Stand got wet--will this be a problem?

B

breaker_1113

AC Members
Sep 13, 2002
103
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Coquitlam, BC, Canada
major problem!

I woke up this morning and i looked at my 45G long tank and i saw that my water lvl droped by.... an inch
i took a look at my filter and everything and there was no water leaking.
well any ways water was all over the back of the stand and i had a small puddle.
my stant is made out of particle board that has a coating over everywhere but the back.
now water went inside the wood and some parts of the wood is inflated and kinda rippled.
i dried up all the water and is there going to be serious problems?
will i have to drain my tankand get a new stand?
plz help me
 
When particle board gets wet, it loses the little structural integrity it has to start with. If the board has swelled, it is beyond saving. You might be able to replace just the side (sides?) that are damaged, but the safest thing would be to get a new stand.

A 45 gallon tank with water and decorations will weigh upwards of 400 pounds... do you want that resting on weakened particle board?

I wouldn't...

Jim
 
I'd watch it for a while. The particle board will dry, but it's probably going to be warped, and weakened while still wet.

Did you figure out how the water got out? Don't think I would trust the filter! Any airlines that might have slipped off?
 
I can't see your stand to make an assessment, but offhand I would err on the side of caution and say yes.
My advice: drain the tank to about half way while continuing to filter and over the weekend build a 2X4 stand with screwed in 5/8" plywood sides for lateral stength.
Then drain & move tank on to new stand.
Or you could just buy a good stand. ;)
 
Do you know how long it has been leaking? Let it dry and see if it has bloated at all. It might help if you got a fan with heat on the damp wood. I would say that if it hasn't bloated, then it should be no problem. IMO, tank stands should not be made of particle board or even MDF.
 
Have you ever handled particle board that has been soaked and then dried? It has the consistency of styrofoam and about as much strength. I just cannot imagine why it would be worth risking it. At the very least, I'd replace the damaged section.

Good luck,
Jim
 
Originally posted by JSchmidt
Have you ever handled particle board that has been soaked and then dried? It has the consistency of styrofoam and about as much strength. I just cannot imagine why it would be worth risking it. At the very least, I'd replace the damaged section.
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If you can catch it before it soaks you should be OK. After that, forget it. :(
 
Measure the thickness of the untouched wood and also measure the bloated part. Maybe it can be saved.
 
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