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reefnewbie54321
06/03/2006, 08:44 PM
I went to a fish store today and toldf them I was getting my tank tommorow and they told me a horror story of how there tank cracked becuase they leak tested it with cold water from a hose.

Is there some list of rules I should follow when filling up my tank? Before I just filled it up with bath tub water (to leak test ... I used RO/DI for the initial fill) I dont want to crack my tank.

reefinmike
06/03/2006, 09:59 PM
i couldnt see coldwater cracking a tank.... just put in on some styro before filling it and you should be fine...

JenSomogyi
06/03/2006, 10:06 PM
If the water is cold enough and the tank was warm yes, the tank will crack. It's rare that it should happen, but it will. Just be sure to fill with tempid water whener filling any tank.

raddogz
06/03/2006, 10:39 PM
Also make sure you put the tank on a level surface before filling it.

A fellow club member cracked the bottom pane of glass on a 120g Starphire (ouch) tank due to setting the tank down on it's bottom pane vs. the edge/rim of of the tank.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=846075&highlight=disaster

Dubbin1
06/03/2006, 11:55 PM
I doubt very much that they cracked a tank because of the water temp. If you figure the time it takes to setup a tank and get it ready to take on water then it would have made it down to room temp. Now if they cooked the tank in an oven and then pulled it out and poured water in it then maybe it would crack. Also figure that tap water isn't that cold.

rdmpe
06/04/2006, 05:38 AM
I agree - cold water is not likely to crack a tank IMO. Much more likely is a slightly twisted bottom surface that the tank was sitting on. Make sure you check with your manufacturer as to how the tank is supposed to be supported.

I've had two 180 gallon glass tanks, one was made to be supported only around it's perimeter. The one I currently have must be supported across it's whole bottom surface and sits on a 3/4" sheet of styrofoam.