180g Acrylic seam bubbles- Bad, OK, Fixable??

[LilJohn321]

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Welcome to your new home for saltwater reef aquarium resources and fun! Welcome to the family! :D

 

[mh0ward]

If it were me, I sure wouldn’t fill it with water.

 

[fishguy242]

Hi ,looks ok to me , looks like an added bead of weld on 16 was added after build ?
@Troylee @Lowell Lemon , thoughts ?

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Welcome to Reef2reef!

 

[DDenny]

 

[KrisReef]

Hi ,looks ok to me , looks like an added bead of weld on 16 was added after build ?
@Troylee @Lowell Lemon , thoughts ?

Yup, and that is probably what caused it to become so visibly cracked. It looks like they used #16 and the solvent fractured the edges of the open gap.

There is a reason why there is not water in it now.

 

[KrisReef]

If it were me, I sure wouldn’t fill it with water.

I would fill it in Your house, but not mine. :cool: :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes::eek:

 

[KrisReef]

I would buy a new one without these defects and not try to fix this unless you have an acrylic shop and equipment to build a new one, and if you have an acrylic shop I would just build a new one..

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

 

[vetteguy53081]

the bubbles and seam separation are too deep int the thickness to take the chance with potential water pressure. This is one to be concerned sleeping at night to wake up to a surprise.
If you feel you want to reseal the seam, which is best recourse, I can send you instruction as Ive repaired over 70 tanks for people and turned out clean and leak free.

 

[zheka757]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[CO2TLEY]

 

[PharmrJohn]

Yeah, don't use. Take it from a dude that had to do a rapid tank swap over a 2 or 3 day period. Mine was a leak. Not fun. Not fun at all.

 

[TardWrangler]

It’s not good however, if you use weld on 40 2 part epoxy, tip tank at 45 angle and pour a fillet weld of the thickness of the pane or greater(so 1/4” 1/4”+preferably 3/8”-1/2”) it will hold. That acrylic epoxy hardens and bonds like it’s cast acrylic. Very strong.

Otherwise you have to make more extensive repairs and it probably isn’t worth the time and will be difficult without a fab shop and proper tools.

 

[vetteguy53081]

 

[Brisk]

Welcome!

 

[Ocean_Queenie]

Hello & Welcome!

 

[1112-425XL]

 

[56longroof]

Welcome to R2R and good luck on the tank repair.

 

[kevgib67]

Welcome, glad you are here!