How long can a new tank sit dry?

Bretts05jeep · 12/13/2012, 05:09 PM

I have read posts in the past were people were concerned about the silicon on tanks that have empty for a long time.

What the longest a new tank in a climate controled room in my house safely last with out water in it, and with out me having to worry about a possable leek down the road.

Reef264 · 12/13/2012, 05:15 PM

I had my 115 sit for a Year collecting dust before I got around to building it.Im sure they could at least go 2 years.

-Ray

Reef264 · 12/13/2012, 05:16 PM

Dp.

sponger0 · 12/13/2012, 05:42 PM

They can sit awhile, unless you have it sitting outside in the elements

Dave Thebrewguy · 12/13/2012, 08:31 PM

Quite a while. Silicone is pretty stable and will last a long time with or without water in the tank. I have tanks that have sat, dry, for years without ever having any leaks. My 55 is 27 years old (before center braces were used) and has been stored for over a year a few times, it may have gone more than 5 years once. I have a 20 gal that went close to 10 years in storage and a 10 gal that I recently put back in service after putting it away in 1998. Silicone does not need to be kept wet, in fact, keeping it submerged may shorten it's life expectancy.
Years ago, before the use of modern silicone, tanks were held together by metal frames and sealed with strips of cork. Cork will shrink and eventually crumble iff allowed to dry out so an aquarium was kept filled to prevent this whenever possible. In spite of the fact that this type of aquarium has been obsolete for close to half a century, the idea of leaks resulting from dry storage lingers on to this day. My father-in-law had a few of these old tanks, including a beautiful 37 gal, chrome and cork, slate-bottom tank. these needed to be kept wet but at some point he allowed them to dry out for 5-10 years. I got him to get them set up again when my wife and I were first dating and they did drip a little for a week or two untill the cork re-swelled and once they stopped dripping they were fine for another 20 years.
Look at it this way, the biggest difference between "aquarium sealant" and "window and door caulk" is the addition of a mildew inhibitor. Paint will not adhere to silicone caulk so it's out in the elements day after day completely unprotected, I have a tube of Dap "Silicone Plus" in front of me that has a lifetime guarantee.

Bretts05jeep · 12/13/2012, 08:46 PM

Thanks Dave. Good information.

dublo8 · 12/13/2012, 08:58 PM

Wow Dave, way to ruin it for everybody else.

Dave is 100% correct. I also still have a very similar Chrome rimmed tank. Been sitting in the garage for about 15 years. It was my dads when he was a kid.

12/13/2012, 05:09 PM	#1
Bretts05jeep Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: McHenry, IL Posts: 510	How long can a new tank sit dry? I have read posts in the past were people were concerned about the silicon on tanks that have empty for a long time. What the longest a new tank in a climate controled room in my house safely last with out water in it, and with out me having to worry about a possable leek down the road.

12/13/2012, 05:15 PM	#2
Reef264 Where's The Reef? Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Southaven, Ms Posts: 2,098	I had my 115 sit for a Year collecting dust before I got around to building it.Im sure they could at least go 2 years. -Ray __________________ I'd rather Die on my feet, than Live on my Knees. Current Tank Info: 150g SPS Reef, 2x250w 14k Pheonix Metal Halides w/T-5 Actinics, 2 Tunze 6095's, Tunze 7096 controller, Ozone, Precision Marine Skimmer, Reef Octopus Bio-Churn Bio Pellet Reactor, GFO & Carbon Reactor, Ozone Reactor, ATO, Reef Keeper.

12/13/2012, 05:16 PM	#3
Reef264 Where's The Reef? Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Southaven, Ms Posts: 2,098	Dp. __________________ I'd rather Die on my feet, than Live on my Knees. Current Tank Info: 150g SPS Reef, 2x250w 14k Pheonix Metal Halides w/T-5 Actinics, 2 Tunze 6095's, Tunze 7096 controller, Ozone, Precision Marine Skimmer, Reef Octopus Bio-Churn Bio Pellet Reactor, GFO & Carbon Reactor, Ozone Reactor, ATO, Reef Keeper. Last edited by Reef264; 12/13/2012 at 05:24 PM.

12/13/2012, 08:58 PM	#7
dublo8 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Morgan Hill, Ca Posts: 3,225	Wow Dave, way to ruin it for everybody else. Dave is 100% correct. I also still have a very similar Chrome rimmed tank. Been sitting in the garage for about 15 years. It was my dads when he was a kid. __________________ 10g IM fusion. Zoa and SPS dominant, Apex monitored, Ai Prime, MP10, sicce return.

12/13/2012, 05:42 PM	#4
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	They can sit awhile, unless you have it sitting outside in the elements

12/13/2012, 08:31 PM	#5
Dave Thebrewguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: NJ Posts: 489	Quite a while. Silicone is pretty stable and will last a long time with or without water in the tank. I have tanks that have sat, dry, for years without ever having any leaks. My 55 is 27 years old (before center braces were used) and has been stored for over a year a few times, it may have gone more than 5 years once. I have a 20 gal that went close to 10 years in storage and a 10 gal that I recently put back in service after putting it away in 1998. Silicone does not need to be kept wet, in fact, keeping it submerged may shorten it's life expectancy. Years ago, before the use of modern silicone, tanks were held together by metal frames and sealed with strips of cork. Cork will shrink and eventually crumble iff allowed to dry out so an aquarium was kept filled to prevent this whenever possible. In spite of the fact that this type of aquarium has been obsolete for close to half a century, the idea of leaks resulting from dry storage lingers on to this day. My father-in-law had a few of these old tanks, including a beautiful 37 gal, chrome and cork, slate-bottom tank. these needed to be kept wet but at some point he allowed them to dry out for 5-10 years. I got him to get them set up again when my wife and I were first dating and they did drip a little for a week or two untill the cork re-swelled and once they stopped dripping they were fine for another 20 years. Look at it this way, the biggest difference between "aquarium sealant" and "window and door caulk" is the addition of a mildew inhibitor. Paint will not adhere to silicone caulk so it's out in the elements day after day completely unprotected, I have a tube of Dap "Silicone Plus" in front of me that has a lifetime guarantee.

12/13/2012, 08:46 PM	#6
Bretts05jeep Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: McHenry, IL Posts: 510	Thanks Dave. Good information.