Repairing and restoring 280g acrylic aquarium

[scottayy]

Okay, so it's time so either sell this beast or set it up. Before I can do either I need to repair and restore it.

The biggest problem is a big crack in the top bracing. It is all the way through the acrylic (can feel it on the bottom) but there is no space inbetween it. Is this crack structurally significant?

If so, how do I fix it? I was thinking of getting a sheet of acrylic and putting it on bottom and on top and gluing it on. Is this the best way? How thick of acrylic will I want to get? And what do I use to "glue" it together (obviously not silicone?). I've never worked with acrylic.

The acrylic on this tank is 3/4" thick. Tank dimensions are 6'x2.5'x2.5' (72"x30"x30").

 

[scottayy]

I was thinking two pieces shaped like this on the bottom:

And then a piece on the top shaped like this:

 

[scottayy]

I've been doing some googling.

What about if I simply squirt some weld-on 16 down in the crack? Would that join sufficiently?

 

[scottayy]

Hmm.. looks like not much experience with acrylic here?

 

[scottayy]

Water tested anyways, it doesn't appear to effect the crack. I ordered some weldon anyways that i'll inject into the crack. Buffed a small section with novus.. seems to have worked well. I haven't tried it on any bigger scratches yet though.

I'm only going to polish the front panel. Nobody will see the top or bottom and the sides and back are blue (not see-through).

 

[Sailmike]

How you repair it would depend on which direction most of the load will be. I like the idea of sandwiching it between two sheets of acrylic. If most of the load is vertical, then thicker sheets should be used. If the load is horizontal, then thinner sheets could be used. I would have the acrylic span the crack a couple inches on either side of the crack like you illustrated. For the glue, I would use the same glue that's used to make the tank. I have no idea what kind of glue that is though or where to get it.

I don't have any experience with acrylic though, so the above is just my opinion.

 

[scottayy]

What's a fair price to ask for this? It's been holding water for 3 days now, no leaks. It has some scratches and has been knocked around a bit. So I would say fair shape. Also includes two pumps and a really tall skimmer in the back filtration department. The back filtration compartment is 4 chambers, right side overflow, bioballs in the middle, left side is return.

I'll also include 8 oz bottles of novus 1, 2, & 3 and a tube of weld-on (even though it's not leaking).

$300 sound like a good deal?

 

[Jlsardina]

I'd ask 500$

 

[scottayy]

I'd ask 500$

Even with the crack in the top and needing a thorough cleaning?

 

[Jlsardina]

Yep. For the size of tank, and a support brace that can easily be repaired- heck yeah. You do know how much that tank costs new right?

 

[Kio707]

I'd buy it!