Small Cracks In Tank?

[kuruptedseed]

I have noticed 2 very small hairline cracks on the sides of my acrylic tank! These must be new. My tank has not moved in over a year. 1 on both sides of tank. Very small looks like 1 or 2 inch hair strands.. I felt them from in and outside the tank but it felt smooth as the rest of the tank... Do I need to be worried about this? Is my tank in danger of cracking open.. Any info on this would be greatly appreciated.. Thanks

 

[Ludwig Venter]

We all know that a scratch is the vulnerable point to start a runner, but take a marker pen and "mark" both ends of the current crack to keep trend on movement..... Obviously if it gradually extends, you've reason to worry..

Glass is a liquid with extremely low viscosity.... and over years, it is a lot thicker at the bottom than at the top.... I've still got tanks that I started off with in the early 1970's (when "all glass" tanks were first introduced) and they are still keeping well. Before that, the only available fish tanks were glass fixed in angle iron frames with ordinary window putty..... what a disaster!!..... (anybody here remembers that)

 

[kuruptedseed]

We all know that a scratch is the vulnerable point to start a runner, but take a marker pen and "mark" both ends of the current crack to keep trend on movement..... Obviously if it gradually extends, you've reason to worry..

Glass is a liquid with extremely low viscosity.... and over years, it is a lot thicker at the bottom than at the top.... I've still got tanks that I started off with in the early 1970's (when "all glass" tanks were first introduced) and they are still keeping well. Before that, the only available fish tanks were glass fixed in angle iron frames with ordinary window putty..... what a disaster!!..... (anybody here remembers that)

Thanks alot

Btw what causes those hairline cracks or scratches typically? And does acrylic scratch and crack more easlily than glass? Which do you prefer?

TY

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Sorry corrupt.... I've no experience with acrylic.

 

[Rooster]

Are you SURE they are cracks and not scratches ? if they ARE cracks, then do something NOW.

A quick fix would be a patch stuck on with superglue, best done with tank empty
Leave a crack unattended, and the tank WILL be empty...... REAL SOON

If you are doing a permanant repair, you will need to empty it and drill a small hole at each end of the crack - to prevent it "running" then if you can get superglue into the crack, it may well "vanish"... otherwise its patch time !

You can get acrylic from a lot of places, but a quick source is old CDs ! Dont look too pretty though

 

[Dorkhedeos]

Once youve confirmed that it is a crack, get the smallest drill you can find, and drill through that point to stop it from moving on. How big is your tank? If it hasnt moved in a year, I wouldnt worry about it too much. If you can post a pic, itll help a lot more. If the crack goes all the way through, you can just get a small syringe and squirt weld on 4 into the crack, It should do the trick.

 

[BigC]

Before that, the only available fish tanks were glass fixed in angle iron frames with ordinary window putty..... what a disaster!!..... (anybody here remembers that)

OooH Yes! Nice angle iron tanks gobbed up with putty, then I went on to the nice shiny stainless steel.

 

[promithius]

Glass is a liquid with extremely low viscosity.... and over years, it is a lot thicker at the bottom than at the top....

This is actually a myth, the reason why everyone says old window panes in churches etc fall out is because they are cast thicker at the bottom due to poor casting technique. As the frame/lead degrades, the panels fall out.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Glass is a liquid with extremely low viscosity.... and over years, it is a lot thicker at the bottom than at the top....

This is actually a myth, the reason why everyone says old window panes in churches etc fall out is because they are cast thicker at the bottom due to poor casting technique. As the frame/lead degrades, the panels fall out.

Huh!!?? Et Tu Promithius??.... Eish!!... I was not referring to "old window panes in churches" or any other associated myths or hearsay...... I was referring to "New Standard encyclopedia" edition 3 Volume 4 ( section F G H) sub section "Glass"......Huh??

 

[Rooster]

Yup - glass has been redesignated as a "true solid" !