I purchased an acrylic 100 gallon Clarity Plus flat-back-hex aquarium in 1994. In 1997 I contacted the company to inquire about adding metal halide lights. They told me that I needed a higher canopy (which I purchased), and also a reliable fan. Everything worked perfect for 10 years...until 5 weeks ago.
On a Sunday morning, I noticed a puddle of water on my hardwood floor in front of my aquarium, about 2 feet in diameter. I could hear water running somewhere, and immediately noticed that the water was running out of the acrylic tank stand. I figured that a hose had burst, or my water makup line had ruptured, but never in my wildest imagination would I have guessed what had actually happened;
The seam where the back of the tank is cemented to the top of the tank had totally failed, except for about 3 inches on each side. The back of the aquarium was bowed out over an inch, but because the seam had held on both ends, the panel was cracked on each side about 4 inches from the top, and water was just gushing out of the cracks.
I was actually expecting the entire tank to just come apart at any moment, spilling the entire contents all over my kitchen.
I contacted the company the next day, and was told that the UV light from the metal halide bulbs had degraded the acrylic cement, and that metal halide lights are not recommended with acrylic tanks. I had never heard or read anything suggesting that metal halide lights would cause an acrylic tank to "come apart", but I have no reason not to believe what I was told.
I wish I had known so I could have been prepared, but am passing along the information in the hopes that those of you who have metal halide lights with acrylic tanks, ocassionally inspect the seams for integrity.
On a Sunday morning, I noticed a puddle of water on my hardwood floor in front of my aquarium, about 2 feet in diameter. I could hear water running somewhere, and immediately noticed that the water was running out of the acrylic tank stand. I figured that a hose had burst, or my water makup line had ruptured, but never in my wildest imagination would I have guessed what had actually happened;
The seam where the back of the tank is cemented to the top of the tank had totally failed, except for about 3 inches on each side. The back of the aquarium was bowed out over an inch, but because the seam had held on both ends, the panel was cracked on each side about 4 inches from the top, and water was just gushing out of the cracks.
I was actually expecting the entire tank to just come apart at any moment, spilling the entire contents all over my kitchen.
I contacted the company the next day, and was told that the UV light from the metal halide bulbs had degraded the acrylic cement, and that metal halide lights are not recommended with acrylic tanks. I had never heard or read anything suggesting that metal halide lights would cause an acrylic tank to "come apart", but I have no reason not to believe what I was told.
I wish I had known so I could have been prepared, but am passing along the information in the hopes that those of you who have metal halide lights with acrylic tanks, ocassionally inspect the seams for integrity.