Lighting Clamp Too Heavy for Acrylic Panel? Stress Scratches Developing on Deskmate Pico Tank.

[george9]

Hey all,
I am running a little UV bulb in the back of my acrylic Deskmate tank to tackle a recurring bacteria bloom issue I’ve been having. Woke up this morning and noticed some thin scratches developing on the center back panel of this tank below where the lighting is clamped to. They’re only visible with the UV light on and I cannot feel them with my fingers but to me, it resembles some type of stress fracture starting due to weight?

I replaced the stock lights with heavier ones and am thinking it may be too heavy for this acrylic panel. It is extremely hard to photograph the scratches but I managed to take a pic of what they look like. None are occurring where the light is exactly clamped to, but they do appear down the panel below the clamp. I don’t really move much around in this back chamber so I don’t think it’s likely some other piece of equipment is to blame.

I’ve seen plenty of people with heavy lights like mine on this tank, but maybe they just haven’t noticed the same issue because they don’t run UV in their back chamber?

Long story short - is this a potential issue for cracking one day, should I seek a lighter lighting alternative?

Is UV safe to use in acrylic tanks like I am doing?

Thank you!

 

[blaxsun]

I couldn't say one way or the other, sorry. That's not a massively heavy light, the acrylic is 6mm wide and there are some side panes reinforcing it. It could be that there are simply some scratches from equipment that was placed there and moved.

 

[LightingBug]

Hey yo -
this happened to me recently but on a 13.5 Fluval and only because I am running it on the filtration cover and not the back glass.

It could just be scratched as @blaxsun said, but if you want a little reinforcement you can use something like a small mirror or a piece of glass or scrap acrylic - as long as it is a larger size than the outline of the mount - and put it behind the back acrylic and then install the mount.

 

[george9]

Hey yo -
this happened to me recently but on a 13.5 Fluval and only because I am running it on the filtration cover and not the back glass.

It could just be scratched as @blaxsun said, but if you want a little reinforcement you can use something like a small mirror or a piece of glass or scrap acrylic - as long as it is a larger size than the outline of the mount - and put it behind the back acrylic and then install the mount.

Thanks for the tip! I did exactly this and installed two square acrylic pieces on each side of the bracket to relieve some stress. I tried to replicate making a scratch with everything that I’ve used in that compartment and was unable to replicate the issue so I’m thinking it has to do with the light.

Regardless they’re invisible unless I’m running a bare UV lamp back there so will not worry for now.

Thanks guys