fix for acrylic crazing

[reefnoob616]

I am in the process of building a sump and a quarantine tank. While gluing the joints together I am thinking to myself........ why cant I apply this to my display tank where I have crazing spots?????? Is this a bad idea? I am using the solvent way of welding. Who has tried this and does it work?

 

[reefnoob616]

The crazing is only on the front top and side top seams.

 

[Eienna]

If it's crazing, it's because the seams are taking too much pressure. It's structurally weak and may fail on you.

 

[JPG@CFI]

If it's crazing, it's because the seams are taking too much pressure. It's structurally weak and may fail on you.

Do not put solvent on a seam with water in the tank, you will have a wet floor! Crazing is mainly from heat stress. Flame polishing, or burning as I call it. You can get it from the fabricator cutting the material with a dull bit or blade. Lastly, it could be caused from using an ammonia based cleaner like Windex on the plastic. I just would try to ignore it. If it bothers you that bad, dry to sand the effected areas starting with 400 g. wet/dry sandpaper and keep it wet. Finish with about 2000 g. and polish with a liquid abrasive like the Novus system. Good luck, J

 

[Reefing Madness]

Do not put solvent on a seam with water in the tank, you will have a wet floor! Crazing is mainly from heat stress. Flame polishing, or burning as I call it. You can get it from the fabricator cutting the material with a dull bit or blade. Lastly, it could be caused from using an ammonia based cleaner like Windex on the plastic. I just would try to ignore it. If it bothers you that bad, dry to sand the effected areas starting with 400 g. wet/dry sandpaper and keep it wet. Finish with about 2000 g. and polish with a liquid abrasive like the Novus system. Good luck, J

Agreed. But on another note, I've polished tanks with Crazing in it, your not getting it out. Its in the Acrylic, most times its not even close to the surface. Age and stress are the culprits.

 

[Phixer]

If it's crazing, it's because the seams are taking too much pressure. It's structurally weak and may fail on you.

Hope I can help. I build custom aquariums over 1000g and hydrostatic viewing ports for submersible vessels for the US Navy. Eienna is exactly correct, crazing is micro-fracturing within the material. Enhanced by the factors stated in other posts and caused by the reasons above.

The best way to remove it without losing structural integrity is to replace it with a thicker panel often requiring an entire build. Dont cut corners on acrylic thickness. Low quality MFGs do it to save a buck and the tanks craze later on.

 

[AsiaMarie23]

If age and stress usually cause crazing, what would cause it on my aquarium that I just bought brand new a year ago? I have crazing at the top seam and on the face of the left-hand side about 5 or 6 inches below the seam. (And pardon the cloudy water, I'm in the process of cleaning it and the filter hasn't cleared it yet...)