Help ! Cracked Glasscages.com acrylic sump

agsansoo · 04/09/2007, 08:01 PM

I purchased two 10 gallon acylic tanks from Glasscages.com two weeks ago. So this weekend I decided to make a split sump/fuge with them. Everything seem OK ... Untill I got home from work today and noticed water on the floor..... wiped it up and looked for leaks ... Them more water ...

The took my protein skimmer out of the sump and saw the crack ...

What could have caused this ... ?

Please look at pictures ..!!!

PS- I installed the one baffle.

agsansoo · 04/09/2007, 08:03 PM

The crack was in the back left corner. Next to the heater. Also could the heater be the cause ?

mc-cro · 04/09/2007, 08:18 PM

I doubt the heater caused it, when you put the baffle in, how much space did you leave on each side to allow for the silicone or glue to expand?

agsansoo · 04/09/2007, 08:41 PM

No space ... It was snug ... ! But the baffle was very thin. Do you think that was it ?

mc-cro · 04/09/2007, 08:49 PM

snug fitting baffles have caused glass tanks to bust, I have no experience with acrylic, but I would imagine it would stress it enough to cuase issues.

agsansoo · 04/09/2007, 10:30 PM

Can I fix this ? Or just throw it in the trash ?

agsansoo · 04/10/2007, 06:58 AM

Bump

Shaun120 · 04/11/2007, 09:43 AM

I may be that the hinge on the front door of your stand may have knocked into it.

You can repair it. Empty it all out (looks like you did) and get some acrylic pieces and bond them over the cracks.

leoskee · 04/11/2007, 09:53 AM

That looks like a stress crack created after being hit by something. Is there anything near it that could hit it with a decent amount of force?

Ive heard of people using Weldon to fix acrylic. Im not familiar with the product but doing a quick search might help you.

RichConley · 04/11/2007, 10:11 AM

Yeah, that looks like something banged it on the corner pretty hard.

agsansoo · 04/11/2007, 10:27 AM

I think it was happen during shipping ... I didn't notice it because I left the bottom blue plastic cover on the acrylic ... Besides the crack was in the back left of the cabinet, not the front by the hinge.

marcrunner · 04/11/2007, 10:46 AM

An acrylic sump should be able to take a beating. I have one made of 1/4" that I stand on all the time. I would ask "acrylics" in the diy forum. He can tell you exactly how to fix it. It might not be pretty, but with his help, it will definately hold water.

RichConley · 04/11/2007, 10:49 AM

standing on something, and giving it a sharp impact are two totally different thigns.

agsansoo · 04/11/2007, 11:09 AM

If you look at the last picture, there is a 3/16 gap at each corner of the tank between the bottom and the sides.

marcrunner,
Thanks I will ask "acrylics" for help.

leoskee · 04/11/2007, 11:26 AM

The cracks in the 3rd pic look like they all originated from one spot.

Someone probably dropped it. Could have happened during shipping.

schneijt · 04/11/2007, 12:56 PM

Since it sounds like a slow leak, I would try wicking Weld-On #4 into the cracks. Even better would be to do that, and then get some thin scrap acrylic and use Weld-On to apply it over the cracked areas on the inside of the sump. Then, I'd go around the pieces of scrap with a bead of Weld-On on all sides to be 100% sure it wicks in there and creates a full seal. Overall, Weld-On should be your good friend for this project, it will "melt" the acrylic together, stopping the leak. :-)

-Joe

agsansoo · 04/11/2007, 01:17 PM

schneijt,
Thanks I have both weld0on #4 and some scrap acrylic. I was think of using three pices, bottom and the two sides that are cracked.
Should apply weld-on the the face of the patch pieces, or just the edges.

PS- I put weld-on in the cracks last night, hoping to stop the cracking any further.

04/09/2007, 08:01 PM	#1
agsansoo Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Downey,CA Posts: 1,782	Help ! Cracked Glasscages.com acrylic sump I purchased two 10 gallon acylic tanks from Glasscages.com two weeks ago. So this weekend I decided to make a split sump/fuge with them. Everything seem OK ... Untill I got home from work today and noticed water on the floor..... wiped it up and looked for leaks ... Them more water ... The took my protein skimmer out of the sump and saw the crack ... What could have caused this ... ? Please look at pictures ..!!! PS- I installed the one baffle. __________________ Andy SCRK Member Current Tank Info: Barebottom, 65 Bow-Front, 20 gal sump/fuge, octo extreme 160, (2) Lumen Max3 250W w/ XM 20k's, 2 VHO Actinic and (1) VorTech MP40w & (1) VorTech MP10

04/09/2007, 08:03 PM	#2
agsansoo Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Downey,CA Posts: 1,782	The crack was in the back left corner. Next to the heater. Also could the heater be the cause ? __________________ Andy SCRK Member Current Tank Info: Barebottom, 65 Bow-Front, 20 gal sump/fuge, octo extreme 160, (2) Lumen Max3 250W w/ XM 20k's, 2 VHO Actinic and (1) VorTech MP40w & (1) VorTech MP10

04/09/2007, 08:18 PM	#3
mc-cro (macro) Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 2,238	I doubt the heater caused it, when you put the baffle in, how much space did you leave on each side to allow for the silicone or glue to expand? __________________ Time is the most valuable thing you have... spend it wisely Current Tank Info: 60x26x24 AGE 3 sided starphire

04/09/2007, 08:49 PM	#5
mc-cro (macro) Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 2,238	snug fitting baffles have caused glass tanks to bust, I have no experience with acrylic, but I would imagine it would stress it enough to cuase issues. __________________ Time is the most valuable thing you have... spend it wisely Current Tank Info: 60x26x24 AGE 3 sided starphire

04/09/2007, 10:30 PM	#6
agsansoo Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Downey,CA Posts: 1,782	Can I fix this ? Or just throw it in the trash ? __________________ Andy SCRK Member Current Tank Info: Barebottom, 65 Bow-Front, 20 gal sump/fuge, octo extreme 160, (2) Lumen Max3 250W w/ XM 20k's, 2 VHO Actinic and (1) VorTech MP40w & (1) VorTech MP10

04/09/2007, 08:41 PM	#4
agsansoo Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Downey,CA Posts: 1,782	No space ... It was snug ... ! But the baffle was very thin. Do you think that was it ? __________________ Andy SCRK Member Current Tank Info: Barebottom, 65 Bow-Front, 20 gal sump/fuge, octo extreme 160, (2) Lumen Max3 250W w/ XM 20k's, 2 VHO Actinic and (1) VorTech MP40w & (1) VorTech MP10

04/10/2007, 06:58 AM	#7
agsansoo Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Downey,CA Posts: 1,782	Bump __________________ Andy SCRK Member Current Tank Info: Barebottom, 65 Bow-Front, 20 gal sump/fuge, octo extreme 160, (2) Lumen Max3 250W w/ XM 20k's, 2 VHO Actinic and (1) VorTech MP40w & (1) VorTech MP10

04/11/2007, 09:43 AM	#8
Shaun120 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Springfield, MO Posts: 259	I may be that the hinge on the front door of your stand may have knocked into it. You can repair it. Empty it all out (looks like you did) and get some acrylic pieces and bond them over the cracks. __________________ I'm givin' er all she's got Captain! Current Tank Info: 225 Reef + 120 FOWLR in-wall system, and 68 FOWLR

04/11/2007, 09:53 AM	#9
leoskee Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NJ/NY Posts: 371	That looks like a stress crack created after being hit by something. Is there anything near it that could hit it with a decent amount of force? Ive heard of people using Weldon to fix acrylic. Im not familiar with the product but doing a quick search might help you. __________________ ~Little Fish in a Big Pond~

04/11/2007, 10:11 AM	#10
RichConley Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bostonian in Chicago going to DC Posts: 9,908	Yeah, that looks like something banged it on the corner pretty hard. __________________ NO TANKS!!!

04/11/2007, 10:27 AM	#11
agsansoo Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Downey,CA Posts: 1,782	I think it was happen during shipping ... I didn't notice it because I left the bottom blue plastic cover on the acrylic ... Besides the crack was in the back left of the cabinet, not the front by the hinge. __________________ Andy SCRK Member Current Tank Info: Barebottom, 65 Bow-Front, 20 gal sump/fuge, octo extreme 160, (2) Lumen Max3 250W w/ XM 20k's, 2 VHO Actinic and (1) VorTech MP40w & (1) VorTech MP10

04/11/2007, 10:46 AM	#12
marcrunner Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Folsom Posts: 309	An acrylic sump should be able to take a beating. I have one made of 1/4" that I stand on all the time. I would ask "acrylics" in the diy forum. He can tell you exactly how to fix it. It might not be pretty, but with his help, it will definately hold water.

04/11/2007, 10:49 AM	#13
RichConley Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bostonian in Chicago going to DC Posts: 9,908	standing on something, and giving it a sharp impact are two totally different thigns. __________________ NO TANKS!!!

04/11/2007, 11:09 AM	#14
agsansoo Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Downey,CA Posts: 1,782	If you look at the last picture, there is a 3/16 gap at each corner of the tank between the bottom and the sides. marcrunner, Thanks I will ask "acrylics" for help. __________________ Andy SCRK Member Current Tank Info: Barebottom, 65 Bow-Front, 20 gal sump/fuge, octo extreme 160, (2) Lumen Max3 250W w/ XM 20k's, 2 VHO Actinic and (1) VorTech MP40w & (1) VorTech MP10

04/11/2007, 11:26 AM	#15
leoskee Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NJ/NY Posts: 371	The cracks in the 3rd pic look like they all originated from one spot. Someone probably dropped it. Could have happened during shipping. __________________ ~Little Fish in a Big Pond~

04/11/2007, 12:56 PM	#16
schneijt Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: West Des Moines, IA Posts: 497	Since it sounds like a slow leak, I would try wicking Weld-On #4 into the cracks. Even better would be to do that, and then get some thin scrap acrylic and use Weld-On to apply it over the cracked areas on the inside of the sump. Then, I'd go around the pieces of scrap with a bead of Weld-On on all sides to be 100% sure it wicks in there and creates a full seal. Overall, Weld-On should be your good friend for this project, it will "melt" the acrylic together, stopping the leak. :-) -Joe

04/11/2007, 01:17 PM	#17
agsansoo Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Downey,CA Posts: 1,782	schneijt, Thanks I have both weld0on #4 and some scrap acrylic. I was think of using three pices, bottom and the two sides that are cracked. Should apply weld-on the the face of the patch pieces, or just the edges. PS- I put weld-on in the cracks last night, hoping to stop the cracking any further. __________________ Andy SCRK Member Current Tank Info: Barebottom, 65 Bow-Front, 20 gal sump/fuge, octo extreme 160, (2) Lumen Max3 250W w/ XM 20k's, 2 VHO Actinic and (1) VorTech MP40w & (1) VorTech MP10