BDAWG22 Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 I'm hoping someone can either help ease my mind or tell me to return this tank. I purchased this about a week and a half ago at Petco and quickly noticed a few bubbles where the glass seams meet (see pictures). I'm terrified the seams will give way and spill 75g on my floor in my new house. If anyone has any advice I'd appreciate it a lot. The first pictures bubble is about an inch and a half long and if I push the glass together it reduces its size (then comes back when I push outward on the glass). The second (which I'm less worried about) is on another panel where the glass meets and is a hole you can see from the outside. I leak tested for over 2 days, but I'm scared it'll just burst months down the road. It really is a shame because the panels are lined up perfectly on all sides. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwissAquarist Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 Welcome to the forum! I think there was another topic about this kind of thing and we established that there wasn’t any problem with it 😅. Correct me if I’m wrong @nabokovfan87 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDAWG22 Posted September 28, 2023 Author Share Posted September 28, 2023 Thanks for the welcome. I tried searching around but couldn't find any posts that had air bubbles of similar size so I thought I'd ask. If you could point me to one that does I'm happy to look through it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwissAquarist Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDAWG22 Posted September 28, 2023 Author Share Posted September 28, 2023 Yeah, I had seen that post. Nobody seems to have a real great answer. Maybe that is because there really isn't a good answer other than speculation. I can't stomach the chance of having thousands of dollars of damage in my house so I might call Acqueon tomorrow and see what they say about it. Depending on their answer I guess my next step would be to go inspect the tanks at Petco and see how many suffer from something similar. If most of them do I would have to assume it is par for the course and must be cosmetic only. If the other tanks don't have the issue I guess I'll try and return it and get a new one. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwissAquarist Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 On 9/28/2023 at 10:09 AM, BDAWG22 said: Yeah, I had seen that post. Nobody seems to have a real great answer. Maybe that is because there really isn't a good answer other than speculation. I can't stomach the chance of having thousands of dollars of damage in my house so I might call Acqueon tomorrow and see what they say about it. Depending on their answer I guess my next step would be to go inspect the tanks at Petco and see how many suffer from something similar. If most of them do I would have to assume it is par for the course and must be cosmetic only. If the other tanks don't have the issue I guess I'll try and return it and get a new one. If it doubt, definitely return it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 Usually I say let it ride. But those ones are not just factory defects, they are structure weakening. Return it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tolstoy21 Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 (edited) You will be 100% fine. Small air bubbles are totally normal (as long as they are not excessive), and the corner in the first pic, the part your worried about is well sealed by the caulk bead on the inside of the aquarium. There is plenty of perfectly adhered silicon where those two edges meet that I doubt the bond will fail in any way. If that pocket expands over time, then yeah, be worried. If it remains the same size, you're 100% fine. On 9/28/2023 at 9:27 AM, Biotope Biologist said: Usually I say let it ride. But those ones are not just factory defects, they are structure weakening. I agree that they are structure weakening (well the small bubbles aren't), but to an extent that one needs to worry? Most likely not. But if you would rather sleep well knowing the bonds are perfect, then return it for your own piece of mind, and examine the replacement before taking it out of the store. My overall philosophy is, even if the product works, if you're not happy with it because of a return-worthy defect, then return it. Get exactly what you paid for. That's totally within your rights as a purchaser. On 9/28/2023 at 4:09 AM, BDAWG22 said: Maybe that is because there really isn't a good answer other than speculation. I've sealed a few tanks and done enough home renovations (working with caulk in many ways) to know how strong its bond is. Those little air bubbles, totally normal as long as they are not excessive. Am I a structural engineer? Nope. But I'm confident in my claims. HOWEVER . . . On 9/28/2023 at 4:09 AM, BDAWG22 said: I can't stomach the chance of having thousands of dollars of damage in my house I would return it for this reason alone. I agree 100% with that sentiment. Edited September 28, 2023 by tolstoy21 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 The second pic bubbles I see often. I tend not to worry. It’s the first pic that worries me. It looks like the surface was not properly cleaned prior to silicone addition. While the inner silicone layer will hold them the glass edges need to be bonded well. If I were building a tank and I saw this after the cure, I would 100% pull it apart and retry. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDAWG22 Posted September 28, 2023 Author Share Posted September 28, 2023 Thank you everyone, I will be returning it today :/. What a pain, worth the peace of mind if it gives me that though. Here is to hoping they have a good one in stock. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDAWG22 Posted September 28, 2023 Author Share Posted September 28, 2023 (edited) Just a quick update here. Petco accepted the return no questions. Of the 3 75 gallon tanks that were on display not a single one had the issues mine had so I'm glad I returned it if not for some peace of mind. Edited September 28, 2023 by BDAWG22 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 Awesome to hear. For context here.... aqueon will simply tell you that they have a warranty and explain was is and isn't covered. It's a new tank, if there's any question, ever, return it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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