What's the probability that a LARGE GLASS tank WILL eventually leak??

[dochou]

I've always had acrylic for the past 25 years. None ever failed of leaked.
I'm thinking about getting a glass tank 120g or 160g, but worry that some day it'll leak and damage/destroy all my hardwood floors. If that ever happened my wife would kill me. I'd probably never have a tank after that. The tank would be in the great room where we spend the majority of our time.
Any one have any stats on glass tank failures?
Thanks

 

[Captain Quint]

That is interesting.

Keeping tanks since 1974 myself and the only issues I've had were on acrylic tanks and sumps but not glass.

 

[mfinn]

I've had glass tanks since the 60's and only one has leaked.
That was a Glass Cages tank 4-1/2 years ago.

 

[lapin]

If you are worried I would either build it myself if my skill level would permit or buy a custom tank that's over built. By going with thicker than normal glass you have more of a bonding surface between panels making the seams stronger. It also reduces what I call the deflecting force of water trying to distort the panels. Plus if a drone gets out of the operators hand, odds are it wont harm the glass.

 

[HB AL]

In 30+ years I've had no glass tanks leak and 1 acrylic burst open on a seam.

 

[mtraylor]

I would think the odds from acrylic to glass are about the same. You are going to have good and bad manufacturers ether way. I think the key would be to get repeatable company to get your aquarium from.....the old saying is you get what you pay for type of thing. You should be good to go.

 

[ca1ore]

If you are looking for actual data on tank failures, I don’t think it exists. I’d imagine the larger tank manufacturers know how many tanks they replaced under warranty, but they don’t appear to be sharing it anytime soon. If you run any tank long enough it will fail ..... 100%. I also think many failures are a result of operator error.

 

[mort]

I agree with the above that's it's normally our fault that tanks leak rather than degradation. You need to make sure that the stand is perfectly level and supports the base of the tank (especially if you ever get earthquakes) and that your careful moving the tank (which I guess are the two main causes of failure).
You can normally see dodgy silicon work before you fill the tank up. You should also be able to find how long they believe the silicon work should last for, which is normally 20 years or so. Just go with a trusted supplier.

 

[dochou]

So is it safe to say that the horror stories of seams leaking and silicone failing on glass tanks are just a tiny minority of all glass tanks?
Honesty, I've personally never seen a acrylic tank fail. I guess those horror stories are out there too.

 

[catfishblues]

For sure a tiny minority. There is an acrylic tank that a company I worked for would do maintenance on and was under warranty for 4 years. Its on year 2 and it's 4th leak haha. They've resealed IT for us and sent it back hopefully for good.. Total freak thing and is a nice tank and good brand so I'm not trying to bash them. But all that to say it's about same odds happening to both but I've personally seen more acrylics leak.