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Unread 02/02/2007, 08:43 PM   #1
AndyL
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Alberta Canada
Posts: 241
Angry Tank repair

Pulled out 3 old tanks I've had kicking around since last summer... Slapped em up onto the recently arrived custom built stand, started fiddling with plumbing - and I noticed this:



This is the base glass (3/8") in a 50g tank, 44x18x15. Tank sides sit on the base, if that makes a difference.

Is this something I could repair - by sandwiching a layer of 1/4" glass over top and siliconing liberally? Pretty isn't necessary - but water tight is.

Thanks in advance.


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Unread 02/02/2007, 09:57 PM   #2
mbrungardt
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Kansas City
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AndyL,

I will be following the responses to your delima, as I am facing the same only on a bigger tank and to my own dumb @#% fault.

I recently bought a 150g reef ready tank, which came with a plumbing fitting for the overflow. Problem is, I didn't realize that the pipe could fall all of the way through the holw without the bulkhead on, which it did and cracked the bottom simmilarly to what you have going.

My LFS says they will help me fix it, but I have read mixed revies about how well this will work or last.

Mine is a little more complicated, becase it has two cracks coming out of a bulkhead fitting. One terminates at the overflow box, one has not finished.

My LFS says to fix it, you need to fill it with water until the cracks go all of the way to the edge (yours looks like it may be there already), then you can cover the cracks with another peice of glass liberally siliconed over the cracks.

They recomended testing it outside or somewhere where you can stand the leak if it fails while you are trying it.

Personally, it makes me nervous that a fix may be asking for a major problem down the line if it ever fails.

I am curious to see what the forum members think. Good luck.


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Unread 02/03/2007, 02:41 AM   #3
Icefire
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Location: In Quebec, Canada
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Personnaly, fault of changing the glass, I would get a 1/4" glass panel that would be very tight fitting (remove the upper bracket) and have the replacement glass corners grinded to allow it to not jam in the vertical silicone.

Apply a 1/2" silicone bead in the bottom's 4 edge and apply some on the cracked glass to help support the new glass.

Now insert the glass panel (suction cup would really help, but fishing line could work). Once placed in, press on the glass to squirt some silicone from the edge and reseal.


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Unread 11/30/2007, 02:13 PM   #4
wmfsoll2
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Well I Have thought about how I would fix this type of a problem. I believe that the fix that i and a friend came up with about 10 yrs ago may help. Start with using a two part Poly-Urethane. You place the Tank upside down, and after you mix the 2 parts you pour it on top of the bottom Glass till you have about an 1/8 of an inch spread across the glass. Allow 24-48 hrs for it to cure then place the tank right side up and do the same thing to the inside but to about 1/4 of an inch and allow 48-36 hrs cure time. I did this with a 20 gal tank and it worked fine. I had a friend that did the same with a 30 gal, but after he did the underside he brushed a thick coat into the bottom then placed the 1/4 inch glass on top of that. Much in the same way that IceFire described above, just ensuring that the glass was pressed in properly to release any bubbles that could cause the new glass to crack. Both tanks lasted around 5 years till they were taken down and sold at garage sales.

I hope that this helps you in your repairs, Bill.


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Last edited by wmfsoll2; 11/30/2007 at 02:18 PM.
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