125 gal bottom trim cracked, okay for sump? or not worth the risk?

atraperegrinus · 10/18/2015, 12:04 PM

A guy i was going to buy a 125g tank from noticed earlier that the tank trim on the bottom is cracked, if i was leaving it as-is i wouldn't be interested but since My intended use is a sump, would it be okay to use? would the baffles i'll be adding add enough stability to make this a non-issue?

the crack is pretty close to where the bubble trap would possibly be, so there'd likely be 2 or 3 pieces of glass siliconed in near it.

here is pics for reference. its about 2/3rds of the way from the left, bottom of thethe tank trim.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...018_125550.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...018_125552.jpg

thanks guys!

Sk8r · 10/18/2015, 02:16 PM

done

atraperegrinus · 10/18/2015, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk8r

done

thanks for moving my thread, hopefully gets a little more attention here.

7thdarkangel · 10/18/2015, 02:34 PM

I currently am running a 125 with the bottom trim cracked in 4 places and the top trim cracked in 3 or 4 places. It has been up and running for 2 years with no issues.
I'm still a little sketch out by it but no bowing and no leaks. might just be lucky but i don't know. Also, i did run a bead or epoxy down each or the cracks for what its worth. lol

atraperegrinus · 10/18/2015, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7thdarkangel

I currently am running a 125 with the bottom trim cracked in 4 places and the top trim cracked in 3 or 4 places. It has been up and running for 2 years with no issues.
I'm still a little sketch out by it but no bowing and no leaks. might just be lucky but i don't know. Also, i did run a bead or epoxy down each or the cracks for what its worth. lol

yeah its in a place where i think it wouldnt really matter after baffles are in i just wanted to be sure. the guy dropped the price a little after he seen the crack so it probably worked to my benefit.

i found a few other threads where people mentioned cracks but at the mention of baffles everyone kinda shrugs off the cracks.

Harry_Y · 10/18/2015, 04:59 PM

Could it be wrapped with Glass packing tape (Tape with fiberglass strands in it)?

atraperegrinus · 10/18/2015, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harry_Y

Could it be wrapped with Glass packing tape (Tape with fiberglass strands in it)?

I'm sure it could, would I need to go that far though? You can see in the second picture, i could literally jb weld that back together it hasn't pulled apart very far.

stingeragent · 10/18/2015, 06:33 PM

Should be an easy fix, but my concern would be, what caused it to crack in the first place? I'm assuming it had to be pressure on the glass or something. Is there a gap between the stand and the trim in that area? If your planning on using it as a sump, i'd just jb weld or epoxy it, and continue on.

atraperegrinus · 10/18/2015, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stingeragent

Should be an easy fix, but my concern would be, what caused it to crack in the first place? I'm assuming it had to be pressure on the glass or something. Is there a gap between the stand and the trim in that area? If your planning on using it as a sump, i'd just jb weld or epoxy it, and continue on.

yeah, it'll be a sump with 4 or 5 chambers, so there will be quite a few baffles which should eliminate any stress points really.

I plan to just JB weld it if everything looks good. i'll just try to make sure where the crack is to line up a baffle to be in that exact area or very close if at all possible.

salty joe · 10/18/2015, 07:05 PM

Looking at that thin plastic trim, I doubt it was anything other than cosmetic.

Good point about what caused the crack in the first place. I'd inspect the glass in that area closely.

Zacktosterone · 10/19/2015, 07:22 AM

You can use it as a sump all day, aslong as there are obviously glass baffles siliconed in place. They will add to the strength of things. The fact that it will be a sump and never be full hellos out a lot.

If you want to use it as a tank, put two glass braces on the top of the tank going parallel to the short pannel of the tank, you would place them near the middle, exactly like your top plastic trim. Or just incorporate a glass eurobrace along the top and some glass cleating on the bottom to create an inner glass rim. Good as new

atraperegrinus · 10/19/2015, 05:46 PM

Well, tank was in great shape, the crack in the bottom trim was entirely a non issue after seeing it in person.

however in the process of unloading it, i asked the wife just to hold the tank stead as i lowered the back end out of the vehicle so it didnt just slide on the concrete, little did i know, to her that meant grab on tot he center brace for dear life, which proceeded to rip off and break into 2 pieces.

the top rim of the frame is not broken or cracked, just the center brace broke cleanly off.

its a good solid 1/4" thick pvc like material, is it possible to jb weld it back together, i would assume at this point its useless.

could i just silicone in a flat piece of glass where it used to be to make up for it?

i'll upload some pics after my phone is charged up.

p.s. tank was intended to be used as a sump, so it would have had 4-6 glass baffles siliconed in, so should i even bother worrying about it? just put in my baffles and addd a glass siliconed where the old brace was and call it a day?

edit: high res pics

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...2018.27.33.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...2018.27.39.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...2018.27.45.jpg

10/18/2015, 12:04 PM	#1
atraperegrinus Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 456	125 gal bottom trim cracked, okay for sump? or not worth the risk? A guy i was going to buy a 125g tank from noticed earlier that the tank trim on the bottom is cracked, if i was leaving it as-is i wouldn't be interested but since My intended use is a sump, would it be okay to use? would the baffles i'll be adding add enough stability to make this a non-issue? the crack is pretty close to where the bubble trap would possibly be, so there'd likely be 2 or 3 pieces of glass siliconed in near it. here is pics for reference. its about 2/3rds of the way from the left, bottom of thethe tank trim. https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...018_125550.jpg https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...018_125552.jpg thanks guys! __________________ -Shannon Current Tank Info: Mixed Reef - 110g Display Tank - C2C Overflow /w Bean Animal \| 125g Sump/Fuge \| Vertex Omega 150 \| Waveline DC12000 \| Apex Neptune Controller \| Gyre 250's x2 \| Ocean Revive LED's \| SpectraPure LM3 AWC \| Tunze 3155 ATO /w LM3 pump \|

10/18/2015, 02:16 PM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	done __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

10/18/2015, 02:34 PM	#4
7thdarkangel Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Naugatuck,CT Posts: 114	I currently am running a 125 with the bottom trim cracked in 4 places and the top trim cracked in 3 or 4 places. It has been up and running for 2 years with no issues. I'm still a little sketch out by it but no bowing and no leaks. might just be lucky but i don't know. Also, i did run a bead or epoxy down each or the cracks for what its worth. lol __________________ 180g DT, 125g Sump, 40g Frag, 40g Refugium, Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2512584

10/18/2015, 04:59 PM	#6
Harry_Y Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: NY Posts: 454	Could it be wrapped with Glass packing tape (Tape with fiberglass strands in it)? __________________ . 180 Gallon Reef with Basement Sump, Apex Controller, Hamilton Cebu Sun Light, Lifereef Skimmer and Calcium Reactor.

10/18/2015, 07:05 PM	#10
salty joe Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: medina, ohio Posts: 2,419	Looking at that thin plastic trim, I doubt it was anything other than cosmetic. Good point about what caused the crack in the first place. I'd inspect the glass in that area closely. __________________ Time to roll the dice.

10/18/2015, 06:33 PM	#8
stingeragent Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 1,032	Should be an easy fix, but my concern would be, what caused it to crack in the first place? I'm assuming it had to be pressure on the glass or something. Is there a gap between the stand and the trim in that area? If your planning on using it as a sump, i'd just jb weld or epoxy it, and continue on.

10/19/2015, 07:22 AM	#11
Zacktosterone Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Sault Ste Marie Ont Posts: 2,475	You can use it as a sump all day, aslong as there are obviously glass baffles siliconed in place. They will add to the strength of things. The fact that it will be a sump and never be full hellos out a lot. If you want to use it as a tank, put two glass braces on the top of the tank going parallel to the short pannel of the tank, you would place them near the middle, exactly like your top plastic trim. Or just incorporate a glass eurobrace along the top and some glass cleating on the bottom to create an inner glass rim. Good as new

10/19/2015, 05:46 PM	#12
atraperegrinus Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 456	Well, tank was in great shape, the crack in the bottom trim was entirely a non issue after seeing it in person. however in the process of unloading it, i asked the wife just to hold the tank stead as i lowered the back end out of the vehicle so it didnt just slide on the concrete, little did i know, to her that meant grab on tot he center brace for dear life, which proceeded to rip off and break into 2 pieces. the top rim of the frame is not broken or cracked, just the center brace broke cleanly off. its a good solid 1/4" thick pvc like material, is it possible to jb weld it back together, i would assume at this point its useless. could i just silicone in a flat piece of glass where it used to be to make up for it? i'll upload some pics after my phone is charged up. p.s. tank was intended to be used as a sump, so it would have had 4-6 glass baffles siliconed in, so should i even bother worrying about it? just put in my baffles and addd a glass siliconed where the old brace was and call it a day? edit: high res pics https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...2018.27.33.jpg https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...2018.27.39.jpg https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...2018.27.45.jpg __________________ -Shannon Current Tank Info: Mixed Reef - 110g Display Tank - C2C Overflow /w Bean Animal \| 125g Sump/Fuge \| Vertex Omega 150 \| Waveline DC12000 \| Apex Neptune Controller \| Gyre 250's x2 \| Ocean Revive LED's \| SpectraPure LM3 AWC \| Tunze 3155 ATO /w LM3 pump \| Last edited by atraperegrinus; 10/19/2015 at 06:22 PM.