entire tank full of water)

Thanks for putting my mind at rest

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Ye Know..... some of my tanks dates back to around 1976/8 when "all glass" tanks was a technological breakthrough in aquarium keeping.... before that... we had angle iron framed tanks with (ordinary window putty) to stop leaks...... every water change did produce a leak and you simply smeared some putty on the leaking areas and all leaks was stopped within about 3 hours after the water change.....

I've had tanks busting on me spontaneously or for some valid reason....(glass is a liquid with very low viscoscity, so continues to flow downward & eventually.... the top part becomes much thinner than the bottom..... so (very old tanks) may just pop one morning unexpectantly)

IMO... the best advanced technologally in aquarium keeping was the silicon sealer.....

 

[OldMan47]

I have tanks as old as the one Ludwig was talking about and had one spring a large leak just last week. When I checked it out, I found that the glass in this early generation all glass tank, made by O'Dell, was starting to have a seam let go. I have placed it on my back porch empty until I have time to rebuild it. Since the silicone was starting to let a seam open up, I am afraid to put water back into it until I can tear it down completely and rebuild it from the bottom up. When put back together with new silicone, I expect it to last another 35 or 40 years and by then I won't care if it leaks, I won't be around to notice it.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi timmyboynorwich

Don't take a chance and have a tank break. Check it with a carpenter's level and if it's off a bit, put the carpet or something else under it so that it is. This is just one of those things that you want to be on the safe side about.