What is Aluminum Profile ?
We use it so often in your tank builds, holding facility, and you cannot miss it at our retail store.
They are used for our tank system, quarantine area, shelving, storage, kitchen, display racks, and even our office table is make of profile customization.
Back in 2012- Lighting Railing System called the Movalite was born, in those days, huge Metal Halide was the way to go, however- we often get a "perm" after maintaining these tanks, so we thought of a great solution to move the lights out while we are doing so, hence the birth of Movalite, to be able to slide the lighting rail away from tank. These lights are usually 50kg and more. so we have to find an easy solution.
Today we still use many of those system for heavy LED light rails- check out these images:
Why use Profile Stand for tank stand?
The story was when 1 of our customers had a beautiful 8 year old tank, however, his leg stand made of wood was chipping off.
The solution to repair the stand was to decommission his work, and we felt that it was quite a waste, and we thought, how can we design something that could last very long, and if needed, simply change the exterior without affecting the tank system - THAT WAS THE BIRTH OF X-SERIES
in 2013, we started to use many profile stand to build tanks, and this is still the preferred choice. for any tank about 1200mm, we strongly recommend you to use that, for safety and long term investment of your tank.
This profile is honey combed, and not them malleable ones for curtain railings, dont be confused (:
Today, our German factory has also picked up the use of Aluminium Profile Stands in their tank build for this is something that is proven and tested for large tank system.
If you are asking, does aluminum rust like steel: do check the below for a scientific explanation:
Rust vs Corrosion
Most metals want to corrode back to some form of ore. (Gold is one notable exception.) Corrosion starts with oxidation, where atoms of metal link up with oxygen, followed by a gradual, or not so gradual, breakdown. Rusting is a specialized form of corrosion that only iron and steel go through.
Rust is when the iron oxidizes and flakes off. It’s accelerated by moisture. Flaking exposes fresh metal beneath, which in turn oxidizes and flakes.
Aluminum oxidation happens faster than that of steel, because aluminum has a really strong affinity for oxygen. Rather than flaking though, aluminum oxide just forms a hard, whitish-colored surface skin. When all the aluminum atoms have bonded with oxygen the oxidation process stops.
Aluminum Corrosion
Scratching this oxide skin exposes bare metal, and the process begins again. It won’t eat the metal away though, except under two conditions. First, if chlorides or sulfides are around they’ll attack the aluminum oxide layer.
Chlorides are compounds of chlorine. Sodium chloride would be an example, which is the chemical name for salt. And where do you find lots of salt? In the ocean. Likewise, sulfides are sulfur compounds. They’re prevalent in areas of polluted air.
Second, if conditions are right you could experience galvanic corrosion. this is an electrical effect experienced when dissimilar metals are brought close together in a conducting liquid. For example, immerse brass and aluminum in seawater and electrons move from the aluminum to the brass. This can be a problem in boats where brass fittings are close to or even in contact with aluminum. (Fuel tanks are a prime example.)
Preventing Aluminum Corrosion
You can’t do much about aluminum oxidation, and unless appearance matters, it’s not a big problem. Aluminum corrosion could however be a serious issue. If there’s any possibility of it happening you have two options:
- Apply a protective coating.
- Minimize or mitigate the effect of galvanic corrosion.
You should also consider the grade or series of aluminum you’re using. Some of theses, notably 5052 and 3003, have better corrosion-resistance properties than others. More generally, 1xxx, 3xxx, 5xxx and 6xxx series alloys offer good corrosion resistance.
Protective Coatings
There are three options:
- Paint
- Powder coat
- Anodize
If you’re concerned about galvanic corrosion look for paint or powder with high electrical resistance. Anodizing is a kind of surface oxidation that can produce some very attractive finishes. However, it’s not usually practical for larger fabrications.
If taking the coating approach, don’t forget that any damage needs immediate attention. Leave some aluminum exposed and you risk corrosion getting a toehold.
Preventing Galvanic Corrosion
Ideally, keep the aluminum dry. The galvanic effect can’t work without an electrically-conductive liquid between the two metals. If that’s not possible, try to use electrically insulating coatings.
Many boaters also use a sacrificial anode made of zinc. This corrodes faster than the aluminum, in effect, sacrificing itself. Sacrificial anodes do need replacing periodically, but then so will most coatings.