RSM 130 cracked need explanation/re-assurance

[bayroot]

Hi -

Last Feb. I bought a used RSM 190 - Everything was going great did a bunch of non glass related mods overflow to a 30 gallon sump/refugium from lifereef - tunze skimmer - inTank media basket - mp10 - and switched out the stock light with a current outer orbit. So for about 6 month the tank was doing really well good growth and water params. Had some nice corals and a couple fish with some character.

Last June we got a hot spell and I started putting frozen water bottles into the sump to keep the temperature from spiking. A few days later I woke up to a real beachy smell (in a refreshing way) I also heard a mechanical grinding sound so I hurried to my "man cave" and there is about ~60 gallons of water on the floor. I looked at the tank and saw a vertical crack spanning the entire tank. AAAhhh, everything was lost...

So it was quite a bad morning and there was some water damage but nothing I couldn't fix. So here I am "tankless" pondering if I should get back into the hobby.

The reason why I am reluctant was I felt like I did a good job with the husbandry aspect of this hobby. I could control the water parameters and had a healthy/happy tank. I guess my problem is the crack was out of my control and that's what scares me most about this hobby. Everything can be going fine and then "crack" your SOL...

So my questions:

Could the temperature swing have caused the crack?
My tank may have been slightly uneven, not completely crooked but a little off, could that have caused the crack?
Other possibilities or thoughts?
Does this sort of thing happen a lot in this hobby?

I appreciate any feedback you folks might have.

Thanks - Brendan

 

[JohnK]

If the stand was a little uneven it could have caused some odd stresses in the tank which might have been the reason for the crack. I can't think of any other explanation given the info you posted, but an unevenly supported tank can definately cause a failure.

 

[too_tanked]

I think this kind of thing is fairly rare, but I have seen a couple of examples on other forums about people having their RSMs crack. I don't think they ever really found out the cause. Some speculated about stress / tension in the glass due to defect or prior damage that suddenly let go. I think any of the tanks with curved corners may be more prone to this.

As an RSM 130 owner myself I am very interested in this subject. Probably my biggest fear with this hobby.

 

[JayM]

if you have the interest, and you've had some success with the hobby, I always say get in and stay in. good luck.

also, if your concern was a less-than-level surface, make super-sure the next tank IS 100% level, so you can have that as one less concern.

it strikes me that it's really not likely that an ice pack could cause enough of a thermal gradient to cause a stress crack.

lastly, buy one of these http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 and put it in your stand or on the floor near the new tank. you'll know if a leak happens again