How long do glass aquariums last....

[Csr1978]

How long do glass aquarium last before you proactively take them out of service or replace them to avoid a catastrophy or leak?

Obviously, there are levels of quality that could affect this number. So perhaps a high/low answer?

Anyone with real experience? Any manufacturers with tested and reliable information?

Any suggestions for what to look for, to know when an aquarium's death is near?

 

[erk]

I had a 20 gal tall that was near 50 yrs old and still in use. It had run for nearly two decades in my care as a freshwater planted tank with minimal input. I left it with my parents and it would still be running if my father hadn't gone nuts with a razor blade scraping algae off the glass.

Edit: The tank never had the silicone refreshed. It lasted near 50 years with the original silicone.

 

[RayDRoot]

Just hopeful thinking my tank is 7. 20+ would be great.

 

[Sailfin11]

It's hard to say. You can always re-silicone a tank and have it last for decades, but eventually the glass will get scratched or dirty. I think that around the 15-20 year mark, the original silicone will begin to weaken.

 

[Potatohead]

I have a ten year old 210 and at this point the silicone still looks great. I'd be surprised if it doesn't easily make 20

 

[Brian_68]

I am at 20 years on a 125.

 

[Csr1978]

So here is a good follow up...

What is the proper care for the silicone? DOs and DON'Ts?

 

[S2G]

I have a 75 from the 90s & just sold a 20yr old 180. I buy majority used bigger tanks & all are usefully 10+. Im not even going to look at my current tanks age out of fear of jinxing lol

 

[Aardvark1134]

Glass tank life is just like acrylic...how well was it made and how well did you take care of it. And of course how good was the stand made. Either can be as short as months or as long as decades

 

[lilgrounchuck]

Isn’t there a tank on here that’s been up for 40+ years?

 

[mfinn]

I picked 15 to 20 years because that's the longest I have personally seen one last. I picked up a 135 gallon tank that was about 3 years old and I used it for 15 years with no issues.
I sold it to a friend and as far as I know still has it, but I haven't seen him for about 5 years.

 

[strindl]

Isn’t there a tank on here that’s been up for 40+ years?

My 50 gallon tank from all glass aquarium in Franklin WI, now known as Aqueon, has been running continuosly for 35 years. It sits on a custom built stand made specifically for this tank, and is on the lower level of my house on a carpeted concrete slab. I have no idea how long a tank is supposed to last. This one has never been moved during it's life, so that must help it's longevity a bit. The floor it's on is about as unmoving as it can get as well. No sagging floor here.

 

[lilgrounchuck]

My 50 gallon tank from all glass aquarium in Franklin WI, now known as Aqueon, has been running continuosly for 35 years. It sits on a custom built stand made specifically for this tank, and is on the lower level of my house on a carpeted concrete slab. I have no idea how long a tank is supposed to last. This one has never been moved during it's life, so that must help it's longevity a bit. The floor it's on is about as unmoving as it can get as well. No sagging floor here.

That’s awesome! The one on here is Paul b’s that I was thinking of. Every time I think of old tanks though I think back to my grandparents house. My grandpa finished their little basement like it was a dock: boat house panels on the walls, support poles wrapped in old school dock line, custom bar built out of old boat stuff with a super intricate 1700’s clipper model in a glass case about a 10 gal size off to the side. Then in the main part of the room (this is all in about a 500 sq ft space) he had a 20 ish gal tank built into the wall, with the back side being the laundry room. It had been that way from the 60s until they sold the house in 2000 something.

 

[Cell]

Is saltwater harder on silicone than freshwater?

 

[chiefifd]

I still have an O'Dell 10 gallon tank that's been in use off and since 1972. I still use it for a QT tank now and then.

 

[dennis romano]

I have a 50 that was used when I bought it in 1979 and a 125 that i bought new around 1985.

 

[cloak]

It's all a crap shoot IME... I had a couple freshwater 50 gallon tanks for about 25 years. Moved them both from my parents house to an apartment (2nd floor) and back. I sold one, the other started dripping right around the rim. Threw it away. (freshwater Cichlids) I had a 60 gallon reef for about 9 years and then I woke up one morning with a crack running straight down the middle. I got rid of that before it spilled all over the floor. So sad... My current 20 gallon is about 13 years old. No problem. (knock on wood) I also have a 20L that's about 3.5 years old. No problem.

 

[stanlalee]

One built right will out live you.

 

[excell007]

my 90G oceanic tank is 15 years now, so is the DIY sump from 20g petco tank.

 

[SaltISlife]

I have a 30g breeder thats veen running non stop since 1995 when i was a little kid and my parents got it. Im 34 now and i resealed the inner seals about a year ago. So thats 25 years there.

My 27g hexagon i got when i was 14 which was 20 years ago as been running non stop. Resealed it 2 years ago.

I also have a 92g corner bowfront that is like 17 years old. It needs resealed soon but still running.

All 3 are perfecto tanks.

My oldest and largest is my 135g reef. I got it 4 years ago from the original owner who was in his mid 60s. He bought it in 1984. It was built in 1982. It came with a custom built steel angle iron stand. The stand is 3/16th thick. Thicker than a pickup truck frame. Lol.

Althought i put that in storage and i got a wooden perfecto stand that was like 15 years old and barely used.

I resealed the tank when i got it. And its been running since. It has 1/2 inch thick glass and no center braces. Modern 125s which are 2 inchs shorter. Use 3/8th thinner glass and two braces.

I love this 135.. no braces is the best thing ever. Although the glass does bow out alot. About 1.4 or more inch at its furthest when filled.

You can barely see the date but it says sept 13th 1982. Honestly id take this over any new 125g. The aqueon and marineland tanks t today are poor quality. Took me 3 stores and 15 tanks to find a 20g breeder for qt that didnt have bad seems.

And ive seen 5 year old Marineland tanks where silicone is already falling apart. Alot of modern tanks use very thing silicone inside too. Silicone should be as thick as the glass for inner seals. Yet these 125 and 150s in pet stores are so paper thin itll be falling apart in just a few years