New 180 Gallon - Bubbles in Silicone

[EricGRIT]

Hey all, I just recently purchased a 180 gallon Marineland reef-ready with black silicone. Once I got the tank home I noticed that one seam has some bubbles in the silicone. What I'm wondering is if this will affect long-term structural integrity or if this is purely cosmetic. Pics below and sorry for the poor quality.
Main build thread: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2382468

Bad side (front left of tank):

Good side (front right of tank):

Thanks in advance!

 

[Uncle Salty 05]

Need better pics to be sure, but those don't look like bubbles.
They look like gaps.

 

[EricGRIT]

You're right about the pics. I'm currently working on moving into a new house and over the weekend brought this tank out to my parents' place for storage for a month or two. I forgot to take pics myself and they aren't the best photographers . I'll see if they can take some better pics later today.

Also right about "gaps" vs "bubbles". Usually when people say bubbles they mean those little pin-pr1ck sized bubbles that sometimes appear. In this case I would say the gaps/bubbles are about 1/8" in diameter (figure ~1/4 of the 1/2" glass).

 

[julie180]

I would be leery. If its gaps, that would indicate it did not adhere to the glass properly.

 

[Uncle Salty 05]

Need clear pics to say for sure, but I am inclined to agree with Julie.

 

[klwheat]

I would just look to return/exchange it before you even mess with it. Not worth the risk imho.

 

[EricGRIT]

Based on this feedback, you have all confirmed my initial thoughts. Problem is that the tank is now 1.5 hours from the shop I bought it from, so now I get to transport the tank again and bring the new one back.

After a few minutes I thought I might be overreacting but after checking out all my other tanks I'm not seeing any gaps/bubbles like this at all. Definitely don't want 180 gallons leaking all over our new house in a year or two.

Thanks for all the feedback.

 

[AcroporAddict]

I have owned multiple Marineland tanks, and you will find bubbles in the silicone seams in nearly all of them. Personally, from the pictures you have shown, I would not worry about it and I would use it.

If it is going to bother you every time you see it, then you might look at exchanging it.

But, there will probably be some in the one you swap out for as well. Just my experience with the brand, and BTW, I have never had one with those type bubbles leak, and I have owned a Marineland 300 RR, 150 RR, 93 RR, and a 265 RR, and they all looked that way.

 

[EricGRIT]

I'm not too worried about the look of the bubbles, mainly the structural integrity. I am building this into a wall so I can always cover the corners with drywall and/or trim.

If anyone else has input, or pics of their tanks that are fine with bubbles, I'd appreciate it. I don't want to request the return if it's not necessary.

I've also sent an email with the pics to Marineland and waiting to see what they recommend.

 

[ca1ore]

Better pictures would allow for better advice. What look like gaps I think are just reflections in the glass of stuff in the garage. Agree that every tank I have ever had has had some bubbles in the seams never becoming a problem. I have a ML265 RR currently that has a few bubbles. No worries.

 

[EricGRIT]

New pics:

 

[ca1ore]

Nothing to worry about IMO. My current 265 is about the same and it's holding water, so far :lol:

 

[chamjack]

Yep, my 125 has the same gaps on its left front seam. I was worried like you initially, but after looking at other Marineland tanks, it seemed to be pretty common. Mine has been up for a little over four years now with no issues. Gaps have never changed in size over that time. I scrutinized it the first year making sure. :mixed:

 

[Tzwizzle]

I've been seeing a lot of these types of marineland threads lately. I spoke with them and they said this is normal and has to do with the way the silicone cures. If I were you I'd fill the tank up with water and see what happens. The bubbles are only present on my Marineland tank around the waterline when filled with water. They said if the tank is defective it should leak immediately :hmm4:

 

[mayjong]

I doubt that!
That being said, my custom has bubbles like that too. It is only 60g though.
I think the black silicone shows all flaws. I don't know you would see bubbles that small with clear silicone, not sure though

 

[EricGRIT]

I would definitely see 1/8" bubbles in clear silicone, that's a pretty big bubble to me. The seam itself is 1/2", but the blackness you see on the pics is probably about 30% larger than that because of the silicone that's added to the corner for water proofing... so the bubbles are probably a bit larger than they appear in the pics.

 

[AcroporAddict]

New pics look pretty typical of Marineland tanks. I would use the tank, unless it is just going to bother you to death.

But I don't agree that it is part of the curing process. That sounds like BS to me. Air is there or it is not. It is not produced in the curing process.