Options for a Cracked Bottom Panel

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FESHMAN

FESHMAN

Polypterus
MFK Member
Sep 14, 2015
405
449
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Q8
Hey guys. So, as some of you may know, I cracked the bottom panel of my recently bought 240Gal tank.
I need your opinions guys on fixing it. The tanks is built with 3 pieces; the front and sides is one whole piece, the back panel, and the bottom panel.
The front and back are 20mm so I'm assuming that the bottom one is also 20mm. (I don't know why I always thought that 10mm is too thick)
f6c98eacb9.jpg


The crack runs from the left side of the tank to about the middle of the tank. It branches into 3 cracks forming a fork (if that helps anything)

f6c9c3a403.jpg


The tank has these bottom supports around the perimeter and one in the middle. All the supports are intact, the crack just slipped under them. They could be reused.
Also the front and back are intact.
f6c973c122.jpg

f6c8848d3c.jpg


So what are my options?

Acrylic bottom panel?
Glass? What thickness?
Plywood?
Patching?...
Anything?..

I really need your opinions guys, you are the experts.
 
FESHMAN said:
Hey guys. So, as some of you may know, I cracked the bottom panel of my recently bought 240Gal tank.
I need your opinions guys on fixing it. The tanks is built with 3 pieces; the front and sides is one whole piece, the back panel, and the bottom panel.
The front and back are 20mm so I'm assuming that the bottom one is also 20mm. (I don't know why I always thought that 10mm is too thick)
f6c98eacb9.jpg


The crack runs from the left side of the tank to about the middle of the tank. It branches into 3 cracks forming a fork (if that helps anything)

f6c9c3a403.jpg


The tank has these bottom supports around the perimeter and one in the middle. All the supports are intact, the crack just slipped under them. They could be reused.
Also the front and back are intact.
f6c973c122.jpg

f6c8848d3c.jpg


So what are my options?

Acrylic bottom panel?
Glass? What thickness?
Plywood?
Patching?...
Anything?..

I really need your opinions guys, you are the experts.
Click to expand...
All I can say for now is acrylic panel wouldn't work.. You're better off with glass.. I'll let someone else chime in with thickness
 
The front and the sided are ONE solid curved glass?

The back and the bottom are One. Also?
Most aquariums are made of 5 plates. That can be "field stripped " cut apart, in about 30 minutes with the right tools.
 
markstrimaran said:
The front and the sided are ONE solid curved glass?

The back and the bottom are One. Also?
Most aquariums are made of 5 plates. That can be "field stripped " cut apart, in about 30 minutes with the right tools.
Click to expand...
The front and sides are one whole piece, the bottom and back are individual pieces, making it a total of 3 glass sheets. Plus the tank is no less that 300kg, I can't do it alone.

M@T!@$ said:
All I can say for now is acrylic panel wouldn't work.. You're better off with glass.. I'll let someone else chime in with thickness
Click to expand...
Thank you for your reply I appreciate it. Can you please further specify why acrylic wouldn't work?
 
FESHMAN said:
The front and sides are one whole piece, the bottom and back are individual pieces, making it a total of 3 glass sheets. Plus the tank is no less that 300kg, I can't do it alone.


Thank you for your reply I appreciate it. Can you please further specify why acrylic wouldn't work?
Click to expand...
Silicone doesn't really stick to acrylic, many people who use acrylic on plywood builds ect, use silicone as a gasket, water pressure keeps it there. Acrylic is bonded using cement which softens the material and it bonds together on a molecular level..
Plywood and glass are your best options
 
If it was my tank. I would cut it apart and replace the cracked bottom. The problem I see is in the front with the curves. The top 3 braces. Limit the length of patch pieces.
Another option would involve using 2 gallons of fiberglass resin, and about 8 layers of 2710 stich matt. Creating a 1/2" fiber glass panel. The fiber glass will need too be silicone sealed to the sides. To be water tight.
As polyester resins will not bond to glass. An epoxy laminating resin might, but silicone would also.
The only difference between this and a plywood bottom. Would being able to work through the top cross braces, and dealing with the rounded corners.
$ 20.00 a gallon for polyester resin, about 15.00 for glass cloth. So $55.00 in materials. Epoxies are $ 80.00 gallon.
 
The way I see it you basically have three options.
1 cut the glass panels apart and do a total reseal which is the hardest most expensive option but what I think would be the best idea.
2 find out what the biggest piece of glass that you can fit into the tank and get as many as needed to cover the bottom and silicone these over the bottom you could also do the same thing to the out side under neath the tank.
3 you can take just the top frame off and put a sheet of glass on the bottom.
 
I just thought of another way to fix this tank.
You can take the bottom frame off, cut the bottom pane off, cut just the inside bead of silicon out of the tank. Put a pane of glass on the bottom, reinstall the bottom frame and reseal the inside to water proof the whole tank.
This would work if the silicon between the sides is in good condition.
 
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