180 with cracked bottom

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

findad

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Feb 14, 2009
Messages
80
Location
Kentucky
I have aquired a 180 All Glass with a big crack in the bottom. Is it worth fooling with?

If so, is there any advice on how to remove the bottom frame without destroying it. Any advice will be helpful.

I am guessing that it is plate glass and not tempered, Right?

I have cut out old silicone and re-sealed tanks before but never replaced a piece of glass
 
if its cracked its toast, gotta replace the sheet or ditch the tank.

Maybe a blow dryer will help soften the old sealant so you have some flexability when removing the frame. Just be gentle.
 
If the bottom is cracked then it is definatly untempered glass, otherwise it would be in little pieces on someones floor.

Since the tank is worth $1500 or so new, it is definatly worth saving.
The big question is "Do you want to try to fix it yourself?"
That bottom glass will be about 1/2 inch thick and not easy to work with for an amature.
You might want to price out a glass shop.
If you do decide to do it, for cryin out load---be carefull, when 1/2 inch glass breaks it blows all over the place. Cover it both sides with duct tape.

Good luck
 
Thanks, it is just plate glass and it is 3/4 and 1/2 on sides, no wonder it is so heavy. Started cleaning it up; trimmin old silicone from corners. Turned it bottom up and removed the frame. Ready to cut the bottom loose and clean it up.

now started thinking ahead (very unusual for me) what will be the best order to re assemble?

Leave it upside down, glue the bottom on, then the frame? Turn it over and then glue the inside.
or
Put the frame down, glue the bottom to the frame, then have the rest of the tank and friends ready to lift and sit on the bottom then seal the inside??

The reason i ask is that i read on here somewhere that cured silicone and fresh dosent stick good, even a hour or so old???
Im tryin to figure out when to seal the inside I assume immediatly would have to be best, or would it be ok to wait 24 hours then turn it over and do the inside?
 
It will be easier to do the inside as a second job, even if it requires cleanup of the new silicone that may have oozed from the repair. A bottom crack can be repaired with a patch, especially if the bottom is supported with styro. The patch would be placed on the inside. This would not be preferable to a new bottom, but is an alternative.
 
Ok, I am attemting to repair it (or create a nice reptile tank). The bottom frame came off eaiser than i expected. then the cutting of the bottom joint. I am sure I did all the no no's of tank repair. i ended up with a few chips out of the bottom edge. a couple are decent sized (see pix) but the frame should cover them. will this holde up under the pressure of 180 gallons? or is it a reptile tank?
 

Attachments

  • chp1-3.jpg
    chp1-3.jpg
    69.4 KB · Views: 88
  • chp3-1.jpg
    chp3-1.jpg
    70.2 KB · Views: 92
  • chp3-2.jpg
    chp3-2.jpg
    69.9 KB · Views: 94
I did a lot of research on repairing tanks. Mine was not broke but I wanted to remove the old silicon because it was just plain ugly.

Probably 95% of the articles I read, suggested taking the tank completely apart and rebuilding it from the ground up.

I'm not sure about the chips.. but if I had to guess. I think it would be ok.

But I would definitely fill it outside and let it stay that way for several weeks... if not longer.. In a safe area.. away from children and pets.

That's a bunch of water and a bunch of glass.
 
Off hand I would say it is OK .... I had an old tank with edge chips like that & there were no issues (but it was only a 75 gal). However, I would definitely test it outside before using, just in case.
 
Hi folks. I have a couple of questions. First, I have a 125 ga tank that is 23 years old. It was always functional until 5 yrs ago. Had to empty and move it. It has never leaked. Is it necessary to reseal it? Second, I have always used a 250w heater. Now some sites are saying that's too small. Any comments on this? Thanks.
 
Hi folks. I have a couple of questions. First, I have a 125 ga tank that is 23 years old. It was always functional until 5 yrs ago. Had to empty and move it. It has never leaked. Is it necessary to reseal it? Second, I have always used a 250w heater. Now some sites are saying that's too small. Any comments on this? Thanks.


In my experience, if it looks good and did not leak before, leave it alone. If it is unsightly, trim it out, clean the corners and re-seal it. Use caution not to cut too deep in the corners.

I alos have a 125 and only use a 300w heater, I do keep it near the return from my filter to distribute the heat throughout the tank.
 
In my experience, if it looks good and did not leak before, leave it alone. If it is unsightly, trim it out, clean the corners and re-seal it. Use caution not to cut too deep in the corners.

Perfect advice.

As for heaters, I think a lot of people are moving toward 2 undersized heaters...

That way if one goes out.. you still have one going.

Or if one starts overheating (which they do from time to time)since it is undersized it shouldn't have disastrous effects on your tank.
 
Two heaters is an interesting idea...I'll consider it. Thanks.


Just a thought.

I've seen several threads of people who baked their fish because a heater acted up.

If you have 2 undersized heaters... then they can't usually get the water temps too high.
 
findad,

I am new to this forum and am wondering how your 180 gal project turned out.
 
It may be too late BUT, I read on a forum somewhere that a man had a large tank (125 as I recall) with a cracked bottom on one corner. Instead of repairing or replacing the glass, he had one cut slightly smaller that the original. Smeared silicone on top of the old bottom glass and put the new glass in place. Then he siliconed the gap around the perimeter, let it dry for several days and refilled it. It lasted him for years and he finally sold it. When he sold it, it was still holding water. That may be something to consider (and a lot less labor).
The old glass could support the weight of the water, substrate, etc.
Charles
 
findad,

I am new to this forum and am wondering how your 180 gal project turned out.


It is still in the garage, upside down without a bottom still. After pricing glass to replace it, I started shoping around and found a 225 to fit the canopy and stand for $50 more than the replacement glass was going to be. Now I wait to find a real deal on a piece of glass
 
It may be too late BUT, I read on a forum somewhere that a man had a large tank (125 as I recall) with a cracked bottom on one corner. Instead of repairing or replacing the glass, he had one cut slightly smaller that the original. Smeared silicone on top of the old bottom glass and put the new glass in place. Then he siliconed the gap around the perimeter, let it dry for several days and refilled it. It lasted him for years and he finally sold it. When he sold it, it was still holding water. That may be something to consider (and a lot less labor).
The old glass could support the weight of the water, substrate, etc.
Charles

Yea, too late, I also heard of that after the fact. For some reason I've always taken the hard road???
 
Back
Top Bottom