125 Used Aquarium

[Fish on Fire]

So I bit the bullet and bought a 125 used aquarium, stand and canopy, for $200. The guy said it didn't have any issues with leaking or anything so I took it home and filled it about 3/4 of the way full but noticed some bubbling on the seams that I didn't notice before. Nothing huge but enough to give me a bit of pause after hearing so many horror stories of used tanks bursting on new owners.

I'll be running sponge filters on the tank so my question is whether or not only partially filling the aquarium will help to reduce any chances of it bursting on me.

Thanks for any advice you might provide.

 

[Cempa]

So I bit the bullet and bought a 125 used aquarium, stand and canopy, for $200. The guy said it didn't have any issues with leaking or anything so I took it home and filled it about 3/4 of the way full but noticed some bubbling on the seams that I didn't notice before. Nothing huge but enough to give me a bit of pause after hearing so many horror stories of used tanks bursting on new owners.

I'll be running sponge filters on the tank so my question is whether or not only partially filling the aquarium will help to reduce any chances of it bursting on me.

Thanks for any advice you might provide.

By seam you mean the inner silicone between the two panes of glass? Not the outer seal on the outer edge?

Are you able to provide a picture? Bubbling can be common and nothing to worry about, but if there is considerable bubbling there may be an issue.. It's a little concerning that the bubbles weren't visible prior to filling, indicating that the panes are experiencing movement.

 

[imabot]

pics would help.

 

[Yulli]

Pic's would be helpful, however, will you ever truly be comfortable with the tank even if the brain trust here gives it the thumbs up? It is VERY cheap to re silicone a tank, and not terribly difficult with proper preparations. Put some trust in yourself and redo it yourself, just don't spend too much time breathing the fumes and keep the space vented with lots of air circulation or it will smell like vinegar for weeks.

 

[Fish on Fire]

By seam you mean the inner silicone between the two panes of glass? Not the outer seal on the outer edge?

Are you able to provide a picture? Bubbling can be common and nothing to worry about, but if there is considerable bubbling there may be an issue.. It's a little concerning that the bubbles weren't visible prior to filling, indicating that the panes are experiencing movement.

I wasn't able to find any consistent guidelines for the actual structural bonds between the glass panes. Saw many that said some bubbling/stressing was to be expected.

As for my tank, I can't find my camera so I'll have to just do my best to describe it.

The tank is sitting 4/5ths full, roughly 100 gallons of water in it right now, and the bubbles & stress marks on the joints have remained the same as when I set it up. No leaks from the tank at all and the bubbles don't move when I apply pressure on or around them (read that it's bad if they move).

Probably the best image I can find would be this one. The seal looks much closer to Sample A than it does to Sample B.

Maybe I'm being paranoid over nothing, idk. But I'll try to find my camera.

 

[Kris P Bacon]

I wasn't able to find any consistent guidelines for the actual structural bonds between the glass panes. Saw many that said some bubbling/stressing was to be expected.

As for my tank, I can't find my camera so I'll have to just do my best to describe it.

The tank is sitting 4/5ths full, roughly 100 gallons of water in it right now, and the bubbles & stress marks on the joints have remained the same as when I set it up. No leaks from the tank at all and the bubbles don't move when I apply pressure on or around them (read that it's bad if they move).

Probably the best image I can find would be this one. The seal looks much closer to Sample A than it does to Sample B.

Maybe I'm being paranoid over nothing, idk. But I'll try to find my camera.

If it was me, I would set it up on level ground, outside a week or so and observe. Dat's alotta watta to let loose in a house.
If in doubt, re silicone. *disclaimer* I know next to nothing on this topic.

 

[Cempa]

I wasn't able to find any consistent guidelines for the actual structural bonds between the glass panes. Saw many that said some bubbling/stressing was to be expected.

As for my tank, I can't find my camera so I'll have to just do my best to describe it.

The tank is sitting 4/5ths full, roughly 100 gallons of water in it right now, and the bubbles & stress marks on the joints have remained the same as when I set it up. No leaks from the tank at all and the bubbles don't move when I apply pressure on or around them (read that it's bad if they move).

Probably the best image I can find would be this one. The seal looks much closer to Sample A than it does to Sample B.

Maybe I'm being paranoid over nothing, idk. But I'll try to find my camera.

Without pictures and going on your description I would say the aquarium is fine. If you're paranoid, take pictures of all the seams. Then do this again in a month. See if they've grown or more have appeared. If it is getting worse over a short period of time, I would reseal the entire aquarium or get rid of it.. Again a camera would be handy in this situation lol..