I bought a used 32g fluval flex tank for my son but didn’t notice the bubble in the glass until Christmas morning. It’s about the size of a dime in the middle of the side glass at the bottom. Maybe the tank got bumped when moving it? The glass is still fully intact from the outside and is holding water. Should I be concerned about this? Is the tank ok to use?
Posted by cphilpotts
5 Comments
I would look at side to see how much glass is lost , maybe put it a week or so outside . i have a 50 liter tank chipped from side a similar one and it’s fine
That’s not a bubble. It’s a chip of glass missing. Shipping damage most likely. Though I have seen tanks come like that from the factory, where the box is totally undamaged so you know the chip was there from the construction of the tank. Personally, I would return it. If the tank is stressed due to a slightly un-flat mounting surface, that would give the crack an easy place to start.
Side note: Speaking of stress, I assume that is a rimless tank and I don’t see a pad under it. Rimless tanks should have the correct type of pad under them (not just any ol’pad), unless the mounting surface is extremely flat and rigid.
My experiences with the flex is that the front glass is extremely fragile and if there is a crack or anything it can fracture from that impact point (saw it in another post and it was mortifying). That thing is a ticking time bomb, OP, I am so sorry but do not risk it long term.
This is a terrarium now. That chip is significant, and there are microscopic cracks going from it you can’t see. No way would I risk filling that up.
Not a bubble, it’s a chip inside the glass. Chips/cracks can start inside glass without edges/outside of the glass being damaged and it looks kinda like that(shipping can be fine but it can happen during the making of the tank)
I personally wouldn’t attempt to use it, I’d return it n get a refund or a replacement. If on an uneven surface that could put tension on it causing a higher chance of it starting cracks/breaking.