I just bought a 230 gallon. After it had been full for a few hours the bottom pane of glass cracked and needless to say I had a mess. Is there any way to repair this? I know pics would help but it's 3 am and I just finished draining it. Basically from what I can tell the bottom pane cracked from the front towards the back in V and there's a crack in the middle of the V. Far as I can tell it goes all the way from front to back.
Able to repair cracked bottom?
- Thread starter Vanica
- Start date
I've heard of people, successfully, taking a single glass pane (generously wider than the crack), thoroughly smearing silicone on 1 side of the pane, and then applying it right to the crack. However, in your case, it sounds like to be successful, you'll need to remove all the silicone on the inside of the tank, install the "patch", then resilicone the entire inside of the tank. GL
+1 on above.
I would drain and dry the tank...remove the silicone at the crack were it hits the front and back of the tank...place a glass pane that fits over the crack and silicone it in place.
I'd also silicone the other side of the bottom pane on the crack as well.
I would drain and dry the tank...remove the silicone at the crack were it hits the front and back of the tank...place a glass pane that fits over the crack and silicone it in place.
I'd also silicone the other side of the bottom pane on the crack as well.
Thank you guys. I sure hope I can get it sealed. The guy that I bought the tank from is going to come over today and have a look at and said he'll help me repair it if it can be so I'll show him your ideas.
I've done the above with varying degrees of success.
Use a large pane of thick glass, that fits between sides tightly, use a razor blade to remove "any" old silicone from the area, and don't be stingy with a high quality new silicone.
I have some tanks up and running that I've repaired a decade ago.
The only time it hasn't worked was when I got lazy removing old silicone, or not getting the proper size replacement glass.
Use a large pane of thick glass, that fits between sides tightly, use a razor blade to remove "any" old silicone from the area, and don't be stingy with a high quality new silicone.
I have some tanks up and running that I've repaired a decade ago.
The only time it hasn't worked was when I got lazy removing old silicone, or not getting the proper size replacement glass.
There is small 1 1/2" pieces of glass all the way along the bottom edges and it cracked too.they are maybe 1/4" or 3/8". Would I be best to use a piece of glass that thick and then use another thicker one like 1/2" over top of it?
Was this a result of insufficient leveling? Sounds like a GlassCage tank and they warranty (irrelevant here) for 90 days either on a commercial stand or a home made stand with a 3/4" Styrofoam sheet under the entire bottom.
I bought 10 tanks from GlassCages, 8x2x2, 240 gal nominally. One cracked on the bottom from thermal expansion in the hot sun but the reinforcing glass strips that run along the entire bottom perimeter didn't crack. So I bought a 3/8" thick sheet of glass to fit precisely over the entire bottom minus the strips. Because of the braces, I had to cut it in two pieces, ~5' and ~3'.
I have not siliconed it yet.
If the strips are cracked too then I'd silicone a smaller sheet to the bottom just as I am about to do above and then use another sheet of glass to cover the entire bottom including the strips. It will be a challenge to fit this larger piece inside, so perhaps the best is to remove the braces from the get go and silicone them back on after done.
I bought 10 tanks from GlassCages, 8x2x2, 240 gal nominally. One cracked on the bottom from thermal expansion in the hot sun but the reinforcing glass strips that run along the entire bottom perimeter didn't crack. So I bought a 3/8" thick sheet of glass to fit precisely over the entire bottom minus the strips. Because of the braces, I had to cut it in two pieces, ~5' and ~3'.
I have not siliconed it yet.
If the strips are cracked too then I'd silicone a smaller sheet to the bottom just as I am about to do above and then use another sheet of glass to cover the entire bottom including the strips. It will be a challenge to fit this larger piece inside, so perhaps the best is to remove the braces from the get go and silicone them back on after done.
I agree with the advice above.
Many of the glass cages tanks seem to be built to hold reptiles, or amphibians where the water level is shallow, not really made to be filled for fish.
Even with thick glass tanks, I like to add an extra pane for strength.
Here's a tank I repaired with acouple large cracks on the back, using a pane out and in.
been up and running in my living room, for a couple years now.
Many of the glass cages tanks seem to be built to hold reptiles, or amphibians where the water level is shallow, not really made to be filled for fish.
Even with thick glass tanks, I like to add an extra pane for strength.
Here's a tank I repaired with acouple large cracks on the back, using a pane out and in.
been up and running in my living room, for a couple years now.
It was a result of me being an idiot and not putting a piece of styrofoam between the tank and the plywood of the stand. It's my own damn fault and that's why I'm upset. Lesson learned. I believe the centre upright supports of the stand were a tiny bit longer than the end ones resulting in the centre taking the pressure. If I had the 3/4" piece of styrofoam it would have had enough give to compensate for it. Not sure who made the tank but it definately looks like it was built to hold water. Plus the guy I had it from ran it for years as an aquarium.
Sorry to hear. You are not alone.
If you are going to silicone a glass sheet on the bottom outside (for extra strength), I'd go for the entire bottom area. Perhaps 1/4" would be ok.
GlassCages is just the name of a company that makes fish tanks AFAIK. Perhaps they have a product line for other purposes but that's irrelevant. Your repair job looks unreal good, Duanes! I assume you've siliconed the entire area both inside and out but it looks so clear, no air bubbles.
If you are going to silicone a glass sheet on the bottom outside (for extra strength), I'd go for the entire bottom area. Perhaps 1/4" would be ok.
GlassCages is just the name of a company that makes fish tanks AFAIK. Perhaps they have a product line for other purposes but that's irrelevant. Your repair job looks unreal good, Duanes! I assume you've siliconed the entire area both inside and out but it looks so clear, no air bubbles.