How many years does a tank last?

[Kate]

I have a tank which is about 15 years old.
My partner says that I should think about replacing it, as at that age it's
likely to spring a leak and flood the house.
Is he right?

Kate

[David Zopf]

"Kate" > wrote in message
...
>I have a tank which is about 15 years old.
> My partner says that I should think about replacing it, as at that age
> it's
> likely to spring a leak and flood the house.
> Is he right?
>
All polymers degrade over time, including those that make up the joints
and caulking of an aquarium. Their ultimate longevity depends heavily upon
the environment that the tank has been exposed to. Usually, silicone
adhesives wich see typical conditions are a 15 to 30 year bond. If you have
had your tank placed in poartial or direct sunlight, or if it is in a room
which runs through a wide range of temperatures, or if aggresive chemical
cleaning agents have been used repeatedly on the bond lines, all these
things can add up to a shortened lifetime (made worse if the aquarium wasn't
assembled properly in the first place).

Conversely, if the tank has been treated well, positioned out of direct
sunlight, at a relatively constant temperature (think "buried landfill
conditions" ;-) then those bonds could be good for another 60 years or more.

In the end, I'd keep an occasional eye to the seams when doing
maintenance, since your tank is older, but I wouldn't expect the
catastrophic failure that your partner implies. A leak will more often
start out small, and then grow, giving you time (maybe only a day or so,
maybe a week) to respond...

OTOH, your partner has also just given you an excuse to go buy another
tank. Forget all this science crap, and go do some shopping! :-)

Regards
DaveZ
Atom Weaver

[Tynk]

Kate wrote:
>
>
> Kate I have a tank which is about 15 years old.
> My partner says that I should think about replacing it, as at that age it's
> likely to spring a leak and flood the house.
> Is he right?

As long as nothing has happened to the silicone and it's not leaking, I
don't see the reason.
Has there been any damage to the seal?

[NetMax]

"Kate" > wrote in message
...
>I have a tank which is about 15 years old.
> My partner says that I should think about replacing it, as at that age
> it's
> likely to spring a leak and flood the house.
> Is he right?
>
> Kate


Properly constructed and having been stored indoors, silicone can last a
long long time. My oldest is about 30 years old and it split its seam once
but it never had and needed a crossbrace (5 foot tank). I have a 25 year
old 4 foot 66g tank running and I have no worries. Inspect the quality of
the silicone (somewhat soft) and the quality of the joints (no obvious
problems, water marks under the silicone etc). Smaller tanks are even more
rugged (similar amount of silicone but far less pressure on them.
--
www.NetMax.tk

[Tynk]

David Zopf wrote:
> "Kate" > wrote in message
> ...
> >I have a tank which is about 15 years old.
> > My partner says that I should think about replacing it, as at that age
> > it's
> > likely to spring a leak and flood the house.
> > Is he right?
> >
> All polymers degrade over time, including those that make up the joints
> and caulking of an aquarium. Their ultimate longevity depends heavily upon
> the environment that the tank has been exposed to. Usually, silicone
> adhesives wich see typical conditions are a 15 to 30 year bond. If you have
> had your tank placed in poartial or direct sunlight, or if it is in a room
> which runs through a wide range of temperatures, or if aggresive chemical
> cleaning agents have been used repeatedly on the bond lines, all these
> things can add up to a shortened lifetime (made worse if the aquarium wasn't
> assembled properly in the first place).
>
> Conversely, if the tank has been treated well, positioned out of direct
> sunlight, at a relatively constant temperature (think "buried landfill
> conditions" ;-) then those bonds could be good for another 60 years or more.
>
> In the end, I'd keep an occasional eye to the seams when doing
> maintenance, since your tank is older, but I wouldn't expect the
> catastrophic failure that your partner implies. A leak will more often
> start out small, and then grow, giving you time (maybe only a day or so,
> maybe a week) to respond...
>
> OTOH, your partner has also just given you an excuse to go buy another
> tank. Forget all this science crap, and go do some shopping! :-)
>
> Regards
> DaveZ
> Atom Weaver
>
> OTOH, your partner has also just given you an excuse to go buy another
> tank. Forget all this science crap, and go do some shopping! :-)
>
Ah...but go bigger this time if you get a new one. = )~

[Ross Vandegrift]

On 2005-09-20, Kate > wrote:
> I have a tank which is about 15 years old.
> My partner says that I should think about replacing it, as at that age it's
> likely to spring a leak and flood the house.
> Is he right?

I pretty much agree with everyone else Kate - a while back I filled up a
20gal tank as my first that came from a friend. He had used it back
when we were in elementary school.

Of course, he got it from my mother. She got it twenty years before
when she got married. Same tank, same seals. Was still in really good
condition!


--
Ross Vandegrift

"The good Christian should beware of mathematicians, and all those who
make empty prophecies. The danger already exists that the mathematicians
have made a covenant with the devil to darken the spirit and to confine
man in the bonds of Hell."
--St. Augustine, De Genesi ad Litteram, Book II, xviii, 37

[Kate]

Thanks for your comments
It sounds as though my question was pretty theoretical, compared with
Scottie's in Galveston.

Kate


"Kate" > wrote in message
...
> I have a tank which is about 15 years old.
> My partner says that I should think about replacing it, as at that age
it's
> likely to spring a leak and flood the house.
> Is he right?
>
> Kate
>
>