Cracked glass tank

[cassd]

I found a nice big tank on kijiji but one of the 6x2 foot glass section is cracked is it possible to repair? Could it be replaced with a plywood? What's best cheapest way to fix or is it not worth it at all?

 

[duanes]

I fixed a 6ft tank last year by siliconing a piece of glass on each side of the crack, on the back and on a side panel. The cost wa the glass panels, and one tube of GE 1 silicone


I made sure to get 2 quarter inch thick glass plates large enough to extend as far as the crack might spread under pressure.

Here is the tank filled

 

[cassd]

The crack on this tank is probably 4 times the size

 

[duanes]

On my side panel, the crack was about 16"long. I used 2 panes of glass the size of the side panel.
The back panel crack was small, only about 8", but I still used panes almost the height of the tank, and about 15" wide to cover any pressure spreading.
They did spread a little once the tank was filled, but its been filled and running without leaking at least a year.

 

[ChrisM101]

I would call a local glass shop and ask how much they would charge for a full pane of glass in that size 6' x 2'. If its more than you are willing to pay then pass.
I would only keep something patched like above in a basement or garage. The cost to clean up once it burst and the loss of stock would be way higher than the proper repair or a better tank.

 

[Phixer]

A simple process really. I just repaired an Oceanic 500g 3/4" glass side panel. The easiest way is to break out the old section with a hammer, vacume clean with a shop vac, scrape the channel with chisels, vacume again and clean with alcohol ensuring a clean flat surface. Seal with silicone, several videos on the web.

I ordered the glass pre-cut from Glass Cages because most of the glaziers here in Denver were too incompetent to touch anything 3/4 thick. Couldn't find one glass shop that could get a 36x36 3/4" piece of glass.