Minanora Posted October 23, 2022 Share Posted October 23, 2022 The overlap is just over a 1/16". It's a 40G breeder. It's only that panel, the rear side has an overlap but it's not as bad. Will it leak, would you just use it and risk it or exchange it for another tank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted October 23, 2022 Share Posted October 23, 2022 I can't say it's going to leak, but it is definitely very poor quality control. But than again, it is Aqueon. I do know I would take it back and exchange it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllFishNoBrakes Posted October 24, 2022 Share Posted October 24, 2022 It seems that I am of the opposite opinion here. If the silicone seals are solid you shouldn’t have a problem. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minanora Posted October 24, 2022 Author Share Posted October 24, 2022 Maybe. The top of the panel isn't flush to the rim trim either... I have never seen a tank with this before. I have 7 aqueon tanks myself, of various ages and sizes, none have panels so far off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted October 24, 2022 Share Posted October 24, 2022 Not really sure what I am looking at, but I would definitely swap it. I don't trust the big box store to care for the tanks, especially locally. I know they take a set out, if they don't sell they just go to the back and then come out on the next sale. I'm always super cautious when I buy them. The last one I got had a 6-8" gigantic deep scratch I had missed. The silicone looked good, but missed that. I just don't trust tanks over 20L size, it's a ton of weight on those panels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwissAquarist Posted October 24, 2022 Share Posted October 24, 2022 On 10/24/2022 at 12:43 AM, Minanora said: The overlap is just over a 1/16". It's a 40G breeder. It's only that panel, the rear side has an overlap but it's not as bad. Will it leak, would you just use it and risk it or exchange it for another tank? Exchange is certainly safer. Is this for the new project 😉? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOtrees Posted October 24, 2022 Share Posted October 24, 2022 If I'm understanding the photos, you're saying that at the back corner, the end panel is recessed inside from the edge of the rear pane. Like this? If it's easy/possible, yes I'd exchange it. Just to remove any doubt. My concern would be that the plastic frames at top and bottom aren't able to work as intended. I know the plastic in those frames isn't very strong, but they are a part of the tank's engineering (you can't remove them and expect the tank to be fine). They don't have much resistance to bending or cutting (or heat 😛) but they do have good tensile strength. They basically corral or wrap the corners and limit the extent to which the weight of the water in the tank can pull the corners apart, which reduces the strain on the silicone. This is less important at the bottom because the same job is mostly done by the bottom panel. The brace across the top of the tank is another good example of tensile strength, ie it reduces or constrains bowing of the front and rear panes. In your defective tank, the recessed end pane isn't pressed up against the plastic trim. Not sure if this is the case at top, bottom or both. I'd guess both. Meaning the silicone bead between the end and rear panes has to do a slightly bigger job to resist the water pressure. I'd assume these tanks are fairly well over-engineered, so the safety factor might still be generous. But it's less that what it's designed to be. This might not be a problem now, or for 5 or even 10 years. But if well cared for these tanks should last many many years, and I'd hate to think of something going wrong down the road due to a 'minor' problem now. If you can't exchange or return it easily, I'd keep and use it, and I wouldn't lose sleep over it. But exchange it if you can. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minanora Posted October 24, 2022 Author Share Posted October 24, 2022 (edited) @TOtrees it's both the front and back edge of the right side. The gap is slightly smaller on the bottom. I agree with you. For peace of mind I'm going to go exchange it. @TheSwissAquaristit's a part of it! Not an original part, but it has evolved, like most projects. I call it "scope creep". 🤣 Edited October 24, 2022 by Minanora Autocorrect... 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted October 24, 2022 Share Posted October 24, 2022 I have had a 29 like that for about a year and a half. It’s probably not a good thing but I was in a hurry and didn’t catch it. I would exchange if possible but definitely leak test. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minanora Posted October 25, 2022 Author Share Posted October 25, 2022 On 10/24/2022 at 11:32 AM, Guppysnail said: I have had a 29 like that for about a year and a half. It’s probably not a good thing but I was in a hurry and didn’t catch it. I would exchange if possible but definitely leak test. That's about how the one I had was. That 29 may be a bit worse. How do they get passed qc?! Frustrating. I exchanged the tank today. Praying that the new one is sealed up really well. Edges are lined up much better. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted October 25, 2022 Share Posted October 25, 2022 On 10/24/2022 at 9:05 PM, Minanora said: That's about how the one I had was. That 29 may be a bit worse. How do they get passed qc?! Frustrating. I exchanged the tank today. Praying that the new one is sealed up really well. Edges are lined up much better. That's crazy! @Guppysnail I can't believe how bad that tank is. It's a ton of stress on the silicone. Needless to say, from the "engineering support" side I would simply like to defend the honor of the QC dept! 😂 It totally could've been an issue where prep wasn't right on the glass, the edge had some finger residue along the edge and that leads to the issue shown where it's not sealed right. If there is a gap, you can add some, especially externally to the inside seam without having to disassemble everything. That would be a "least effort" attempt to diffuse some of the stress long term. It could be due to shipping, heat, location, and just storage temp+time causing the seam to shrink and pull apart. I hope anyone who see's that on their tank never has an issue. Crazy stressful to stare at that every day. 😞 I wonder what aqueon (or others) would say to someone asking support about it. Curious curious.... 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anewbie Posted October 25, 2022 Share Posted October 25, 2022 Just remember if the aquarium isn't sitting in a basement on concrete floor; the damage caused by a 40B that leaks of breaks over night can be in excess of $40,000 (depending on type of floor and location). While your insurance company MIGHT cover the damage (- deductible) they won't cover the head-ache. Just something to consider.... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwissAquarist Posted October 25, 2022 Share Posted October 25, 2022 On 10/25/2022 at 9:07 AM, anewbie said: Just remember if the aquarium isn't sitting in a basement on concrete floor; the damage caused by a 40B that leaks of breaks over night can be in excess of $40,000 (depending on type of floor and location). While your insurance company MIGHT cover the damage (- deductible) they won't cover the head-ache. Just something to consider.... @Fish Folk mentioned a tank that broke and went all over a computer keyboard and stuff🤕 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted October 25, 2022 Share Posted October 25, 2022 On 10/25/2022 at 3:07 AM, anewbie said: Just remember if the aquarium isn't sitting in a basement on concrete floor; the damage caused by a 40B that leaks of breaks over night can be in excess of $40,000 (depending on type of floor and location). While your insurance company MIGHT cover the damage (- deductible) they won't cover the head-ache. Just something to consider.... ^ fact check: TRUE! ^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minanora Posted October 25, 2022 Author Share Posted October 25, 2022 @anewbie this is very true. I am glad I exchanged it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minanora Posted October 25, 2022 Author Share Posted October 25, 2022 (edited) @nabokovfan87 that can be true. You make good points. However this one I had was definitely a factory anomaly. Just based on how the silicone was applied to these panels. It likely would have held water. Because of how much silicone they piled into the gap and how large the inside bead was, I'm sure it happened in the factory. It appeared that their form tape released the short panel on the front edge and they just filled the gap while it was curing. There were two beads applied at different times. You could see it on the inside much easier. Regardless, your fairness and kindness is enlightening. I came off sounding a bit harsh. But I inspected many tanks at the shop yesterday and some of them were very sloppy. Edited October 25, 2022 by Minanora Typo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwissAquarist Posted October 25, 2022 Share Posted October 25, 2022 On 10/25/2022 at 3:23 PM, Minanora said: @nabokovfan87 that can be true. You make good points. However this one I had was definitely a factory anomaly. Just based on how the silicone was applied to these panels. It likely would have held water. Because of how much silicone they piled into the gap and how large the inside bead was, I'm sure it happened in the factory. It appeared that their form tape released the short panel on the front edge and they just filled the gap while it was curing. There was two beads applied at different times. You could see it on the inside much easier. Regardless, your fairness and kindness is enlightening. I came off sounding a bit harsh. But I inspected many tanks at the shop yesterday and some of them were very sloppy. Better harsh than sad. 🙃 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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