glass tank seems

[Bergovoy]

Hello,

I am completing a wet test of my new tank, 180 glass tank. I have noticed now that I turned on the lights that there are bubbles in teh front seems where teh glass butts together. The bubbles seem small, but in a couple of areas there are a lot of them that seem to take up more space (combined) then tehre is silicone.
Should this be reported tot the tank builder, and what will he or should he do, (or should I expect)??

I will try to take pics, but right now the camera batteries are dead.

Stupid camera goes through batteries like crazy. I use rechargebles, but it seems whether I take bunch of pics or just let the camera sit, (no power on), the batteries drain anyway...

Please let me know your thoughts on the bubbles.

Thanks

Bill

 

[sabodish]

bubbles in the seams are bad...i would contact the tank builder immediately. those bubbles are in effect decreasing the contact area of you silicone thus increasing the stress the silicone that is there is feeling.

 

[Bergovoy]

pics

pics

Okay, here they are...

This is the front left corner of the overflow box. The seem is a bit small compared to teh other areas, but think there is glass behind this acrylic, so it shopuld not be a problem.

This is the left side upper seem, near the top of the tank. There is a series of micro bubbles and a straightline that seems to be one continous bubble, maybe a slight edge in the edge of the glass that prevented the silicone from flowing...

This is the same side, just a bit lower. you can see a rather larger looking bubble, that seems to be not only larger but clearer. Is that a water bubble??

This is the left side again but the bottom of hte tank. I am not sure if the side glass rests on top of the bottom glass, (as what it looks like in this picture or not). You can see through the front seem what looks like bubbles or voids inteh silicone on the bottom edge of the glass on teh side...

This is the right side, upper view ofhte seem. Again, the bubbles are the same.

Again the right side, and the line again. Is this normal? How can it be that way on two different peices of glass? I can understand how the glass is cut, but I thought it would be sanded or polished so ther ewould not be any edges like this. And for that line to be so exactly straight down teh middle of hte glass???

This is the back right hand corner of the tank. Again the reflection from teh bottom shows what looks liek voids int eh silicone between teh bottom glass and the side glass.

I ahve already sent these pics to teh mfg and will cross my fingers.

I am supposed to have a lifetime warranty, and am thinking he will just confirm that the bubbles will notbe a problem and the warranty will cover the problems, but am not sure I want to look at these bubbles forever..

Any comments? Are these bubbles a problem or not. Would you complain???

Bill

 

[sabodish]

i would surely complain...i have built quite a few tanks in the past and our seams never looked like that. structurally, it might not be that much of a problem provided there is silicone on the other side of that "line" of bubbles, but still, looks like a someone did not take alot of time putting that tank together.

 

[Bergovoy]

I did, and I will follow up witha phone call today, as I want to start putting in saltwater today....

That line looks like where teh glass wascut, then not grinded down very well. Is that your take on it too? Or where do you think that line came from??

Bill

 

[sabodish]

i think it would be the opposite...if you had a peak in teh middle of the glass, you would have glass to glass contact there and the outer edges would be bubbling due to poor contact...either way, the edges should have been sanded flat with a belt sander or some other large sander.

 

[Bergovoy]

I understand that, makes sense.

Is it possible the glass is laminated??

The braces on top of the tank are laminated, I can see how there is two different thicknesses and they did not even try to grind the glass even.

They siliconed the edges before they sandwhiched teh glass andyou can see where the silicone spread back about a couple of inches.

Certainly this is not what or how I would have done it, but I guess it one of those details that never get seen by anyone.

Bill

 

[sabodish]

well, from your description of laminated braces, im assuming this is a glass cages tank...i hope you did some research on them before you made your purchase. some reviews are good, and some are bad.

 

[Bergovoy]

Nope not a glass cages, but it is not from one of the more favored suppliers here is SO Cal

Would they use laminated glass on teh tank walls? REally?

And other then delamination, I would think it might actually be stronger,,,

Oh well. I guess I got what I got now, and with my catching it now, and putting them on notice. liability will be more enforceble..

Bill