A couple tank specific questions

[davenmandy]

I am running a 400 gallon acrylic, 7x2x4wide. My first question, can you have too much turnover? I am running 2 MAG1800 pumps on it, and just ordered a jebao mp40 pump rated for 3400 as a powerhead I believe, but I am debating if I should order the mp60 instead for 5400 GPH. Would that be too much turnover you think, or is there such a thing?

My second question, the tank is only 1/2 inch thick with the top brace being 1/4 inch thick. There is some bowing of the brace, and there is a bit of crazing in places but nothing significant or expanding rapidly. When the original owner purchsed it new, he bought it from a reputable company custom made, quite expensive. The setup with the sump runs very smoothly, however I am just wondering is this acrylic too thin for 400 gallons? Seems to me it might be especially with the thinner brace, my question really is what should i expect in terms of failure and longevity? No clue what I would do if a seal busted or something.

 

[davenmandy]

Doing a bit of research, I guess pressure on the tank and seams is largely based on the height of the aquarium apparently? Don't like believeing everything I hear, but if this is true maybe my tank is thick enough?

Anyone have any comments?

 

[Drstrangelove]

I can't answer the acrylic question, but yes you can have too much turnover. Some wet pets do not do well in heavy current, especially at smaller sizes, and some foods are hard to provide in too much current. That being said, you can add turnover if it doesn't adversely affect them.

 

[davenmandy]

Yea the powerhead has a feeding mode that slows it for 10 minutes, so thats not an issue. 3 big stingrays and a big black arowana in there, so current shouldnt be an issue.

 

[wednesday13]

as for turnover...I run around 1x-3x, my 450 runs on one mag 18. I keep lighter stocks than most as I have more tanks than any one person should lol. Only thing you need to be concerned about with adding more gph is if your drains can handle it or not. To a certain extent I don't think it really makes a difference. Its more of whats your water running through to clean itself rather than how fast you can throw ur water around. For rays, filter socks and a moving bed reactor will do you far more good than more gph. Now for the tank...1/4" top brace is a joke in my opinion as this should be the thickest piece of material on any take due to most all the pressure of an acrylic tank being forced out through the top when it bows. A reputable tank builder should know that but they need to make money and acrylic is expensive so they like to cut corners. On the other hand 1/2" for 24" height is very appropriate and should be more than fine. You could always glue on another piece in 1/4" to make it 1/2" or even a piece of 3/8"-1/2". Its very possible to melt two pieces of acrylic together with weld on #40 to give you a better thickness. Just keep and eye on the joints, if anything is turning a milky white color that means its separating or failing. Not detrimental in a top brace as it can easily be reglued but if it starts to crack, drilling is necessary to prevent it from spreading. Some pictures would help, Does the tank have a full top sheet of acrylic as a brace or are there just a couple strips running across the top??? Another piece of advice is most every acrylic tank I've come across or owned was made incorrectly or underbuilt, very easy to beef them up so they last longer but not many people know what to look for. Sounds like ur tank is newer and that's a plus, most likely youll be fine, just be aware of ur braces and of any discoloration of the acrylic or separation.

 

[davenmandy]

I will post pictures when I get home from work.

When you see keep an eye on the joints, do you mean the corners of the cut out "squares" at the top of the tank (it is a single sheet by the way) as I heard a good way to tell if a tank is going is if there is crazing in those round corners, and actually what diameter those corners are cut to effects the strength of the brace as well. Or do you just mean where any pain of acrylic meets another?

When you say milky white, do you mean kind of right at the seam, like bubbly almost? Because my tank has a bit of that, but it has been there since I first got it and has not increased based on what I have seen, though it could be hard to tell if it is a slow increase. Almost as if it wasnt "glued" (I know its not actually glued) together at that point all the way. Again I don't think it has changed, but I will post the pictures in a couple hours. Maybe 3-4 spots on the whole tank its like that? When you say not detrimental in a top brace, do you mean in a top brace tank its not detrimental or is it not detreimental if it happens to the seam at the top brace? Sorry for all the amateur questions.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[pops]

tank sounds spooky. for filtration you are looking for 5x bio, 10x mech. combo of the 2 best way to go.

 

[wednesday13]

When i say not detrimental to a top brace, i mean the top brace can essentially fail and break completly off the seams but the tank should still hold water. Alot easier to repair a top brace than a side or bottom seam. Its not going to blow apart or anything since the rest is built in 1/2". I agree the rounded corner areas on the top sheet are extremly prone to cracking and this is y i refrenced drilling cracks to prevent them from "running" if they do start. I agree it has somewhat to do with the radius but it has just as much to do with top braces being to thin in the first place. As i said before most "reputable" tank builders are putting out a junk product from the get go. As a designer, fabricator and buisness owner who can make acrylic tanks its very apparent y. People just dont want to spend their money or cant afford to pay for whats necessary so corners are cut on material thickness to save cost. I myself am fully capeable to construct an acrylic tank from scratch, have all the tools and knowledge but i cant afford it lol...so i buy broken or junk acrylics and repair/refurb them to suit my needs. People run away real quick when i give them a material quote for an acrylic tank lol...and thats just for materials. How much do u have in ur tank if u dont mind? Just curious lol...

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[wednesday13]

tank sounds spooky. for filtration you are looking for 5x bio, 10x mech. combo of the 2 best way to go.

Turnover rates are somewhat irrelevant....u can run 20x through the wrong filter set up and accomplish absolutly nothing. Sometimes slower rates are more beneficial. water volume also plays a big part. More water = less turnover necessary. Imo its easier to maintain a 1700gal with 1xturnover than a 10-100gal with any amount of turnover. Throwing a bigger pump on a set up doesnt always make it magically better.

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[davenmandy]

When i say not detrimental to a top brace, i mean the top brace can essentially fail and break completly off the seams but the tank should still hold water. Alot easier to repair a top brace than a side or bottom seam. Its not going to blow apart or anything since the rest is built in 1/2". I agree the rounded corner areas on the top sheet are extremly prone to cracking and this is y i refrenced drilling cracks to prevent them from "running" if they do start. I agree it has somewhat to do with the radius but it has just as much to do with top braces being to thin in the first place. As i said before most "reputable" tank builders are putting out a junk product from the get go. As a designer, fabricator and buisness owner who can make acrylic tanks its very apparent y. People just dont want to spend their money or cant afford to pay for whats necessary so corners are cut on material thickness to save cost. I myself am fully capeable to construct an acrylic tank from scratch, have all the tools and knowledge but i cant afford it lol...so i buy broken or junk acrylics and repair/refurb them to suit my needs. People run away real quick when i give them a material quote for an acrylic tank lol...and thats just for materials. How much do u have in ur tank if u dont mind? Just curious lol...

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In terms of stock? ~4000. Directly under my furnace though on a carpet floor, not my choice its the only place I could fit the tank in the current house (I'm moving this summer). Don't worry, have 4 jacks rated for 5000 lbs each under the tank, floor won't sink, but IDK how I'd deal with a leak as I have only a 75 gallon quarantine as my backup and no good LFS that I would trust with the fish, plus I'm renting the house. This makes me sound paranoid, but I'm not, I'm quite confident in it for a while longer, I am just being cautious and preparing, best way is to ask questions as I AM willing to do the upgrades need it to provent failure. Why you ask? I don't think it's that bad, I don't notice anything new in terms of wear, I check the seams frequently, I will post pic's when I get bad but like I said been like that since I've owned it and about 80% sure it hasn't gotten worse.