Hey guys I need help. I just purchased a 300 glass. It was running when I picked it up. I got it home and it looks like something got under it and it's cracked. I need a way to repair it. Can I have a glass aquarium builder repair it? What about just caping the bottom with a whole new piece??? HELP!!!!! Located Los Angeles California area....
Cracked bottom of 300 gallon glass tank repair
- Thread starter steve1815
- Start date
wow that sucks man, you are talking about taking a new piece and laying it over the old and sealing the edges? I dont think that would work just because if that piece flexes it could blow the bottom piece that you put in right out and would then have deep blue sea happening in your living room. If you are going to spend the money on a piece of glass, cut the old out and put in new.
Hello; I have patched cracked tanks with a plate of glass before. It has worked well for me. After a good cleaning of both pieces of glass, I used silicone. I used an amount of silicone so that it spread out completely between the surfaces. Once the silicone cures the glass panes are pretty much impossible to separate.
This has worked on tanks up to 30 gallons so I cannot comment on a 300 gallon. The principle is the same but the pressure and weight are much more. I do not doubt that a patch glass of proper thickness could hold the weight. I have pretty good confidence that the silicone will hold, after all it holds the corners of all glass tanks. A key, to my way of thinking, is to have the patch glass as big as is practical. It should go beyond the crack several inches. A crack tends to run to the edge of the glass so I gob plenty of silicone there.
It will be a messy process. As the crack is on the bottom, once finished it should not be visible. If you try a patch, it might be best to test fill it some place where a leak will not cause problems. I would also test fill for several weeks, if possible, before putting it in a risky place.
All that said, it will still be a bit iffy and much will depend on your worry capacity.
Good luck
This has worked on tanks up to 30 gallons so I cannot comment on a 300 gallon. The principle is the same but the pressure and weight are much more. I do not doubt that a patch glass of proper thickness could hold the weight. I have pretty good confidence that the silicone will hold, after all it holds the corners of all glass tanks. A key, to my way of thinking, is to have the patch glass as big as is practical. It should go beyond the crack several inches. A crack tends to run to the edge of the glass so I gob plenty of silicone there.
It will be a messy process. As the crack is on the bottom, once finished it should not be visible. If you try a patch, it might be best to test fill it some place where a leak will not cause problems. I would also test fill for several weeks, if possible, before putting it in a risky place.
All that said, it will still be a bit iffy and much will depend on your worry capacity.
Good luck
Does anyone know if a glass tank builder will just replace the whole bottom piece for me? Any local builders in Southern California?
So I got a quote from a glass tank manufacturer. They will not fix it but they will cut a piece of glass for me and drill the holes for the over flow. They said it would cost 135 for the glass, and 60 for they black trim. They recommended the tank bottom be made from 1/2 in. They will also give me the silicone they use to put there tanks together. I looked over the tank again, and there is no silicone on the vertical corners. It's just held together by the silicone between the glass. Is this normal? There is no buildup of silicone in the corners of large tanks? Should I put silicone?
Hello; Although you have not said so, the tank must be used as it was running when you picked it up. You did not mention the manufacture or other information. Is it homemade?
That it was running, does this also indicate it was full of water? If so and it had held the way it was then why add silicone to the inside of the verticle corners? I can not picture any harm in doing so however. I would likely wait untill after the botton repair glass is in place. That way any potential interference with placing the repair pane is avoided. I would also plan to run the bead of silicone up the verticle corners after the bottom repair plate is in place and while the silicone from that part of the repair is still tacky. That way the silicone should better stick to itself and it can all cure ogether.
May I ask if this will be the first time you have tried a tank repair with silicone? If so, may I suggest that you do some practice work with some cheap silicone with some other glass. Also be aware that once the repair pane is placed onto the fluid silicone it may be impossible to remove it even if the silicone is not cured. A test fit is what I would do.
Also a half inch thick pane of glass big enough to cover the bottom of a 300 gallon tank is going to be heavy. How do you plan to handle such a piece of glass?
The tank was running and full of water when I picked it up. I drained it. The tank was made by a company in Las Vegas I was told. I have not repairs a tank before but I have built sumps and such out of glass. I am going to do a test fit to make sure it's all right and good before I glue it. I am going to have help putting the piece down and then plan on clamping it to let dry for a few days, Then I will add the black trim and hope it all holds.
Hello; Not sure why clamps will be needed. When I have siliconed panes of glass together the silicone has been sticky enough to hold them in place. As your replacement pane will be on the bottom, then gravity should help. I use plenty of silicone and gently press the panes together causing the silicone to spread. I run a thick bead right on top of a crack, around the edges and beads in variuos places. The weight of the replacement pane may be enough to squeeze the silicone out into a thin layer between the glass panes.
I had to remove and reinstall a large mirror in my bathroom last year. It was heavy with no frame. I purchased from Northern Tools a suction device with a handle and four suction pads. My guess is when you feel the weight of the replacement pane, such a tool or few might be a good idea. That weight will be awkward and may be tricky to manuver into place.
Good luck
That's the best solution to the problem. If you're going to do it do it properly. Much better than trying to patch it with pieces of glass.
