120g hairline stress fracture

[reefbud]

So, everything was going fine with my setup (lights, controller, plumbing, etc) until testing the tank. Earlier I had filled the tank in the garage to make sure it would not leak before bringing it in the home and that was successful, though I did not want to test long in the garage floor because I know it is slightly off level.

Now the custom location builtin to the fireplace was ready so the tank was put into position. My custom stand was made of good straight 2x4 and 2x6 stock with a 3/4 birch plywood top. As my brother commented, "I could drive my truck on that stand"!

Once the tank was in place, I did notice light was visible in some spots between the tank frame and the stand. These were less than 1/16" gaps so I utilized some aluminum and sheet metal scraps to fill-in, only to make it fit snug. It took 2 days to fill the tank with conditioned water, but on day 3 I noticed a weird line in the bottom glass...apparently a hairline stress fracture.

The fracture itself appears less than 1/8" and the glass is 1/2". There is no leaking. To be safe, I did empty the tank and I have the LFS guy scheduled to come out and eyeball it.

What would you do in my position? Can such a hairline fracture get worst? If it leaks, will the leak only be a drip...I can handle drips since it is installed in the fireplace and will run off the slab away from interior (this is why I liked putting it in the fireplace)...

[Threedo]

Positive it is a crack? I called the tank maker for mine i had it all the way full and noticed a small crack in the overflow when working under the tank after i put the bulkhead on... he told me to take a razor blade sideways to it lightly and it turned out to be a very thin line of silicone. Just a thought, but if it is a crack and you have a warranty i would return it.

[thegrun]

Yes it will almost certainly get worse and could fail catastrophically. I would replace the bottom panel (or get a new tank).

[Donkeykong]

replace bottom or or whole tank, that sucks but if it is a stress crack it is going to get bigger and probably soon, like when you put in a hundred pounds of sand and rock. If the LFS guy tells you the crack wont get any bigger and you are fine then you know right then and there to never trust him again.

[Zypharus]

Can you verify it yourself running your fingernail across it or the razor blade method Threedo suggested? Its great the LFS guy is going to check it out for you, but IMHO I would trust my own judgement and see if the LFS guy agrees after he checks it out. Also, where in the bottom is this? middle of the glass? seam? Bulkhead joint?

[Sk8r]

Try shining an angled light at it. My 1/2 thick tank has a little imperfection, apparently just a bending flaw or wrinkle on the bowed glass, very hard to see. But if you see penetration of any crack into the glass, at all, best fix it now before it gos catastrophic later.

[reefbud]

I am waiting for the LFS guy to observe it before I take if off the stand. Once I get it off the stand, I assume we can turn it on its side to observe the bottom and use the razor trick you spoke of. Man, this tank weighs a ton even empty...never knew glass could weigh so much I guess. Unfortunately, I am 98% sure that mark was NOT there before.

Of course the root cause will either be the stand and/or the frame. I'll just show the LFS guy how straight the stand is and see what he thinks. What a set back on the project this will be...

How much would one expect to pay for replacing the bottom (24x48 of 1/2" )? I might prefer to get some credit and replace the whole thing! I assume they can refurbish it.

[reefbud]

Note the hairline is about 6" long running left to right about center of bottom panel 6" from rear of tank. Its kinda hard to see its so faint.

[fishgate]

Not even a question. If it is a crack, suck it up and replace the tank/glass. Not worth the loss of sleep.

[MarkGP]

If that is an AGA or Aqueon 120 the bottom glass is tempered. It would have shattered and not cracked. Probably just a thin line of silicone that looks like a crack. I've seen it many times.

[Sonny n Colleen]

Better to replace the glass now if it is scratched or cracked. Replacing the glass now is a lot cheaper than replacing fish, corals, etc down the road. It is probably something on the glass or got scratched during installation. Tempered glass can have imperfections caused by the tempering process. Could be the tank manufacturer used glass with visible imperfections on the bottom since it will most likely be covered with something. GL, I hope it is silicone or something that looks like a crack.

[reefbud]

Update - I removed the tank so I could have access to the bottom and use the razor blade trick to test for silicon, etc. No residue found, only extremely slight ridge really only detectible by sound, not feel as the razor crosses it.

Also, I put a level on the bottom frame and it was way off...about 1/4" on the long side. At first I was faulting potentially my custom stand...but the stand is spot on and this tank bottom frame is NOT. Has anyone seen this before? Is the tank frame allowed to settle? Recall, I placed some extremely slight metal shims between tank and stand thinking that was NOT a good sign. Did I do more harm than good?

[reefbud]

Update - LFS guy came by and inspected my report of "hairline fracture". He indicated that this was definitely NOT a crack or fracture, but rather and scratch at best and said if it were his tank he would have no problem filling it with water. Also, I showed him that the tank framing on the bottom was NOT straight...about +1/8" out of alignment on the long side (48"). Again, he indicated this is NOT a problem and the weight of the tank after filling with water will settle the frame down straight.

So, with some reservation I assume to proceed testing again and see what happens. At this point my main problem is the uneven frame of the tank. My custom base is pretty dang level and straight. You would think the tank frame would be MUCH more straight than my custom made base. Am I making too much of it? Is it true that 1/8-1/4" bend o the 48" frame is tolerable and the weight of the tank will nicely settle everything where it needs to be?

[fishgate]

Is it unlevel where they didn't seat the glass all the way in the frame? if that is the case, I'd take the tank back.

Or does the frame itself have a manufacturing defect?

A 120g is a pretty standard tank. It isn't like anyone is going to take a huge loss over it. So when/if in doubt, demand replacement. I am SURE the LFS will get credit for the tank if he calls the manufacturer.

[reefbud]

I'd say they didn't seat the frame properly. The LFS guy indicated the weight would cause it to settle and enough silicone is in there to provide cushion.

Well, I decided to go with LFS advice and began re-filling the tank...but I did add a layer of foam between the tank and custom stand for what its worth. Naturally, they will honor the warrantee if it does leak within 12 months. Hopefully, I won't regret this down the road.

This got me to wondering how often do aquarists have to deal with tank leaks. Can we each expect to deal with at least 1 leak in the life of the tank...or 1 in 5 aquarists? Have you or friends had to deal with leaks?

[Curtis.H]

Yes, they will honor the warrenty on the tank if it breaks but they won't cover all of the livestock you lose or the cost to clean up 120 gallons of saltwater out of the carpet. Murphy's Law says that the tank will break the day after the one year warranty expires.

Demand they replace the tank now. If it's really nothing to be concerned about they can use the tank in the shop.

[fishgate]

Yes, they will honor the warrenty on the tank if it breaks but they won't cover all of the livestock you lose or the cost to clean up 120 gallons of saltwater out of the carpet. Murphy's Law says that the tank will break the day after the one year warranty expires.

Demand they replace the tank now. If it's really nothing to be concerned about they can use the tank in the shop.

+1. The store employee just wants you to go away. He has no interest in whether the right thing is done, just that you don't take away from his cigarette break. Take back the tank for replacement.

[aleonn]

I don't trust your LFS. Get what he said in writing, in case your tank breaks. Then tell him you consulted with aquarium and legal friends who recommended a refund or replacement of the tank. For sure, the LFS can return the tank to the manufacturer for a manufacturer defect.

[Bowels]

Ok dude, to answer your question, this happens. I just had a tank break on me... prob my own fault I was moving the piping around when i was putting in a new sump and the back of the tank cracked... trust me you dont want this kind of pressure in your life lol I panicked and got it taken care of in panic mode the next day lol moved all the corals out.\

Do you really want the worry? I would advise you to just go swap it out before you put rock and water and life in there! You will save yourself sooo much hassle and possibly money if you lose everything by not catching that its leaking. This is going to house your aquarium for a long time right? Dont screw around.

[erock68]

In my short experience time, I can say that I almost freaked out, with what I saw in my Aqueon tank. I have put it on and taken it off my stand 2 times now, while building in wall. I finally got it on the stand the final time and was making sure everything was level, then I saw them.

From the corner, were 2 crack like lines, and I was sooo bummed :worried: I tried to scrape off or judge with my finger and I was certain they were cracks. My wife had to nearly call the emt's, I was ready to freak out!

I grabbed a razor blade and it took a few good scrapes but, they were gone. It was just silicone.

Hoping you don't have to return your tank, but if you do, you'll have the peace of mind that, you won't have a huge cleanup and loss. Good Luck!!

[Meshmez]

I'd say they didn't seat the frame properly. The LFS guy indicated the weight would cause it to settle and enough silicone is in there to provide cushion.

Well, I decided to go with LFS advice and began re-filling the tank...but I did add a layer of foam between the tank and custom stand for what its worth. Naturally, they will honor the warrantee if it does leak within 12 months. Hopefully, I won't regret this down the road.

This got me to wondering how often do aquarists have to deal with tank leaks. Can we each expect to deal with at least 1 leak in the life of the tank...or 1 in 5 aquarists? Have you or friends had to deal with leaks?

Who made this tank? I thought most manufacturers had lifetime warrantees on tanks that big?

If YOU think its a crack, not a scratch, I would have them swap it out. It sets you back a little on getting your tank running, but i would rather do that then have to empty sand/rock/ coral/ fish out of a running tank and clean up my floor when the tank fails. If its a small scratch, i wouldnt worry.