Small crack on corner

jorda9095 · 05/30/2018, 01:09 PM

I recently set up a IM lagoon 25. I tried to level it as best as I could. After having the tank up for about 2 days, I noticed a very small scratch/crack (1/4 of an inch) coming from the bottom corner of the front pane of glass. I'm still not 100% sure if it is a scratch or the start of a crack.

I immediately put a few layers of duct tape under the corner of the tank and it is really not visible anymore without a flashlight. This leads me to believe it is a crack.

I'm not sure what I should do. Leave it as is? Drain it and put another leveling mat underneath? What would you recommend?

Thanks

nereefpat · 05/30/2018, 03:03 PM

Can you get a picture?

Scratches are nothing to worry about, but if the tank has a crack, I would decommission it immediately.

nikon187 · 05/30/2018, 04:19 PM

duct tape is a miracle tool but not if the tank is cracked. Double check and make sure its a scratch or turf the tank, nothing can fix a crack other than replacing the damaged pane

jorda9095 · 05/30/2018, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nereefpat

Can you get a picture?

Scratches are nothing to worry about, but if the tank has a crack, I would decommission it immediately.

I probably could've gotten a decent picture before I put the duct tape underneath. Now it is virtually impossible to see without shining a light on it and my iPhone can't focus on something that small.

I don't want to decommission it before I even got it cycling

NO3 · 05/30/2018, 06:32 PM

Gorilla Glue duct tape.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Gorilla-T...&wl13=&veh=sem

really tough stuff with major fiber threads running thru it. Dang near like Kevlar.

I have a 2in hole in my lawnmower chassis....where grass would fly out. Put Gorilla duct tape on it and 2 seasons later it still has a tight seal......doesn't even look aged or worn

jorda9095 · 05/30/2018, 07:25 PM

Here is a picture I was able to get using two phones. It is less than 1/4 an inch long.

ca1ore · 05/30/2018, 09:32 PM

Hard to tell, even from that picture. If it's a corner 'crush' injury, then it's impossible to say with any certainty how much of a problem it will be. How much of a mess will 25 gallons make? Clearly if you see any cracks beginning to travel across the glass pane the tank is toast.

I certainly hope the duct tape was in jest.

jorda9095 · 05/30/2018, 10:22 PM

The duct tape isn't on the crack lol. It's underneath the tank to make a more level surface. I'm keeping my eye on it very closely to see if it spreads.

Scott07 · 05/31/2018, 05:32 AM

On a tank this size, I don't believe perfect level is as crucial as a larger tank. There's just not enough distance for a pane to torq under pressure. Not at all trying to say level isn't what your goal should be for ANY tank... just to me... IMHO.... that crack looks like something caused from an impact. I had am 8g cube i was cleaning in the bathtub one time. I accidentally bashed one of its corners into the tub, and now that tank has a crack that looks very similar to your picture, and is now out of commission. Additionally it put a hole in the thin fiberglass tub.... whoops lol.

As others have said, it's hard to tell for sure just from a picture.... but.... if you believe it's a crack, not a surface scratch..... my advise would be to drain it now before you have more to loose in the way of livestock. I know it would totally suck to tear this tank down now after you just set it up.... but if it's got to happen.... now really is the best time to do it.

jamie1981 · 05/31/2018, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NO3

Gorilla Glue duct tape.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Gorilla-T...&wl13=&veh=sem

really tough stuff with major fiber threads running thru it. Dang near like Kevlar.

I have a 2in hole in my lawnmower chassis....where grass would fly out. Put Gorilla duct tape on it and 2 seasons later it still has a tight seal......doesn't even look aged or worn

NO! Do NOT use duct tape to fix a cracked tank!

jamie1981 · 05/31/2018, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jorda9095

Here is a picture I was able to get using two phones. It is less than 1/4 an inch long.

It's hard to tell from the pic but based on the fact that the corner is clearly damaged it could be a crack progressing from the damaged area. I would not trust it. There is no way to fix a crack on a glass tank but to replace the panel.

Acrylic tanks can be repaired if done correctly.

ryeguyy84 · 06/01/2018, 08:34 AM

yeah it looks like that tank was dropped on the corner. not a hard drop but enough to mess it up. I wouldn't risk it, like others have said it's easier to drain it now then when it's more established or worse have it self drain the middle of the night. 25G is more than what a roll of paper towels can pickup.

if you're going to risk it at least put a leak detector underneath so you can get to it quickly.

jorda9095 · 06/01/2018, 05:35 PM

I'm going to drain it this weekend and inspect it some more. It may have been dropped. The corner is in relatively good shape. Here is a shot that is not zoomed in and without a light for reference. You can see the line if you look closely. It is right next to my desk and I work from home so I will most likely be here if it gets worse.

ryeguyy84 · 06/03/2018, 08:34 AM

Things have a tendency of getting worse at night while we sleep

. I think you're making the right choice here, sucks but you'll sleep better

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

NO3 · 06/03/2018, 01:37 PM

If you live in a house with a garage....load it with tapwater and a 4inch sandbed ( get cheap sand from Home Depot)....

In the garage but on a stand that you can see this scratch all the time.

Measure the scratch down to the 1/2mm

Measure it in 30 days to see if it has spread a 0.5mm or smthg. If no expansion then you're 98% ok.

We ALL are one night away from the bottom of our own tank BUSTING loose. Tmrw not promised to anyone.....

jayball · 06/03/2018, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NO3

If you live in a house with a garage....load it with tapwater and a 4inch sandbed ( get cheap sand from Home Depot)....

In the garage but on a stand that you can see this scratch all the time.

Measure the scratch down to the 1/2mm

Measure it in 30 days to see if it has spread a 0.5mm or smthg. If no expansion then you're 98% ok.

We ALL are one night away from the bottom of our own tank BUSTING loose. Tmrw not promised to anyone.....

True, anyone's tank could bust. Do you really want to up your odds though? 25 gallons could easily cause thousands in damage. Seems like wrekless advise to be handing out unless you will be paying the bill if something goes wrong.

Sent using Tapatalk.

Tripod1404 · 06/03/2018, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayball

True, anyone's tank could bust. Do you really want to up your odds though? 25 gallons could easily cause thousands in damage. Seems like wrekless advise to be handing out unless you will be paying the bill if something goes wrong.

Sent using Tapatalk.

I agree. Unless the tank is in the garage or something, I would not risk using a damaged tank. Damage and cleaning cost of such an event is beyond trying to keep or fix the tank. Even more so since a new 25G tank would cost significantly less than the potential damage.

Even 1 gallon water would make a puddle, 25 gallon will wet the floor half the house.

NO3 · 06/03/2018, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tripod1404

I agree. Unless the tank is in the garage or something, I would not risk using a damaged tank.......Seems like wrekless advise

Did you guys even slow down to read my post?

I said "GARAGE"..... TWICE in my original posts.

Seems like reckless post interuptations

jayball · 06/03/2018, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NO3

Did you guys even slow down to read my post?

I said "GARAGE"..... TWICE in my original posts. .

Seems like reckless post interuptations

Sure you did. While you never specifically said it the implication was that the tank would be brought back into the house and put into service. A tank with a crack will always have higher long term risk, that is why we are pushing back on your suggestion. Not many people want to run a small reef tank in the garage forever.

Sent using Tapatalk.

NO3 · 06/03/2018, 09:34 PM

Then tell the guy to smash the tank with a hammer and put the tank remains in the garbage can at the end of the driveway on trashday

Tripod1404 · 06/04/2018, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NO3

Did you guys even slow down to read my post?

I said "GARAGE"..... TWICE in my original posts.

Lol good job modifying what i said!! You quoted my post and modified it, that is very rude. Next time dont make up what I said, Ok?

Also like @jayball, whats the point of testing it in the garage? The point is a cracked tank can fail at any moment and is not safe to use.

NO3 · 06/04/2018, 08:17 AM

I apologize as I edited the quoted comments with a "....." so as to HIGHLIGHT the points of the debate ( which turned into an argument when the word "reckless" was used)

I guess I should have used individual quote boxes for each point. I DID NOT mean to edit with a "...." to look like that was the exact presentation.

Anyway....

I gave my "personal opinion" that the tank needs to be put in the garage and tested with a 'load" on the bottom glass for a month and measure if the scratch grows or spread at all.

I'm then called out for reckless advice ......which ups the tension in the post....

I still don't understand the conflict with my garage-testing idea....bc if the tank bottom busts wide open in the garage, you only have a wet garage floor with sand and broken glass to clean up. If the tank were to 'hold-true" for 30 days the tank should last [in my opinion my God] for a long time

Ultimately we can sit here and write out nouns, verbs and adjectives.....but the OP needs to decide if they " want-to-risk-it". Again my idea is to test it with a load for 30 days, no measurable change in the scratch...just my opinion...they should be ok

jorda9095 · 06/11/2018, 09:32 PM

So I drained the tank and inspected that corner. There was no crack through the pane of glass and I've concluded it is a scratch. I've put a thicker foam mat under the tank this time to help level it.

05/30/2018, 01:09 PM	#1
jorda9095 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 325	Small crack on corner I recently set up a IM lagoon 25. I tried to level it as best as I could. After having the tank up for about 2 days, I noticed a very small scratch/crack (1/4 of an inch) coming from the bottom corner of the front pane of glass. I'm still not 100% sure if it is a scratch or the start of a crack. I immediately put a few layers of duct tape under the corner of the tank and it is really not visible anymore without a flashlight. This leads me to believe it is a crack. I'm not sure what I should do. Leave it as is? Drain it and put another leveling mat underneath? What would you recommend? Thanks

05/30/2018, 03:03 PM	#2
nereefpat Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Central Nebraska Posts: 3,190	Can you get a picture? Scratches are nothing to worry about, but if the tank has a crack, I would decommission it immediately. __________________ Pat Current Tank Info: 125 in-wall , 40b sump. 6 bulb T5. ASM G2 skimmer. LPS and leathers

05/30/2018, 04:19 PM	#3
nikon187 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 4,717	duct tape is a miracle tool but not if the tank is cracked. Double check and make sure its a scratch or turf the tank, nothing can fix a crack other than replacing the damaged pane __________________ ----------------- Current Tanks: New 210 custom 84 x 24 x 24, 60g sump, SWC 250 extreme with bubble blaster 5000, 2 vortech mp40, 2 vortech mp10, 12 T5, Water blaster 5000, warner marine bio pellets, 60g clownfish cube, red carpet anemone with a 25g sump,SRO octopus 1000sss, 250w radium, lumenarc large.

05/30/2018, 06:32 PM	#5
NO3 In Memoriam Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 269	Gorilla Glue duct tape. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Gorilla-T...&wl13=&veh=sem really tough stuff with major fiber threads running thru it. Dang near like Kevlar. I have a 2in hole in my lawnmower chassis....where grass would fly out. Put Gorilla duct tape on it and 2 seasons later it still has a tight seal......doesn't even look aged or worn Last edited by NO3; 05/30/2018 at 06:39 PM.

05/30/2018, 09:32 PM	#7
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	Hard to tell, even from that picture. If it's a corner 'crush' injury, then it's impossible to say with any certainty how much of a problem it will be. How much of a mess will 25 gallons make? Clearly if you see any cracks beginning to travel across the glass pane the tank is toast. I certainly hope the duct tape was in jest. __________________ Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs

05/30/2018, 10:22 PM	#8
jorda9095 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 325	The duct tape isn't on the crack lol. It's underneath the tank to make a more level surface. I'm keeping my eye on it very closely to see if it spreads.

05/31/2018, 05:32 AM	#9
Scott07 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 384	On a tank this size, I don't believe perfect level is as crucial as a larger tank. There's just not enough distance for a pane to torq under pressure. Not at all trying to say level isn't what your goal should be for ANY tank... just to me... IMHO.... that crack looks like something caused from an impact. I had am 8g cube i was cleaning in the bathtub one time. I accidentally bashed one of its corners into the tub, and now that tank has a crack that looks very similar to your picture, and is now out of commission. Additionally it put a hole in the thin fiberglass tub.... whoops lol. As others have said, it's hard to tell for sure just from a picture.... but.... if you believe it's a crack, not a surface scratch..... my advise would be to drain it now before you have more to loose in the way of livestock. I know it would totally suck to tear this tank down now after you just set it up.... but if it's got to happen.... now really is the best time to do it. __________________ 65 gallon mixed reef Good maintainence and husbandry is a cumulative effect, not a single event.

06/01/2018, 08:34 AM	#12
ryeguyy84 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: New Jersey Posts: 2,753	yeah it looks like that tank was dropped on the corner. not a hard drop but enough to mess it up. I wouldn't risk it, like others have said it's easier to drain it now then when it's more established or worse have it self drain the middle of the night. 25G is more than what a roll of paper towels can pickup. if you're going to risk it at least put a leak detector underneath so you can get to it quickly. __________________ Current tank: 90G mixed reef. Current Tank Info: 90 gallon

06/01/2018, 05:35 PM	#13
jorda9095 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 325	I'm going to drain it this weekend and inspect it some more. It may have been dropped. The corner is in relatively good shape. Here is a shot that is not zoomed in and without a light for reference. You can see the line if you look closely. It is right next to my desk and I work from home so I will most likely be here if it gets worse.

06/03/2018, 08:34 AM	#14
ryeguyy84 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: New Jersey Posts: 2,753	Things have a tendency of getting worse at night while we sleep . I think you're making the right choice here, sucks but you'll sleep better Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk __________________ Current tank: 90G mixed reef. Current Tank Info: 90 gallon

06/03/2018, 01:37 PM	#15
NO3 In Memoriam Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 269	If you live in a house with a garage....load it with tapwater and a 4inch sandbed ( get cheap sand from Home Depot).... In the garage but on a stand that you can see this scratch all the time. Measure the scratch down to the 1/2mm Measure it in 30 days to see if it has spread a 0.5mm or smthg. If no expansion then you're 98% ok. We ALL are one night away from the bottom of our own tank BUSTING loose. Tmrw not promised to anyone.....

06/03/2018, 09:34 PM	#20
NO3 In Memoriam Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 269	Then tell the guy to smash the tank with a hammer and put the tank remains in the garbage can at the end of the driveway on trashday Last edited by NO3; 06/03/2018 at 09:42 PM.

06/04/2018, 08:17 AM	#22
NO3 In Memoriam Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 269	I apologize as I edited the quoted comments with a "....." so as to HIGHLIGHT the points of the debate ( which turned into an argument when the word "reckless" was used) I guess I should have used individual quote boxes for each point. I DID NOT mean to edit with a "...." to look like that was the exact presentation. Anyway.... I gave my "personal opinion" that the tank needs to be put in the garage and tested with a 'load" on the bottom glass for a month and measure if the scratch grows or spread at all. I'm then called out for reckless advice ......which ups the tension in the post.... I still don't understand the conflict with my garage-testing idea....bc if the tank bottom busts wide open in the garage, you only have a wet garage floor with sand and broken glass to clean up. If the tank were to 'hold-true" for 30 days the tank should last [in my opinion my God] for a long time Ultimately we can sit here and write out nouns, verbs and adjectives.....but the OP needs to decide if they " want-to-risk-it". Again my idea is to test it with a load for 30 days, no measurable change in the scratch...just my opinion...they should be ok Last edited by NO3; 06/04/2018 at 09:30 AM.

06/11/2018, 09:32 PM	#23
jorda9095 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 325	So I drained the tank and inspected that corner. There was no crack through the pane of glass and I've concluded it is a scratch. I've put a thicker foam mat under the tank this time to help level it.