Hooooooooooly COW

[ShadowBass]

Did you make sure to level it and everything? Kinda odd place that it cracked.

I'm guessing it was used? It may have had a tiny fracture in it that went unnoticed and the pressure just eventually caused it to crack.

 

[tudiapaktam]

I was sitting down enjoying the Mizzo game and pop! 2008 just started off real bad. Out of know ware my 220 gl reef tank that I was just starting cracked. You wouldn't think 3/4 glass would do that without a cause. How could this happened nothing hit the glass in or outside of the aquarium. Now I have $900 of live rock siting in barrels and the fish in a 90 gl sump. Can I replace the glass or is it best to just buy a new tank?

May be you fill the tank full with water. I only fill in 85% of water in my tank because if I fill in more, the front and back glass of the tank will expand outward. Maybe that can explain why your tank cracked or I might be wrong.

 

[Crazy Taco]

wow thats crazy

 

[Full Metal Gundam]

seems like the 220g glass tanks has some flaws. didn't other members here who also had the same size tanks also have problems? what brand was it?

 

[soulFish]

makes me worrie too about my 210

 

[Crazy8svt]

OK. I need the DIY to answer a few ?. I think I'm going to try my hand at repairing it.

-Whats the best way to get the seams apart?
-Can you use a small torch to melt the seams apart?
-Whats the best caulk to rejoin the seams?

 

[sardesign]

to get the joints apart? razor blade if you ask me... ever try to bust out Dow Corning caulk off of aluminum storefront systems... not fun even with a razor blade but it works

Instead of doing that... would it make sense to cut a piece of acrylic to fit inside the tank along the cracked piece and silicone that in? Probably save you time and money... then you get your tank back up and your fish in it.

Do you have suction cups? Quite useful if you do take that 3/4" glass out.

 

[Fish Eat Fish]

May be you fill the tank full with water. I only fill in 85% of water in my tank because if I fill in more, the front and back glass of the tank will expand outward. Maybe that can explain why your tank cracked or I might be wrong.

The tanks are made to be full...otherwise they would just make them smaller.

 

[HondaTypeSE]

Must have been a hairline crack that expanded and eventually lead to failuire.

 

[Khandurian]

Wow, that just stinks. I have a 230 I found in the trash. It was busted on the lower back piece of glass, with a mirror as a patch!

Do yourself a favor, go down to lowes/home depot, pick up a pack of 100 count razor blades. Go home, and get a stool and slowly start removing all the silicone. The hardest part is going to be removing the trim. Getting all that off in one piece is not going to be easy.

I didn't worry about it as the trim on the tank I got was already removed. Take your time on it. Once you have all the silicone removed, you will then need to separate the front piece of glass.

Once you have the silicone broken between the panes, DO NOT REMOVE THE GLASS BY YOURSELF!!! It's too heavy and you will end up breaking a side. I speak from experience!

To reseal, GE RTV108.