Acrylic seam repair/ assessment

[Johnpeck1]

wednesday13
Im glad you didnt reply yet. I have more bad news. After i removed the hood, i see theres cloudiness along the top seam, both ends and front. I cant see the other long seam because its built into the wall. I guess cloudy is the seam separating but its cloudy near the outside of the seam not the inside. I would think it would start by the inside where the water pressure is. Anyway, what a disaster.
Please let me know what u think Russ. The pics are looking from the top looking straight down. Thanks.

 

[Johnpeck1]

If i try to slap weldon on the inside top, im afraid its going to run down the face of the fishtank! Sorry for the panic attack.
The offers still available if u want to come out here and rip this tank out and filet the sh out of it. Im sure theres an offer you couldnt refuse. All the grunt work is done. Tank is clean and empty.

 

[Matteus]

Don’t panic. There is always a way, it might be a bit more round about and Mickey Mouse, but there is always a way.

when I did mine it was on a vertical surface. I just taped around the edge of the patch with 1.5” tape and wiped it if it was running down too far. Not sure if that will work in your scenario. But it did for mine.

 

[wednesday13]

wednesday13
Im glad you didnt reply yet. I have more bad news. After i removed the hood, i see theres cloudiness along the top seam, both ends and front. I cant see the other long seam because its built into the wall. I guess cloudy is the seam separating but its cloudy near the outside of the seam not the inside. I would think it would start by the inside where the water pressure is. Anyway, what a disaster.
Please let me know what u think Russ. The pics are looking from the top looking straight down. Thanks.

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Ill start with these first i guess lol… to me, it just looks like an old tank. It happens… the top of acrylic tanks take the brunt of the water pressure and this is just evidence of it. Have a few tanks that look just like this i was too lazy to flip and pour fillets/bevels up under. One in particular is also a rounded front corner tank. The rounded front corners make it stronger than a regular 4 piece/sided tank. Mine is still running just fine. The only issue could be a bit of water leaking through from splashing or “salt creep”… If u havent noticed/seen that already its probably fine. If u can get up under there this is where brushing 40 on would help. Just to make a bit of a seal like using caulk. No biggie. What worries me in those pics is the crack. Gotta drill a hole through it to stop it from running. Small hole, reg old bit, 1/8-1/4” tops. It kinda looks like it may have went into the side panel already but id drill it and let er ride. Had a tank just like that also. Drilled the hole and ran it for 8-9 yrs before i sold it. Just like the glue bit, drilling a small hole sounds “scary” but it really is easy. Battery drill, take ur time, let the weight of the drill push er through. Its just like wood. Old bits will actually work better also.

 

[wednesday13]

wednesday13 Bro, this is turning into a disaster. You tell me, but it looks like the bottom seams are suspect too. I emptied the tank, moved the fish and when i saw these seams without the substrate covering them, i wanted to puke. Take a look and tell me what you think. Looks to me like theres algae behind the reinforcement rod. But does that mean the actual seam between the two sheets of acrylic is bad?
Im not sure i can even reach the bottom all around the tank. To put a bead of weldon around the whole bottom seam i would have to sand it first? And it has to be completely dry? For this to work, the bead would have to be perfect and how could a bead work if the original constructon didnt? Im in way over my head. Im screwd.

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Manic panic… lol… deep breaths my friend, ur gonna b fine ???… this is all lookin pretty “text book” also. As uve said the “original” tanks seams are still good. They look old but not detrimental by any means. The algea is infact behind the outer rod seam there yes… just in a cple areas tho and its trapped by the original tank seam. For this i would use the squeeze bottle and “chalk” around the top and bottom of that rod all the way around. Can even do just where u see the algea there if u cant reach it all… U may trap that algea in there but its better to give er a seal just to prevent it getting any worse. A shop vac may be enough to clean/prep/dry it first. Ive glued 40 without sanding also, just a good wipe down with nail polish remover…I like to use concession stand style ketchup/mustard bottles or bottles for womens hair dye. Just mix ur 40 in a cup/container like weve talked about and pour it into the bottle…No biggie. Doesnt have to be full or anything either. The tops of the squeeze type bottles are 1-1.5”, plenty room to pour into just from a mixing cup. Fill with ur glue, cut the tip a tad, flip em over and ur ready to go. Like shampoo u can squeeze out whats needed and not get air if ur patient. Its not too bad a process. U dont need much either 100ml in a squeeze bottle should make it all the way around the tank like caulk. 1/8-1/4”… Dont have to gop it on or anything since ur main tank seams are still good.

Maybe start with the rods and ur initial plan 1st… 1 rod at a time… ull b more comfortable with mixing the glue and how long u have to work with before u go to the bottom. 1 day at a time my man… dont get overwhelmed… u were smart and did it right with a stock tank/tub. U have the time if u can keep the patience. The fish r better off if u dont rush it, even the resetup. 1 pint of 40 is plenty for everything also. Mix small batches of glue, take ur time… ull get it! 40 adheres to itself very very well… u can go over it, add to it as much as needed. Dont have to do all the bottom at once either. Start small, get a feel for it and push forward ??

I know this panic well lol… been there many times… just like anything else in life ur gonna get kicked while ur down ?… ur in no rush is the big thing. “You have the key…you know how to use it” (Total Recall) ?…


Heck maybe even start with the smallest batch of glue u can mix and just brush it on somewhere like under the top brace… Its that 1st step thats the hardest. Ull laugh to urself after that point believe me… its not that bad…anyone can do it… i had no experience when i mixed my 1st batch and no1 to ask lol… just a bit of reading and a used tank

 

[Johnpeck1]

wednesday13
Thanks for the talk off the ledge!
So, the sheetrock on top of the tank was wet when i pulled off the hood. Couldnt come up with an answer other than the fact its pressed against the top of the tank so the condensation builds up on the pieces of glass i use to cover the hole. You think thats from salt creep? Im gonna cut some of that out a little so theres a space btwn the tank and the thin piece of wood and sheet rock. I'll flex seal whatevers left. It will all be covered by the hood. Take a look at the pic. I cant even get the glass top over the entire opening. At one time i tried to bead silicone to keep the moisture off the wood but it didnt do sh. That flat piece of wood sitting on top of the tank isnt supporting anything right? I think thats just how they framed it out.
Those 2 cracks go over the side panel. I will send another pic. I was going to brush the weldon over the crack and maybe a patch across the top or bottom. Bad idea? Where exactly would i drill the hole? The crack isnt into the front panel, it stops where it was seemed.
And what do you think about a couple more rods for under the top along the front/ back and sides. I could hold it in place with a couple of vice brace thingies. Again it would be hidden by the hood. I would go two 30 inch across the front and two across the back and a 18 inch for each side. Nothing around the curve. Would that give everything more support?
Damn man, this has been nuts. I was worried about the fish but i got a eheim and a hang on filter running with the filter media from the tank and a powerhead. I was gonna separate the 2 tangs and put one in a long 40 gallon but 2 other hang on filters crapped out on me so everyone into the pool. Threw in a heater. They seem to like there new setup. All that rock work gave em plenty of space to themselves. Checked ammonia levels, so far so good.
Im gonna try to do it all in one day so i only poison the family once. How long is the house gonna stink? My wifes *****in about the smell of the empty tank...i aint got the heart to tell her.
Cant thank you enough. Im gonna name my next born Russ or Piker or Ohio. Btw, i just figured out that your carvings on @creekpikerlures are the master for the molds for your lures. Bro thats amazing detail to get a lure! I truly thought it was just artwork. Badass! The pics are nuts!

 

[Johnpeck1]

Annnnnnd, one of the back corners has a crack in top that i didnt see cuz its buried inthe wall This pic is from the inside looking up.

 

[Johnpeck1]

Lastly, lol!!
Is there any reason the top is bowed? Could it have been contructed that way? Its more noticable than in the pic, but i put a straight edge and a quarter there to show scale.
Ty!!!

 

[Johnpeck1]

wednesday13 Now im thinking the top is bowed up because the tank is "unflexed" without the water in it, becsuse i never noticed that. I remember you saying the top takes most of the brunt, but with 3 corners cracked, that cant be good. What the heck is holding this together? Would a patch on each crack, either on top or from underneath help?
And as for drilling a hole. The top is "glued" like a lid on top of the 4 sudes of the tank (Duh). Each crack runs across from the opening cut in the lid to the diagonal end of the lid. Can the crack then run into the sides even though its technically a separate sheet. Or does it have nowhere else to run?
Im gonna publish a book on acrylics when this is done. Would you mind writing the foreword?
Im gonna try to sleep now but this sh is all i friggin think about. I circled in red where the cracks are and put a line how the crack runs.

 

[wednesday13]

wednesday13 Now im thinking the top is bowed up because the tank is "unflexed" without the water in it, becsuse i never noticed that. I remember you saying the top takes most of the brunt, but with 3 corners cracked, that cant be good. What the heck is holding this together? Would a patch on each crack, either on top or from underneath help?
And as for drilling a hole. The top is "glued" like a lid on top of the 4 sudes of the tank (Duh). Each crack runs across from the opening cut in the lid to the diagonal end of the lid. Can the crack then run into the sides even though its technically a separate sheet. Or does it have nowhere else to run?
Im gonna publish a book on acrylics when this is done. Would you mind writing the foreword?
Im gonna try to sleep now but this sh is all i friggin think about. I circled in red where the cracks are and put a line how the crack runs.

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If the cracks already made it too the end of the material u should b good already. I have seen them continue to run down a side panel but since the top is separating a bit it probably saved u there honestly. Drilling a hole straight through the end of a crack will stop it from “running”. if 1 of those 3 haven’t made it to the end of the sheet yet drill anhole right through the material vertically. Also, acrylic tops bowing upward is 100% normal… it doesnt make sense i agree lol, but they all bow upwards from the pressure. Acrylic is soft so it takes the shape of bowing over time regardless of being full or empty itell just stay that way now. By the looks of it the 3-4” “top braces” are under built and not doing much in the 1st place. Whats holding the tank together are the rounded front corners and ur 2 vertical back seams. Even if that top brace wasn’t there itd still hold the same. Can u run some rod up under the top, sure… cant hurt. I dont think u need to patch the top braces tho its more so just “trim” to hold ur lids up. That large center brace is doing all the work also for holding the front in place. Not really a worry there IMO…