Cadfiel
Member
Sorry in advance for the wall of text.
My journey into the world of planted aquariums has not been kind.
I have, or to be clear, had a Dennerle Nano 60l tank sitting on an IKEA Bekvam Kitchen Trolley in my living room for 3 weeks, it had just finished cycling and while i was stressing about the clarity of the water and i wanted to change the hardscaping slightly overall I was generally happy with it.
After a trip to pick up some more back ground plants, some plants for the front and some new rocks and wood i drained the tank down 90% and did some re hardscaping and aquascaping.
Unfortunately, while re filling the tank disaster struck and the tank cracked. I'll get a photo later if people wish to see but the crack appeared to start the the front left hand side rounded corner, a little over half way up, and then extended in both directions across the front and to the left side sloping down to wards the bottom of the glass about half way across.
While at the time i didn't think the crack had reached the bottom on the left side, after i had moved the rapidly drained tank and i had time to check, it it appears it has reached the base but that could have been caused by my moving it into the garage. The crack across the front never reached the bottom.
I'm assuming the crack started at the rounded corner as the glass is shifted laterally the most there, about half a mm.
When the failure occurred the tank was being filled via siphon and nothing was close to the tank, the tube was in the tank and i was steadying the filling bucket with the water on a different table. The tank was just over 50% full and I was on the 2nd filling as my bucket only holds 30l.
Now i know nothing shifted as he tank and the table with the fill water were separated, the table was not knocked and the tank had been fine for 3 weeks prior with 50% water changes.
My guesses are:
1, the tank just failed or was faulty.
2, the stand isn't up to the job - its 85 CM high and solid wood but mounted on carpet and maybe its not as stable as i though.
3, its some kind of thermal failure with water at a different temperature but by my reckoning this would have been a few degrees, 5 degrees C at most.
So, anyone offer any feedback or advice. I was so annoyed for 4 days i was just going to throw in the towel and give up but I've since calmed down.
I really like the dimensions of the Dennerle 60l but now i'm nervous that something that deep that high up is going to be prone to these issues again. Why dont Dennerle make compatible flush cabinets for them i dont known but i digress.
I was looking at a TMC signature cabinet as a replacement for the stand and maybe a Dennerle scapers tank as a replacement but now i cant help thinking is 5mm glass enough. I'm second guessing myself and keep changing my mind all the time. I don't really having the budget to start all over but once bitten twice shy so have been looking at Aqua one nano 40, Fluval Flex etc as well but cant help thinking im moving backwards.
Any suggestions or advice gratefully accepted,
TLDR: Tank broke, considering replacements.
Cadfiel.
My journey into the world of planted aquariums has not been kind.
I have, or to be clear, had a Dennerle Nano 60l tank sitting on an IKEA Bekvam Kitchen Trolley in my living room for 3 weeks, it had just finished cycling and while i was stressing about the clarity of the water and i wanted to change the hardscaping slightly overall I was generally happy with it.
After a trip to pick up some more back ground plants, some plants for the front and some new rocks and wood i drained the tank down 90% and did some re hardscaping and aquascaping.
Unfortunately, while re filling the tank disaster struck and the tank cracked. I'll get a photo later if people wish to see but the crack appeared to start the the front left hand side rounded corner, a little over half way up, and then extended in both directions across the front and to the left side sloping down to wards the bottom of the glass about half way across.
While at the time i didn't think the crack had reached the bottom on the left side, after i had moved the rapidly drained tank and i had time to check, it it appears it has reached the base but that could have been caused by my moving it into the garage. The crack across the front never reached the bottom.
I'm assuming the crack started at the rounded corner as the glass is shifted laterally the most there, about half a mm.
When the failure occurred the tank was being filled via siphon and nothing was close to the tank, the tube was in the tank and i was steadying the filling bucket with the water on a different table. The tank was just over 50% full and I was on the 2nd filling as my bucket only holds 30l.
Now i know nothing shifted as he tank and the table with the fill water were separated, the table was not knocked and the tank had been fine for 3 weeks prior with 50% water changes.
My guesses are:
1, the tank just failed or was faulty.
2, the stand isn't up to the job - its 85 CM high and solid wood but mounted on carpet and maybe its not as stable as i though.
3, its some kind of thermal failure with water at a different temperature but by my reckoning this would have been a few degrees, 5 degrees C at most.
So, anyone offer any feedback or advice. I was so annoyed for 4 days i was just going to throw in the towel and give up but I've since calmed down.
I really like the dimensions of the Dennerle 60l but now i'm nervous that something that deep that high up is going to be prone to these issues again. Why dont Dennerle make compatible flush cabinets for them i dont known but i digress.
I was looking at a TMC signature cabinet as a replacement for the stand and maybe a Dennerle scapers tank as a replacement but now i cant help thinking is 5mm glass enough. I'm second guessing myself and keep changing my mind all the time. I don't really having the budget to start all over but once bitten twice shy so have been looking at Aqua one nano 40, Fluval Flex etc as well but cant help thinking im moving backwards.
Any suggestions or advice gratefully accepted,
TLDR: Tank broke, considering replacements.
Cadfiel.