URGENT* HELP! Bubbles in silicone!

Bradley Crocker

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Thanks for chiming in! I'm very nervous about it and I'm hoping it makes it until Monday or Tuesday around the time I expect to hear back from MarineLand.
Good luck.

I'd like to think that since all the others out there have been fine for years, that yours will likely be fine for a short time. Fingers crossed!
 

Bradley Crocker

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Agreed. After a moment to think, I am going to begin draining the tank this evening. Better safe than sorry I suppose.

*sigh* It's going to be a LONGGG night!
It's definitely disappointing. But if you're concerned about it now, imagine how you'll feel in 6 months or 6 years.
 

buckroe07

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Agreed. After a moment to think, I am going to begin draining the tank this evening. Better safe than sorry I suppose.

*sigh* It's going to be a LONGGG night!


I'm proud of you for not settling. Sure you could have just taken the easy road and let it be but you will be MUCH happier with a new tank! Good job my friend!:)
 

ryanmell

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I had the same tank and it looked just like that had the tank up since 2014 no problems with it was told it was normal from marineland
 
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AustinAquaculture

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I'm proud of you for not settling. Sure you could have just taken the easy road and let it be but you will be MUCH happier with a new tank! Good job my friend!:)

Thank you SO much for being so helpful and supportive... to ALL of the people who have posted here.

It is a great feeling to have the support of this community!
 
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AustinAquaculture

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I had the same tank and it looked just like that had the tank up since 2014 no problems with it was told it was normal from marineland

Thanks for chiming in Ryan! I think that I am still going to demand that MarineLand replace the tank. Even if it is purely aesthetic, it isn't quality work. And, at the end of the day, a new tank without these issues will put my mind at ease.

I would love to see pictures of yours as well, if you don't mind!
 

ryanmell

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I thought I had some close up pics but I don't, mine looks just like yours on the front left hand corner, there is a tread on a different site all about this tank and this problem never was able to find anyone that had a seam break on this tank and if I remember correctly someone sent theirs back and they sent him a new one that did the same thing
 

Flippers4pups

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I thought I had some close up pics but I don't, mine looks just like yours on the front left hand corner, there is a tread on a different site all about this tank and this problem never was able to find anyone that had a seam break on this tank and if I remember correctly someone sent theirs back and they sent him a new one that did the same thing


Enough micro bubbles close together, lined up could very well allow water intrusion causing a leak. Air pockets are voids between the substrate and the glue. In acrylic bonding, any air pockets in the seams can easily cause a failure. This is no different.
 

ryanmell

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Ok, I was just stating mine looks just like this and after reading numerous threads on this tank and Marineland tanks in general this seems to be a common issue, I was unable to find anyone who had an issue with a seam bursting on the 93 gallon and mine has been fine since 2014
 

TylerS

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You should ask them why it's normal, my understanding is that most tank seams do not look like that, thus it's not normal.

It's interesting to me that the bubbles are increasing towards the top of the tank, which is where I believe the joint stress is higher (not positive on that).
 
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AustinAquaculture

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Ok, I was just stating mine looks just like this and after reading numerous threads on this tank and Marineland tanks in general this seems to be a common issue, I was unable to find anyone who had an issue with a seam bursting on the 93 gallon and mine has been fine since 2014

Thank you again for sharing your experience! I've also read that these issues with MarineLand tanks are VERY common. But I've also seen that many people replace theirs with ML, and sometimes get them back and the new ones have the same issues as well. I'm hoping that if I'm specific enough, and perhaps nice enough, they'll send me a tank that has been thoroughly inspected.
 

ryanmell

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Thank you again for sharing your experience! I've also read that these issues with MarineLand tanks are VERY common. But I've also seen that many people replace theirs with ML, and sometimes get them back and the new ones have the same issues as well. I'm hoping that if I'm specific enough, and perhaps nice enough, they'll send me a tank that has been thoroughly inspected.
Best of luck with this and hopefully they fix the issue for you.
 

cromag27

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Look at a tank from Lee Mar, dsa or visio. you won't see bubbles/air pockets like that. and it's cheap for big companies to replace tanks if a seam blows out during the warranty period. just keep in mind they will ONLY replace the tank if it's left unaltered, and they will not reimburse you for your livestock or home/possession damage. Their fast/cheap way of making these tanks result in poor quality.
 

Zack K

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Eek! SO not a happy camper right now. I found another thread on another forum where a person had seams like mine, and the "experts," claimed it was fine and not to worry about it. Marineland apparently says that these air bubbles are "normal."

What the heck?!

It is very normal to have bubbles in your tanks silicon here and their. In extreme cases it can compromise the bond. Is the tank filled with water? If so have you seen any leaks or bowing of the glass panels?
 

cromag27

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But we're not talking about a small bubble here and there. did you see the photos?

It is very normal to have bubbles in your tanks silicon here and their. In extreme cases it can compromise the bond. Is the tank filled with water? If so have you seen any leaks or bowing of the glass panels?
 
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AustinAquaculture

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Look at a tank from Lee Mar, dsa or visio. you won't see bubbles/air pockets like that. and it's cheap for big companies to replace tanks if a seam blows out during the warranty period. just keep in mind they will ONLY replace the tank if it's left unaltered, and they will not reimburse you for your livestock or home/possession damage. Their fast/cheap way of making these tanks result in poor quality.

Do you know if they typically have you ship the old tank back to them? I'm interested to know how this will play out.

Re. quality... My budget for this tank was around $2500 including all equipment. AND, space wise it was about all I could fit, and I wanted to get as big as I could possibly get for the space I had. I know that ML isn't the most high-end brand, but with my budget I just don't think I could swing a larger tank.

That being said, I also couldn't swing thousands in damage from a busted tank.

Oh the tangled web we weave...

It is very normal to have bubbles in your tanks silicon here and their. In extreme cases it can compromise the bond. Is the tank filled with water? If so have you seen any leaks or bowing of the glass panels?

It is filled with water, and no leaks so far!
 

cromag27

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I have no idea. or return to the store with receipt.

Do you know if they typically have you ship the old tank back to them? I'm interested to know how this will play out.



It is filled with water, and no leaks so far!
 
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AustinAquaculture

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I have no idea. or return to the store with receipt.

So in the white patches towards the top of the tank, it doesn't appear to be bubbles. It looks like just a cloudy patch of silicone. Do you think thats just silicone being pulled away from the other pane of glass? Or is it just the way it dried perhaps?
 

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