Storing tanks for extended periods of time

[Chub_by]

Hello everyone,

after many years of uninterrupted fishkeeping (I've had tanks since I was a small child and will have been a member here for 11 years soon!), the time has now come at which, unfortunately, I have to get out of fishkeeping - at least for the time being.
That being said, one of my tanks is very old already and will likely end up on a rubbish heap, while my equipment I will probably decide on an individual basis whether I keep or sell (I'm in the lucky position of being able to store quite a bit of stuff if needs be).
However, my other tank is only a year old and was very expensive, so I'm now debating whether to sell it or keep it in case I find myself able to set it up again in the mid-term future.
What's your experience been with storing tanks for a longer time? (I'm guessing it would be around 2 years, shorter probably won't happen and if it took any longer I'd sell it).
I've read many a horror story online about silicone going bad, temperature fluctuations affecting the glass and silicone etc... does anyone have hands on experience?

Thanks in advance.

 

[FJB]

My experience is limited to glass aquariums (no acrylic). If the aquarium has been stored in a covered place (garage, basement, etc.), generally it would be ok for decades, better yet if stored on a reasonably flat surface. Temperature fluctuations in such conditions don't really matter.
Aquariums stored empty outdoors for years, where they are exposed particularly to sun and dramatic climate fluctuations may fare less well. Specifically, the the glass can become 'hazy', and some breakages (of the glass, not so much the silicone) after the tank is filled up again have been pegged to damage due to the sun. Whether this is true, I don't know. Plastic trim on aquariums gets damaged with sun and exposure fairly readily.
That said, I know of tanks stored outdoors in what I would consider bad conditions, which have been OK after filled up. But I would not do that myself.
Good luck.

 

[Chub_by]

My experience is limited to glass aquariums (no acrylic). If the aquarium has been stored in a covered place (garage, basement, etc.), generally it would be ok for decades, better yet if stored on a reasonably flat surface. Temperature fluctuations in such conditions don't really matter.
Aquariums stored empty outdoors for years, where they are exposed particularly to sun and dramatic climate fluctuations may fare less well. Specifically, the the glass can become 'hazy', and some breakages (of the glass, not so much the silicone) after the tank is filled up again have been pegged to damage due to the sun. Whether this is true, I don't know. Plastic trim on aquariums gets damaged with sun and exposure fairly readily.
That said, I know of tanks stored outdoors in what I would consider bad conditions, which have been OK after filled up. But I would not do that myself.
Good luck.

Thanks for the reply. It would be stored in a garage and my main worry was the occasional severe freeze that brings temps below freezing even there - I was worried that might affect the tank negatively.