Cracked Tank, NON fish

[FLIP]

This is not going to be for FISH.
This tank will not be filled all the way.

I have this tank 30x12x18 that has a crack at the corner
Image here : http://img335.imageshack.us/img335/1293/img13882ip.jpg

I want to create a turtle tank with a DIY styro/foam background/land area
Something like this :

More than half of the tank will be sealed with silicone and styrofoam. Water will not be putting pressure on the cracked area.
The most I want to fill the tank with water is about 10"x5-6" high on the good side of the tank.

I will be putting a plexiglass sheet in the corner to help seal the cracked area, but have a few q's:
If I have a square piece of plexiglass, should I:
1) Remove the silicone in the corner, clean it flush, and then silicone the plexi in place.
2) Clean the area, place the plexi in the corner and silicone it well.
3) Clean the area, silicone the whole bottom and along the crack, place the plexi in the corner and then silicone the edges as well.
Also to top it off... silicone the underside of the aquarium along the crack.

Now by doing that, honestly, do you think that it would be ok to go along with my plan? The crack will be all the way in the corner with styrofoam ontop. Im thinking my DIY landscape will weight about no more than 5-10lbs but it will be spread over 2/3rds of the tank and the 1/3rd will have water only 5" high.

What other way is there for my to reinforce the crack if you do not think silicone/plexi is good enough. What If I were to do a fiberglass/quickrite stuff layer to it.

Im doing a styrofoam landscape to cut down on weight and I think it would help.

 

[czcz]

I think you are right that location and paludarium will work in your favor. Back in May I cracked my tank (worse than yours) and used an oversized piece of glass. I painted the back of the patch with silicone and put it on the inside of the tank. I used silicone on the edges where the pieces met. I used a credit card to coat the back of the crack with silicone. Have not had leaks or issues. As you can see this was a quick and dirty fix, but here are pics shortly after refilling the tank, and may explain better: front,
flash, back. I think location and small volume (8g) worked in my favor.

FWIW, I am trying a styro and concrete paludarium and four thin coats of concrete chips easily -- I worry that claws will chip it apart.

Good luck, HTH

 

[FLIP]

It will be more than 4 coats. I want at least .5cm thickness to under 1cm.
Just wondering, I can't seem to find quickrite in Quebec, Canada. I find portland cement and other stuff. Nothing with the fibers inside.

What brand of paint/pigments do you people buy. The best thing I fould was powder'd color you add to the cement. Thx, i am fixing up the crack right now.

 

[FLIP]

where do you guys buy your quickrite and cement paint? What type of paint do i go for, acrylic? Anything else I should look for.

 

[czcz]

I did not use a color additive. I believe most use the powders. Check out sulla's howto in this forum and the ones of cichlid-forum.com if you have not already.