# question about my glass aquarium breaking



## cpudemonbalmung (Jun 18, 2010)

hello, I just recently got a glass tank thats 125 gallons.
I bought it from Glass Cages if anyone has ever heard of them.

I got everything I need to set it up but I now have developed this paranoia that for some reason
its just going to break. 

When glass aquariums usually crack or break, is it because of just water pressure over time?
Do glass tanks ever just shatter without any sharp or acute force directed at any of the panels?

I feel like im just being very paranoid but my limited experience wanted to get a better idea from more experienced hobbyists. Do you recommend for me to try to sell my tank and then use whatever money I can get and put it towards an acrylic tank of the same size?


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

acrylic shatters not glass... glass can get scratched less easily then acrylic too. thou acrylic looks nicer.dont worry unless your gonna ram the thing or get at it with a baseball bat there's no need to have any fear of it breaking.if you knock it really hard you might get a crack and a leak but i personally i dont think it will hapen once the tank is filled unless it was an accident.tanks mostly crack during moving around and not when it's fully establish.


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## zof (Apr 23, 2010)

If the glass is free of defects there should not be a worry its only when you see cracks developing would you want to worry, as the cracks even hairline would indicate that the glass is not defect free. You would be surprised at the abuse a properly assembled tank can take, although that is no reason not to be careful around it.


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## eileen (Feb 24, 2009)

Just make sure that the tank is on level ground.You can use one of those level things with the water to check the floor. If the floor is unlevel the water in the tank will lean to one side more and cause stress to one side causing problems maybe resulting in a crack. Aquariums weight alot with the water and decorations and sand or gravel so this is important. Most tanks are made well.

If you get a tank that is used test it at the persons house with water in it outside if your worried. I bought a used tank and tested it at home outside and left it outside for a day to make sure it did not have any leaks. Better safe then sorry. Some leaks can be fixed if the aquarium seal goes bad with aquarium silicone which is safe for fish but cracks in the glass can not be fixed.If it is a new tank most good buisness companys have a warranty and you can get a new replacement if it leaks. I have bought a few used tanks and all were fine no problems.

If you live in a apt. be carefull as I read somewhere that this person bought a new tank and it leaked and he was on the top floor and flooded his whole apt. Most apt. only allow a certain size tank for a top floor like 10-25 gal. anything bigger puts stress on the floor because of the weight.Any damage to the apt. will be on you. I read the persons tank that leaked he got a replacement from the company for the tank but not sure about the damage it did to the apt. below because of the water. Good idea to check your renters insurance if you have it. It is always good to get a bottom floor apt. if you have a large tank.
Here is a chart I got from Aquariums for Dummies on the weight of tanks: This is just water weight

Tank Size Weight Full Weight Empty

10 gal. 111 lbs 11 lbs
10 gal long 116 16 
15 gal 170 21
15 gal high 170 22
20 high 225 25
20 long 225 25
29 gal 330 40
30 gal 343 43
30 high 340 41
38 gal 427 47
40 gal breeder 458 58
40 gal long 455 55
45 gal 515 66
45 long 510 60
50 ga l 600 100
55 gal 625 78
60 gal 710 111

75 ga l 880 140
90 gal 1,050 160
110 gal 1,320 198
120 gal 1,400 215
150 gal 1,800 338
180 gal 2,100 368


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