Opinions please, was tank built correctly?

[TankRazr]

Hey folks I would just like some honest opinions from some members of the community regarding a custom 300 gallon acrylic tank I had built.

I found one of the seams unacceptable. It happens to be the most prominent seam on the tank. It's a 45 degrees seam front and center of the tank. The manufacturer/shop that fabricated it said there was nothing wrong with it.

Here is a link to my picasa web album where you can view several shots.

And here is just a sample of what I am referring to. These imperfections run the entire height of the seam.

 

[camaroboy8691]

it might be a good idea to post this in the DIy section under the acylics topic

 

[gone fishin]

Let me say I have zero experience with acrylic tanks. They look like air bubbles to me. If I paid good money and I suspect a nice sum for a 300 they would annoy me. Even if they did not affect the integrity of the tank. I feel like if I Bought a new car and it had good scratch in it. Then it should be fixed even though it does not keep the car from running. just my 2 cents

 

[camaroboy8691]

i look at the pics after i posted .... that one pic with the big bubbles will lead to a failure ..... the other pics with the little ones i wouldnt worry about , but those big ones , i would want fixed

 

[TankRazr]

Let me clarify

Let me clarify

Thanks for the input guys.

I guess I should clarify the situation.

I paid a professional tank fabrication shop several thousand dollars for this tank which is(was) to be installed in a clients custom home which is being built right now.

My question wasn't regarding whether or not the integrity of the seam would hold, (but as you note it is a valid point) but whether or not members of the community (specifically members in the large tank thread who spend significant amounts of money on builds) would find this level of workmanship (or lack of) acceptable for an aquarium in a rather expensive custom home.

Thanks,

TR

 

[TriNewbie24]

Joint in pic 16 looks like it would def fail eventually. The others, most likely you'll see crazing on each of those seams. What thickness is the tank? I'd tell them to rebuild it, they can resell that at discount and still make a small profit or at least break even. No one is perfect, but I know personally, i wouldnt let a tank leave my workshop with imperfections in every single seam. Especially if it was going into a high dollar custom home.

-Ram

 

[Re_Run]

def would not accept this tank

 

[TankRazr]

Joint in pic 16 looks like it would def fail eventually. The others, most likely you'll see crazing on each of those seams. What thickness is the tank? I'd tell them to rebuild it, they can resell that at discount and still make a small profit or at least break even. No one is perfect, but I know personally, i wouldnt let a tank leave my workshop with imperfections in every single seam. Especially if it was going into a high dollar custom home.

-Ram

Ram,

Thanks for the feedback. The tank is 1" thick. This was the second tank they built for me after I refused shipment of the the first tank which had a far worse seam. I refused this tank from the shipper and sent it back.

There was crazing at the top of this seam where the two panels and the top bracing all meet up.

I expected a few air bubles here and there at worse, but nothing like this.

 

[TriNewbie24]

Yea, a few small bubbles here and there would be fine, especially with it being 1" thick. But having the amount in the picture, especially on the front seams is unacceptable. Especially cause i know it cost a few g's with it being 1" thick

 

[camaroboy8691]

if this is the 2nd time around id ask for the monye back and go somewhere else

just amazes me that some business's let stuff leave there shops like this , and not much is done about it ....

 

[h2so4hurts]

Those small bubbles are nothing to worry about, but the ones in pic #16 are scary. I can't believe they would ship a tank out like that. It's not hard to get bubbles that big out of a seam. You just have to ram a shim under there!