Acrylic Tank Seam Issue

[BroomfieldReefTank]

My tank has had this white area for quite a while but it may have expanded somewhat. Am I losing the seal? Anything that can be done about it? Don’t want to have to get a full new tank. Thanks in advance!

 

[smitten with ocean life]

@Troylee

 

[Troylee]

Yeah that’s toast man… it’s gonna let go any second and make a big mess! Sorry…

 

[UncommonSense]

Wow! Yeah… this seam has reached the end of it’s useful lifespan..

It’s quite odd that it delaminated so badly in that particular spot, when the areas around it are just starting…

I’m sorry to say that this tank is a flood risk to your home at this point, and should be taken down sooner rather than later!

The tank itself could be broken down to panes and rebuilt, but this is an incredibly labor intensive job, which requires significant experience and/or tooling…

Unfortunately, your bet here would to be to set up a holding tank in the form of a large plastic trash can or similar water holding container, and starting to look around for a new tank…

 

[vetteguy53081]

These panels are fused together and as suggested- do not use.
I would not be able to leave my house knowing any day can be the day for this to let loose

 

[fushi]

My tank has had this white area for quite a while but it may have expanded somewhat. Am I losing the seal? Anything that can be done about it? Don’t want to have to get a full new tank. Thanks in advance!

Sorry to see that , you might be able to use some ratchet straps and some 2x4's (on each corner) to hold it together while you get a new tank ready.

 

[UncommonSense]

Sorry to see that , you might be able to use some ratchet straps and some 2x4's (on each corner) to hold it together while you get a new tank ready.

The seam is so far gone that I’m not sure the wood and clamps trick will prevent water from just weeping through that area once the last 1/8”-1/16th inch of intact silicone delaminates!

 

[fushi]

The seam is so far gone that I’m not sure the wood and clamps trick will prevent water from just weeping through that area once the last 1/8”-1/16th inch of intact silicone delaminates!

Maybe, its also acrylic so it may buy them some time.

 

[Troylee]

The seam is so far gone that I’m not sure the wood and clamps trick will prevent water from just weeping through that area once the last 1/8”-1/16th inch of intact silicone delaminates!

It’s acrylic so no clamps are gonna hold it together.. it’s got no cushion in the joint it’s a solvent weld.

 

[UncommonSense]

It’s acrylic so no clamps are gonna hold it together.. it’s got no cushion in the joint it’s a solvent weld.

I realized that it was acrylic just a moment ago! — that black back panel threw me off!

(Clearly I’m still waking up!)

 

[BroomfieldReefTank]

Would Weld On 4 put on the outside provide any temporary help while I get some help switching out this tank?

 

[UncommonSense]

Would Weld On 4 put on the outside provide any temporary help while I get some help switching out this tank?

No! — acrylic under preload being softened by welding solvent will crack/craze!

 

[Tripod1404]

It’s acrylic so no clamps are gonna hold it together.. it’s got no cushion in the joint it’s a solvent weld.

Depending on the level of damage on that seam, clamps or ratchets straps may actually make this tank burst. Unlike glass, acrylic is somewhat flexible, so trying forcibly push two pieces together will probably cause the panels to flex. With a seam already weakened, panel flexing in opposite direction can cause it to fail catastrophically.

 

[Troylee]

Would Weld On 4 put on the outside provide any temporary help while I get some help switching out this tank?

No…. The only thing you could do to even try and save that tank would be drain it and let it dry out for 2 weeks or so and glue a block down that entire seam from the inside with Weldon 40-42 and it would be ugly.. it would be okay as a frag tank or something in the garage but that’s about as far as I would go with it… if that seam is compromised I’d imagine the others might not be far behind it unfortunately..