Glass Cages Tank Seam Failure.

[Michael Rodriguez]

I walked into my house about 20 minutes ago to a stream of water coming out of the side of my Glass Cages tank.

Luckily I was using tank as a native species tank but I was going to soon set it up as a reef tank...

I had bought the tank about 6 years ago. Within the first year, a chip of glass popped off on the front on the silicone seam. No one had been near the tank or anything. I never figured out what had happened until I saw a thread about this happening to Glass Cage tanks. When I called them about it, they essentially told me it was my fault and that their tanks don't just get chips in them. Chips are due to user error... They were quite angry that I called about it as well.

I know it wasn't the stand. The stand was built by a woodworker who had a history of building spiral staircases, inspecting tolerances on military aircraft's, maintaining and repairing photography manufacturing equipment and building custom cabinetry. A lot of his work had him flown into Germany...

The seam that broke was a different one from the on that had the chip in it. It was on the back.

I have a strong feeling that the seam failure is due to the lack of silicone in the seam. The same with the chip popping out. I suspect that Glass cages does not use spacers in their seams and that they possibly use clamps to squeeze the seams together.

So all in all, Glass cages doesn't like to provide support for their tanks and they don't make a solid product. It has proven time and time again. Buying a tank from them is a gamble...

 

[Michael Rodriguez]

 

[Dsnakes]

Wow :( I’m sorry to see that. Something like that scares me. I hope the cleanup doesn’t reveal too bad of water damage to anything.

I’m also glad you were able to catch it before all of that drained in your home.

 

[shred5]

So all in all, Glass cages doesn't like to provide support for their tanks and they don't make a solid product. It has proven time and time again. Buying a tank from them is a gamble...

That sound about right from what most people say.
Most buy them because they are a good price.

 

[S-t-r-e-t-c-h]

That sound about right from what most people say.
Most buy them because they are a good price.

I've heard the same. To be fair, I don't know any vendor that will warranty a tank out 6+ years on a stand that they didn't make. Sucks they wouldn't at least try to be helpful though...

 

[dantimdad]

I have had a few tanks by GC. Never had an issue.

I have helped install several from them. No issues.

I can't be that lucky.

They have been in business longer than most manufacturers so they can't be as bad as everyone makes them out to be. It's impossible.

Also, 6 years? No one is going to honor a warranty at that point.

The chip? That is really a tough call. I can't say if I built it I would cover it because there is no way of knowing what happened. I am sure you are being honest, but, they don't know that. Normally, glass doesn't chip without a bump or something.

They use spacers on most of their tanks. Even the nano I have waiting for my buddy to pick up has spacers and inside bottom eurobrace. Total overkill.

BTW, their pricing on customs is not much better than other manufacturers. I just got a quote on multiple tanks that was higher than three other manufacturers.

 

[Michael Rodriguez]

Also, 6 years? No one is going to honor a warranty at that point.

The chip? That is really a tough call. I can't say if I built it I would cover it because there is no way of knowing what happened. I am sure you are being honest, but, they don't know that. Normally, glass doesn't chip without a bump or something.

They use spacers on most of their tanks. Even the nano I have waiting for my buddy to pick up has spacers and inside bottom eurobrace. Total overkill.

BTW, their pricing on customs is not much better than other manufacturers. I just got a quote on multiple tanks that was higher than three other manufacturers.

I had called about the chip about 4 months after I had bought the tank. this was outside of their warranty period, I know for sure that they didn't use spacers on this tank. Now I just tried to put a razor in the seam with the chip and the point at where the chip is is less than 0.006". In other spots the razor slips in. In any spots that light can be seem through the silicone the spacing is less than 0.006".

I am not asking them to honor the warranty now, I am upset that they didn't honor it then or even consider there was an issue. Now that i'm proven right that there was an issue, I am making this post.

Every seam has these sort of transparent spots where the silicone was so thin you could see through it.

https://photos.google.com/search/_tra_/photo/AF1QipNpkLmhj-0d7rr5oPBIxbWSek8B0B1oPR6ubUK-

 

[ReefQueen]

Sorry about the leak, and I don’t have any opinions on GC having never owned one, but man that was the most calm I have ever seen anyone with a stream of saltwater spewing out the side of their tank!

 

[Michael Rodriguez]

 

[dantimdad]

Sorry this happened to you.

I am not accusing you of anything. I am pointing out that this is not a normal case for them.

No matter what you read.

It's just like saying black boxes cause fires. There are thousands of them in use for years than never had an issue.

Since it is viewed as a discount item, if it fails, every one jumps on the bashing bandwagon.

 

[dantimdad]

Sorry about the leak, and I don’t have any opinions on GC having never owned one, but man that was the most calm I have ever seen anyone with a stream of saltwater spewing out the side of their tank!

For real! You really stayed calm in the face of that.

 

[Art2249]

I have a pair of shoes and shorts identical to yours. Right up to the paint stains. Hope you get your leak fixed.

 

[Michael Rodriguez]

Sorry this happened to you.

I am not accusing you of anything. I am pointing out that this is not a normal case for them.

No matter what you read.

It's just like saying black boxes cause fires. There are thousands of them in use for years than never had an issue.

Since it is viewed as a discount item, if it fails, every one jumps on the bashing bandwagon.

This tank was built years ago. So who knows how their quality control is now. I hope it is a lot better than before.

I had payed for a few upgrades on this tank, polished edges and starfire glass. I drilled it myself and used a glass holes overflow. When I got the tank it looked as though they didn't put the time into making sure it was right. Silicone squeezed out everywhere, glass uneven by 1/8" etc.

The quality of the glass itself is great. It is just how it was cut prepped and put together that is the problem.

 

[Michael Rodriguez]

I have a pair of shoes and shorts identical to yours. Right up to the paint stains. Hope you get your leak fixed.

I think I am going to order a new piece of glass, maybe the sides as well, take all of the glass apart and rebuild it. I want to use a double pane of glass on the bottom.

I will take pictures but it will probably be a while.

 

[Art2249]

Good luck to you sir.

 

[Tamberav]

Oh wow! Sorry! It made me nervous that there appears to be a power bar/cord behind the tank and salt water was spraying everywhere.

 

[OriginalUserName]

I have had a few tanks by GC. Never had an issue.

I have helped install several from them. No issues.

I can't be that lucky.

They have been in business longer than most manufacturers so they can't be as bad as everyone makes them out to be. It's impossible.

Also, 6 years? No one is going to honor a warranty at that point.

The chip? That is really a tough call. I can't say if I built it I would cover it because there is no way of knowing what happened. I am sure you are being honest, but, they don't know that. Normally, glass doesn't chip without a bump or something.

They use spacers on most of their tanks. Even the nano I have waiting for my buddy to pick up has spacers and inside bottom eurobrace. Total overkill.

BTW, their pricing on customs is not much better than other manufacturers. I just got a quote on multiple tanks that was higher than three other manufacturers.

I've never used on of their tanks myself, but I knew them from Reptile shows way back in the early 2000s. They make a ton of tanks. The one I saw in person was euro braced and seemed well built.

 

[dantimdad]

I've never used on of their tanks myself, but I knew them from Reptile shows way back in the early 2000s. They make a ton of tanks. The one I saw in person was euro braced and seemed well built.

I dig your username. :)

 

[12gallonsofhex]

That is a nightmare. Also, the little toddler saying 'that peeing' is perfect comedy relief. I hope that if this ever happens to me someday that someone will say something funny enough that I dont loose it and go postal.

 

[jwilliams860]

Quick thinking on the clamp. Luckily it's not a huge tank, my buddy has a 600 gallon from them, I inspected the seam work and it appeared adequate when he got it. Fingers crossed.