Acrylic numerous hairline cracks, help?

[sharps]

Hope im posting in the right place. I just bought a used 40g acryllic aquarium and i am very excited about it but nervous because there are small hairline scratches all over the thing.

Im trying to figure out what caused them and how/ if they can be repaired. Not sure if this is a case of "acrylic crazing" that was caused from cleaning with ammonium. Apparently this guy also left the thing outside.

Is this recovery-able, I am willing to put in the elbow grease and use Novus, also not sure if the cracks are on the inside or outside. Your help is so kind.

 

[TauntingTony]

First of all take your finger nail along them to rule out the scratches. But from what I can see is that your in for some trubble.

 

[jlehigh]

That is definately crazing.. Structuraly the tank may be secure, but you will not be able to buff it out as the cracklines are "in" the acrylic. I would recommend using the tank as a sump for your new 90gal! lol

 

[sharps]

lol jlehigh, thanks for your replies guys. the crazing doesnt look so bad when there is water in the tank but yea definately bothers me. Maybe a research tank then. I should have haggled a better deal, oh well.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Looks aren't the problem. Acrylic does not last forever such as glass. An old acrylic tank holds a danger of blowing out. Could take something to get it started such as a falling rock or sudden jarring, but if the plastic is crazed, the integrity of the seams are a real concern.