Lighting broke aquarium.

1eddie92696 · 01/03/2015, 09:59 PM

Hi, so today I received a new light for my aquarium. Obviously I was anxious to set it up and get it running, but the legs were not meant for the tank so I decided to rest it on the top. I knew metal halides got hot but I didn't really understand how hot!! The egg crate ended up melting and astonishingly broke the glass support beam in the middle of the tank, sending glass shards into the water. I will be posting a picture of the beam. The tank is old and now I'm worried its going to bow, crack, or even bust. So to the questions: Does anybody think the tank is safe or should I just buy a new one? And is there a way to support the light without using legs?

TIA

97dezertranger · 01/03/2015, 11:40 PM

Definately get some pics up. In my opinion I would not want to learn that lesson the hardway. Im assuming its not a rimmed tank and just has a eurobrace on top like you said. If I remember correctly from reading another thread is that "most" standard euro braced tanks are built with an engineering stand point that the brace is needed for the manufacture to get away with that paticular glass thickness. If I were to guess Im assuming thats why rimless tanks use much thicker glass for there build, which is for the eurobrace to pick up the slack of the thinner materials being used. Atleast thats my understanding. Other factors like the length of the tank Im sure would also play a factor in this. I would say get some detail pics posted and the dimensions of the tank and go from there.....

Steve Atkins · 01/04/2015, 01:11 AM

Had this happen but not due to lights (something fell on it).
Can you pass a rope under the tank? If so then run a rope around the tank and tighten it enough to straighten any bow BUT NO FURTHER.
This will give you time to get a new brace cut. You can either remove the old brace or just glue the new one over the top. Obviously removing the old one will be tidier.
It looked untidy for a while but the above worked for me and all without interupting operation of the tank.

dentnshell · 01/04/2015, 08:49 PM

$30 bar clamp from lower or the like would keep you safe until you can find a permanent solution. Anything to keep it from bowing.
Depending on how long you need to keep a temp solution in place, you might consider some aluminum bar stock and make a piece that goes over the top and simply keeps the top from bowing (getting wider)

How big is the tank?

01/03/2015, 09:59 PM	#1
1eddie92696 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 14	Lighting broke aquarium. Hi, so today I received a new light for my aquarium. Obviously I was anxious to set it up and get it running, but the legs were not meant for the tank so I decided to rest it on the top. I knew metal halides got hot but I didn't really understand how hot!! The egg crate ended up melting and astonishingly broke the glass support beam in the middle of the tank, sending glass shards into the water. I will be posting a picture of the beam. The tank is old and now I'm worried its going to bow, crack, or even bust. So to the questions: Does anybody think the tank is safe or should I just buy a new one? And is there a way to support the light without using legs? TIA

01/04/2015, 01:11 AM	#3
Steve Atkins Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Wellington, NZ Posts: 552	Had this happen but not due to lights (something fell on it). Can you pass a rope under the tank? If so then run a rope around the tank and tighten it enough to straighten any bow BUT NO FURTHER. This will give you time to get a new brace cut. You can either remove the old brace or just glue the new one over the top. Obviously removing the old one will be tidier. It looked untidy for a while but the above worked for me and all without interupting operation of the tank. __________________ 500L (135USG) mixed reef, SRO3000-int skimmer, Profilux controller & doser, Tunze wave pumps, TMC Aquaray LED lighting.

01/04/2015, 08:49 PM	#4
dentnshell Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 104	$30 bar clamp from lower or the like would keep you safe until you can find a permanent solution. Anything to keep it from bowing. Depending on how long you need to keep a temp solution in place, you might consider some aluminum bar stock and make a piece that goes over the top and simply keeps the top from bowing (getting wider) How big is the tank? __________________ DSA 105 Current Tank Info: DSA rimless 105

01/03/2015, 11:40 PM	#2
97dezertranger Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Lake Hughes / Palmdale Posts: 109	Definately get some pics up. In my opinion I would not want to learn that lesson the hardway. Im assuming its not a rimmed tank and just has a eurobrace on top like you said. If I remember correctly from reading another thread is that "most" standard euro braced tanks are built with an engineering stand point that the brace is needed for the manufacture to get away with that paticular glass thickness. If I were to guess Im assuming thats why rimless tanks use much thicker glass for there build, which is for the eurobrace to pick up the slack of the thinner materials being used. Atleast thats my understanding. Other factors like the length of the tank Im sure would also play a factor in this. I would say get some detail pics posted and the dimensions of the tank and go from there.....