JeffDubya
01/17/2007, 02:58 PM
So I was having trouble sleeping last night and I was up at about 3:00 AM cleaning up my prop tank and area. I was wiping some salt off the glass of my sump/fuge tank, when I discovered a (GASP) crack in the glass!!! The salt I was wiping up was actually creeping from the crack, and after all the work I have put into this so far, I nearly fell on my butt.
I don’t know how long the crack has been there. Don’t know how it happened. I *do* get a stomach ache when I think about it.
Now it’s the following day. While I am not very happy about this, I also don’t necessarily see it as being the end of the world.
Right now, I have three options. I would love input to help me make my decision.
Option #1... I have a two part epoxy product called PC-7. You could probably glue two CARS together with this stuff. It’s probably the most amazing adhesive I have ever used. It cures in 24 hours, and I would guarantee that if I took that tank to my roof and threw it on the patio, the part glued would still stay intact while everything around it shattered. That’s the good news. The bad news is it will be ugly, but it’s hidden behind my skimmer anyhow. It will be a big dark grey blob/line across the tank. I think I could live with that. I’m fairly certain it would restore the structural integrity and seal any leak.
Option #2... through this process I have been totally amazed at how strong silicone actually is. My thought here would be to get a piece of acrylic or glass, and spread a thin layer of silicone over the whole thing, and then just stick it on the tank over the affected area. I know silicone will seal the leak and the strength would probably be good as well.
Option #3... I replace the tank, which will be a complete pain in the toockus. I could do that, I have a spare 29 gal sitting around, but I would have to make new baffles, moving the refugium would be a total pain... option three is without any doubt a “last case” scenario.
So let me know what you think, I feel like I should take immediate action (e.g. Today) to fix this problem.
I don’t know how long the crack has been there. Don’t know how it happened. I *do* get a stomach ache when I think about it.
Now it’s the following day. While I am not very happy about this, I also don’t necessarily see it as being the end of the world.
Right now, I have three options. I would love input to help me make my decision.
Option #1... I have a two part epoxy product called PC-7. You could probably glue two CARS together with this stuff. It’s probably the most amazing adhesive I have ever used. It cures in 24 hours, and I would guarantee that if I took that tank to my roof and threw it on the patio, the part glued would still stay intact while everything around it shattered. That’s the good news. The bad news is it will be ugly, but it’s hidden behind my skimmer anyhow. It will be a big dark grey blob/line across the tank. I think I could live with that. I’m fairly certain it would restore the structural integrity and seal any leak.
Option #2... through this process I have been totally amazed at how strong silicone actually is. My thought here would be to get a piece of acrylic or glass, and spread a thin layer of silicone over the whole thing, and then just stick it on the tank over the affected area. I know silicone will seal the leak and the strength would probably be good as well.
Option #3... I replace the tank, which will be a complete pain in the toockus. I could do that, I have a spare 29 gal sitting around, but I would have to make new baffles, moving the refugium would be a total pain... option three is without any doubt a “last case” scenario.
So let me know what you think, I feel like I should take immediate action (e.g. Today) to fix this problem.