# A question I might not want answered... Tank creaking noises during water change



## Doc7 (Apr 7, 2011)

So maybe I'm too anal about things.

Maybe I'm not.

Does anybody ever listen pretty closely while draining and filling their tanks and hear some noises that are a little disconcerting?

40 breeder here.

I noticed the last two times I drained and filled that my tank was making some noise. It's been set up for about 4 months and I don't recall noticing that previously. Part of me wonders if it's partly due to the cold lately, and the glass undergoes a bit more movement with differences in air temperature as it stops being in contact with the warm water.


Disconcerting experiment number 2 that I invite anyone else to maybe try and chime in on...

While the tank was emptied down low during this water change, I pushed, gently, on the front glass at the top rim, right in the middle. The tank responded with more of the same, a creaky/crunchy noise. (that sounds FANTASTIC) If I had to say a source, I would say it's at the bottom of the front glass. Anyone doing a water change in the near future willing to try the same experiment?

I do not see any issues with any seams while the tank is filled. There are no leaks -- the stand is open-bottomed and I see no water leaking anywhere or signs of cracks or failed seams.

The tank is filled all the way up now and not making any noise at this point. It's only during the water changes...


----------



## proaudio55 (Oct 20, 2011)

Yep mine does the same thing. For me though, it's not the tank making noise, it's the stand. I did a DIY out of 3/4" plywood. It popped and creaked for about a month . . . When I set it up, I put 1/2" white styrofoam insulation between the tank and stand so I was never concerned about having an explosion; the 72 gallon bowfront is free to move around and shift as much as it likes. I wouldn't worry about any noise (of course, it's not me that has to clean up your exploded tank) 

The 3/4" plywood was warped a bit so to flatten out the top, I glued 2 pieces together. The 6 compressed gas cylinders total about 1,000lbs and pressed everything VERY flat.









Stand all done, with 1/2" isolation foam between stand and tank.


----------



## Alyssa (Sep 16, 2011)

OKay so what exactly is the point with the mats and the foam under the tanks these days? I've never really understood what purpose they are supposed to serve.


----------



## xxbenjamminxx (Aug 8, 2011)

Its there in case your stand surface is not perfectly flat. This will crush down where it is higher allowing the low spots to still make contact with the tanks bottom offering a more even support. I hope that makes sense. Its a big help especially in an older home that may not have the most level or flat floors.


----------



## Doc7 (Apr 7, 2011)

When 100% full my seams look perfect

When 20% full some bubbles appear in the front left and right seams.

Seems opposite of most reports about bubbles....

Sent from my BlackBerry 9650 using Tapatalk


----------



## d3snoopy (Apr 1, 2011)

My 55gal creaks a bit when I fill it up. I'm sure it's the tank, though I can't tell if it's the rim or the seams.

My seams look *fairly* good - certainly no bubbles in the part sandwiched between glass. The "overlap" portion has a couple spots with "divots."

It's been creaking for a good 6mo now, and I have yet to have any problems. I just hope that when something decides to give up, it's a slow leak instead of a huge, sudden one. I hate to think about having to move the fish around to set up a new tank.


----------



## Rich Conley (Jun 10, 2008)

xxbenjamminxx said:


> Its there in case your stand surface is not perfectly flat. This will crush down where it is higher allowing the low spots to still make contact with the tanks bottom offering a more even support. I hope that makes sense. Its a big help especially in an older home that may not have the most level or flat floors.



Thats what the trim on your tank is for. 


Foam (especially foam thats more than .5" thick) is dangerous. If the stand is not perfectly level, the tank will sit heavier on one side, and the foam will compress more on that side, making the tank even less level.

Foam is only necessary on tanks that don't have bottom trim. Or acrylic tanks.


----------



## scapegoat (Jun 3, 2010)

proaudio55 said:


> Yep mine does the same thing.





proaudio55 said:


> For me though, it's not the tank making noise, it's the stand.


so... its not the same thing...


----------



## xxbenjamminxx (Aug 8, 2011)

Rich Conley said:


> Thats what the trim on your tank is for.
> 
> 
> Foam (especially foam thats more than .5" thick) is dangerous. If the stand is not perfectly level, the tank will sit heavier on one side, and the foam will compress more on that side, making the tank even less level.
> ...


Well obviously you would level your stand first, and do not go sticking a 3" thick stryrofoam in there. It isnt to "level" your tank, but if the surface of your tank stand isnt prefectly flat a 1/4" piece of foam can help to take up any gaps.


----------



## fresh.salty (Jul 2, 2010)

I used indoor/outdoor carpet under my 6' all glass/no trim tanks. They sat on a 2 x 4 and plywood stand. When first setup the stand was level, 7 years later one end is low. lol


----------



## Rich Conley (Jun 10, 2008)

xxbenjamminxx said:


> Well obviously you would level your stand first, and do not go sticking a 3" thick stryrofoam in there. It isnt to "level" your tank, but if the surface of your tank stand isnt prefectly flat a 1/4" piece of foam can help to take up any gaps.


 
Right, but you don't need to. Thats exactly what the trim is for(one of its primary functions). You're adding a risk with no corresponding benefit.


----------



## fresh.salty (Jul 2, 2010)

There's a big difference in having a high centered tank and one that's not level, regardless of it's construction.


----------



## Rich Conley (Jun 10, 2008)

fresh.salty said:


> There's a big difference in having a high centered tank and one that's not level, regardless of it's construction.


Of course there is, but unless you're talking about 1/2" higher in the middle, the trim on these tank is designed to deal with small imperfections. 

If you are talking about stands being 1/2" off in the middle, then your tank is probably going to eventually fail whether or not you have styro under it. 

Almost all of the manufacturers that have bottom trimmed tanks void warranties if you put styro under the tanks. Theres a reason for that.


----------



## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

Trim only handles very small imperfections, which are present in almost every stand.

For larger imperfections, compliant material under the tank helps. I had a tank blow due to a 1/8" dip in the stand. The replacement tank was successfully protected by putting 3/8" neoprene under it.

Of course there is a limit. If the stand is off by 1/2", it's time for a new stand!


----------



## kalawai2000 (Jan 15, 2011)

been having some funny sounds when I do water changes. I think its the wood in the stand...sounds like a old house creaking.


----------



## Doc7 (Apr 7, 2011)

yesterday it didn't make any noise on trial #2. I think it was because i was hanging my PVC water changer over the rim, i supported it with some books on the floor yesterday.

There are some quiet glass creaking noises (like if you push on a window) as it fills but I think that's probably not unusual.


----------



## seandelevan (Sep 24, 2006)

I had a a 125 on a stand that was making snap crackle and pop noises every time I did a water change they became louder and louder as time went by. I eventually replaced it with some cinder blocks hehe.


----------

