125-gallon aquarium with air bubbles in silicone

[MajSiddiqui]

I need some advice regarding the used aquarium I recently purchased. The 125-gallon aquarium was built in April 2014. I notice when I was picking up the aquarium that there are air bubbles trapped under the silicone sealant all around the tank. This got me concerned and I didn't setup the aquarium as of yet. Can someone please advice if they have encountered similar issue and what they did?
Attaching pictures for your review.

Thank you for your time.

 

[V227]

That's a tough call. It looks like most of the air bubbles are independent and "not" expanding to merge, which would indicate a silicone failure. I assume the seller told you "No leaks". Regarding resealing, that's not easy and unless you have skills, your likely to make matters worse. I bought a new large tank approx. A year ago and noticed a few air bubbles in the silicone. No leaks. Maybe you should take a few days to gradually fill up your tank and watch for leaks. Let it sit full for several days, if it holds, go for it. If it leaks, most LFS carry aquarium silicone. Note: I didn't notice any of the air bubbles in the actual joint creases. That might be a good sign. I'm certain that other AA members with resealing experience can give you a few pointers if you have to reseal. Good luck.

 

[MajSiddiqui]

That's a tough call. It looks like most of the air bubbles are independent and "not" expanding to merge, which would indicate a silicone failure. I assume the seller told you "No leaks". Regarding resealing, that's not easy and unless you have skills, your likely to make matters worse. I bought a new large tank approx. A year ago and noticed a few air bubbles in the silicone. No leaks. Maybe you should take a few days to gradually fill up your tank and watch for leaks. Let it sit full for several days, if it holds, go for it. If it leaks, most LFS carry aquarium silicone. Note: I didn't notice any of the air bubbles in the actual joint creases. That might be a good sign. I'm certain that other AA members with resealing experience can give you a few pointers if you have to reseal. Good luck.

Thank you for your input.

The tank was in use by its previous owner up until a day before I bought it. He upgraded to a bigger tank and said he had noticed trapped bubbles in that aquarium at the time of purchase.

Since this tank was built less than 4 years, I contacted Marineland (aka Perfecto) and yesterday they informed me that they do not recommend filling the tank with water. They suggest I strip off the existing silicone and apply a new one. I went back and said this is a defect from production and they should be fixing it. I added me tampering with the silicone will give them another excuse to void warranty. Then they gave me excuses like since you're not the original owner of the tank the warranty doesn't apply. I thought that's pretty stupid and a ridiculous excuse for Marineland to offer instead of a resolution. It's irrelevant for them who the owner is. The original owner of the tank could have bought it as a gift for someone.

Anyway after further discussion they agreed to open the case file. Not sure what proposition they will come back with yet.

I better be safe than sorry. After all, nobody wants a large puddle of water in their home.

I was disappointed with Marineland for the way they handled this request. Had I not called in to follow up they would have ignored this case. Hoping for a satisfactory resolution. ?

 

[V227]

I bought my 120 from petsmart under their top fin brand. The tank was clearly labeled with Marineland manufacturing stickers. It was made in 2016. I found the warranty papers. The warranty terminates if the ownership of the tank changes. It also terminates if the sealant has been cut or removed. That's not good. Maybe they will show you some mercy, but don't hold your breath.
I remember seeing a printed selling point that my tank was constructed with 2x the required amount of silicone. I've searched my paperwork and can't locate the notation. Unless I was dreaming, it's evident that marineland is attempting to build a more secure tank.
The matching stand had a few poor workmanship related cosmetic blemishes, some bad drilled screw holes and poorly cut hose access holes. Probably why it was on sale.
You don't have many options, reseal, fill it, or sell it. Hope it works out for you.