Hello there,
I am in desperate need of help. After months of research I have finally purchased enough acrylic to build two tanks. One will be about 20 gallons (as a practice tank) and one will be 150 gallons.
Before I touched any of that material I bought a 1 square foot x 1/2” thick cast acrylic sample which I cut into 4 pieces. I did this to test my seams, as well as edge cleaning. I have bonded two seams, one with a cut and scraped edge, and another with the factory polished edge. I used the pin method on one, with very thin wire.
About 20 seconds after applying Weld-on 4 I pulled the pins and everything looked 100% perfect. No bubbles or missing solvent anywhere. I could not find a single flaw.
I went upstairs then came back down about an hour later. Nothing had been moved or messed with at all. What I found looks like air has somehow crept in along both sides of the seam. Please see the attached pictures. I can not have seams look like this as it will drive me crazy and I will not be confident with the durability of the tank. I am looking for any and all feedback as to why this may be happening.
Thank you for taking the time to read.
Best,
Chris
![F7034401-7FE2-4673-9C04-F455996D765E.jpeg F7034401-7FE2-4673-9C04-F455996D765E.jpeg](https://test.reef2reef.com/data/attachments/1937/1937487-821c149c6e621bf0948691c4ef37d23b.jpg)
I am in desperate need of help. After months of research I have finally purchased enough acrylic to build two tanks. One will be about 20 gallons (as a practice tank) and one will be 150 gallons.
Before I touched any of that material I bought a 1 square foot x 1/2” thick cast acrylic sample which I cut into 4 pieces. I did this to test my seams, as well as edge cleaning. I have bonded two seams, one with a cut and scraped edge, and another with the factory polished edge. I used the pin method on one, with very thin wire.
About 20 seconds after applying Weld-on 4 I pulled the pins and everything looked 100% perfect. No bubbles or missing solvent anywhere. I could not find a single flaw.
I went upstairs then came back down about an hour later. Nothing had been moved or messed with at all. What I found looks like air has somehow crept in along both sides of the seam. Please see the attached pictures. I can not have seams look like this as it will drive me crazy and I will not be confident with the durability of the tank. I am looking for any and all feedback as to why this may be happening.
Thank you for taking the time to read.
Best,
Chris
![C08E0E02-19D6-48C1-AE31-3D763CD8C90A.jpeg C08E0E02-19D6-48C1-AE31-3D763CD8C90A.jpeg](https://test.reef2reef.com/data/attachments/1937/1937482-f55ca5c45653be56d0ae244ff4b0e91a.jpg)
![7F055A5B-F0D4-4CD4-97C3-9ADC7C9FFBE0.jpeg 7F055A5B-F0D4-4CD4-97C3-9ADC7C9FFBE0.jpeg](https://test.reef2reef.com/data/attachments/1937/1937485-5530c7e31682af38a23394fffcc591ab.jpg)
![E3FED386-E7E2-47B7-ABAF-474E0B52B100.jpeg E3FED386-E7E2-47B7-ABAF-474E0B52B100.jpeg](https://test.reef2reef.com/data/attachments/1937/1937486-2343f690a3510b449463dca6811e9e73.jpg)
![F7034401-7FE2-4673-9C04-F455996D765E.jpeg F7034401-7FE2-4673-9C04-F455996D765E.jpeg](https://test.reef2reef.com/data/attachments/1937/1937487-821c149c6e621bf0948691c4ef37d23b.jpg)