Fixing a XL Acrylic Aquarium w/ Cracked Bottom?

[tanglovers]

I am looking at a 450 gallon aquarium. It is 96" x 36" x 30" tall. It is 3/4" acrylic all the way around. The bottom has a crack running nearly the full length of the tank. It was filled on a stand that had not plywood etc for center support.

Is it possible to fix it? Does the bottom need to be removed and a new on replaced?

Any suggestions / tips would be good. I don't want to quick get it if I am going to regret it and just wish I spent the cash on ordering it new.

Scott

 

[hybridtheoryd16]

being acrylic I would just put another layer on the very bottom. use a slow setting glue or solvent and put a bunch of weight in the tank to press out the air and get a good bond.

 

[Cashlaw]

Not an expert by any stretch, but I looked up a lot of material on repairing acrylic when bracing an acrylic tank's corner recently.

I guess the decision would come down to cost. The tank can be repaired, no question. But how much would it cost (used tank + repair) versus just buying a new tank or a different used tank?

If the crack is running the entire length of the bottom, that's massive damage in the worst possible place!

You'd probably want to sheet the entire bottom with a new sheet of acrylic. Maybe two sheets if the crack is really bad: one exterior, one interior. That could add up to several hundred dollars just for the sheets of acrylic. Plus the cost of the Weld-On or epoxy (probably Weld-On).

Also, do you have a workshop at home or access to a friend's shop for a good table and clamps?

I dunno . . . if it was just a small crack (smaller than one inch), or just an area that looked like it could use a little reinforcing but otherwise held water fine, then I'd do it. Because that repair would be inexpensive and easy to do.

Then you also have to wonder, was the tank handled badly before in a way that could lead to other parts of the tank cracking over time? Is there any other hidden damage?

I would pass on the tank because of the size of the damage and the cost to do a good repair.

Unless the seller is basically giving the tank away for next to nothing, pennies on the dollar, and then it might be worth taking to salvage acrylic from it.