Acrylic tank....how to proceed

[eddiegunks]

hey all

I just picked up a 6x4x2 foot acrylic tank....it was too good to pass up....i hope!

Owner said it held water 2 years ago. Seams look okay.

How would you proceed?

1. Level it and fill it and see what happens? If it is good, bring it in and put my rays in it?

2. Squirt a bit of weld on 4 on all the seams and call it good?

3. Put weld on 40? On all the seams?

4. Add a 1 inch piece to all the seams and weld em in?

5. Any other ideas?

Thx. I am hoping i can buff it, fill it, and go.

What do you think?

Eddie

 

[millerkid519]

It would be a good idea to let us we pictures of the seams before we give you advise.

wednesday13

 

[wednesday13]

I agree, can't advise ya to do much of anything without pictures. Does it hold water? Are your seams seperating, white or milky colored anywhere? pouring weld-on #4 along the inside seams wont do much of anything either way IMO...

Any new used acrylic i get, gets a close inspection after a good and thourough cleaning with hot water. If it needs any "dry spots" filled in i do so using #4 and a needle injector as a 1st precaution. After that if there are still issues or spots where u cant get any #4 into areas than u need to move onto using weld-on #40 to reseal the inside seams and or square rod. u can glue in square rod with #4 or #16 but u have to kinda have a feel for the products or ur just making more faied seams/seals. #40 is the most "user friendly", a thicker consistincy, stronger, and offers less chance of failure if ur unfarmiliar with acrylic repairs/sealing.

 

[eddiegunks]

Thx. I will get pictures. I am picking it up this week.

I looked quickly.....byt i dont know much....i did not see anything obvious.

 

[eddiegunks]

wednesday13

A couple of quick and dirty images. I am a bit worried as there is silicone i. Spots....we all know that wont hold.....

It does not look too aweful bad. I will be picking it up next week. What should be the 1st several steps to take after washing it with warm water? (I will buff it at a later date)

Thx

Eddie

 

[wednesday13]

wednesday13

A couple of quick and dirty images. I am a bit worried as there is silicone i. Spots....we all know that wont hold.....

It does not look too aweful bad. I will be picking it up next week. What should be the 1st several steps to take after washing it with warm water? (I will buff it at a later date)

Thx

Eddie

View attachment 1253101 View attachment 1253104 View attachment 1253107 View attachment 1253108

Doesnt look all that bad i agree...from what i can make out it looks like someone went over the inside with weld on #16 already. It dries with alot of bubbles in it like the pics and is brittle. First step after washing er down would be too remove all the silicone and start fresh. if it is infact silicone id say ull prob have to reseal the inside seams using square stock acrylic or tip and pour all the seams 1 at a time with weld on #40. Inspect it again during ur purchace. point out all the issues u see and use them to get a lower price. if you have to put another $200+ in it to make it hold water def. dont be offering the asking price.

 

[wednesday13]

Thing to look for on seams is clarity through the acrylic where its fused together...not so much where silicone would be on a glass tank inside... inspect the "seams" from the outside of the tank. The more i look at ur pics the more i think the seals are pretty good. not many pics of the outside tho also. ex. from the front of the tank, look at the 2 upright seals on ends...and also inspect the bottom/floor seal where the sheets meet. If everything is clear that means its still well attached. anything discolored/milky/white in the thickness of acrylic itself is seperating. What ur seeing on the inside may be glue squeezed out during construction. the acrylic looks thick...it was most likely made with weld on #40, if so it makes sense to me u think its silicone. If the "silicone" is hard like the acrylic itself its not silicone ur seeing. Im just guessing over here with the few pics lol... but i dont see any silicone

 

[eddiegunks]

Thx. Definitely silicone as i peeled some off. It did not stick to the acrylic. There is a hole (looks like a bulkhead hole) patched with a sqaure piece, siliconed on. I was able to pull it off easily.

Many of ten seams look bery nice. No issues at all. Clean weld. Some have some bubbles.

If i usethe tip and pour method will that ruin any chance at welding in a piece of square stock?

Some more pics.

wednesday13