Could this Acrylic Tank Fail?

[magnetar68]

125G Custom Acrylic tank. I noticed these cracks today. One of the left and one on the right. The one on the left is worse. They were not there a couple of weeks ago. The tank is level from left to right, but the house must have settled this winter because it is a little out of level from front to back where the back is a little higher. Not sure if that small amount could cause a problem. I have photos of the levels below.

Left Crack (Outside)

Right Crack (seen through the corner on the inside)

<--Front to Back --> Level

<--Left to Right --> Level

 

[coral4me]

Anything is possible, but the crazing doesn't look deep enough for failure, I'd keep an eye on it for signs of progression. That spot looks like it may have been cleaned with the wrong cleaner at somepoint. Any cleaners with solvents (ex. alcohol, windex) will cause crazing like that on the acrylic. It usually happens on flame polished edge or any place the acrylic is stresses. The solvents break the stressed polymer chains leaving cracks. Do NOT every try repair it by adding more acrylic cement, the solvent in the cement will make it much worse since it is already stressed. This is why you can not glue acrylic near an edge that has been polished.

 

[Kensington Reefer]

It could fail sooner rather than later
I have tanks that look like that...for many years
But it’s easier to fix or replace a tank that’s not already leaking

The race is on...

 

[magnetar68]

How can the issue be fixed?

 

[scuzy]

It will require rebonding the seam. Lots of work.


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[ashburn2k]

I'd be more interested to know how much time does he/she have before this becomes a disaster, given the fact that those stress crack showed up overnight.

 

[Coral reefer]

Wow, those were not there at all one month ago. That’s scary how fast it happened. Tank has been up for several years now. Sorry I have no real input on the situation.

 

[coral4me]

I missed that they appeared over night. I’d start looking for a new tank.


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[Kensington Reefer]

I've got an empty 150 rubbermaid in the back yard if you need

 

[Flagg37]

Wow, how long has the tank been up before this? I don’t think it being slightly out of level would do that. Maybe if the stand wasn’t flat though. Say if there was a slight hump or sag in the middle.