Crack in bottom of tank

[carbon]

I just had the fortune of inheriting a sweet custom 130 gallon tank like 8 ft long by 2 ft tall by 2 ft wide I found in an apartment storage being liquidated. Apart from being fairly dirty it is oddly enough constructed out of all glass and silicone, it holds water I tested it, It did not leak only one problem there is a crack at the bottom near one side that does not go through on either side weird.. I guess stress fracture from moving?? what is the probability I will have the crack spread and how do I go about fixing the crack so it doesn't spread?? any Ideas I really don't want to make a beautiful tank and blow all 130 gallons out of the bottom!!

 

[jsoong]

The standard treatment for cracked glass is to replace the pane.

I have read about people sandwiching a bottom crack with 2 pieces of glass (full length front to back & maybe 6-10" wide) siliconed over the crack. The justification is that old tank are made with 2 pieces of glass at the bottom joined this way. I can't find the link at this point. However, I would not be trying this on a 130 gal without some good evidence that it is safe. You might want to consult a pro (look for custom tank builders in your area).

 

[Ziggy953]

I have to agree. I would be very cautious. I have also heard of people putting a piece of glass that covers the entire panel that is cracked. I think jsoong has the best idea, get in touch with a professional. You may be able to get some answers from glasscages.com

 

[lynxpilot]

Find an auto mechanic or auto glass shop that does glass repairs. They put an epoxy on one side of the crack and have a suction tool that sucks it into the crack from the other side. It's supposed to be pretty reliable and they use it on auto glass which is subject to dramatic temperature changes and other forces that could propagate a crack. In a stable environment like an aquarium, I'd be it would work really well.

 

[Ziggy953]

Find an auto mechanic or auto glass shop that does glass repairs. They put an epoxy on one side of the crack and have a suction tool that sucks it into the crack from the other side. It's supposed to be pretty reliable and they use it on auto glass which is subject to dramatic temperature changes and other forces that could propagate a crack. In a stable environment like an aquarium, I'd be it would work really well.

The only thing I would caution you on with this option is what is in the epoxy that could leach into the aquarium. If you talk to a glass shop about this find out what kind of epoxy they use and if it is non-toxic.

I found the link I was looking for about fixing cracked tanks. Have a look at this site.

 

[carbon]

Thanks for the advie I think I will contact someone who knows what they are doing with custom tanks, mabey they can patch the glass for me or direct me to what is an acceptable method for professional standards!!

 

[ccCapt]

I just had the fortune of inheriting a sweet custom 130 gallon tank like 8 ft long by 2 ft tall by 2 ft wide I found in an apartment storage being liquidated.

Nice! Actually those dimensions make the tank 240 gal.

 

[melosu58]

Yes and water is a little over 8 lbs a gallon at 240 gallons. That`s why you have to shore up that crack.

 

[BillD]

The local Big Al's has a 780 (4' x 8' x 3' H ) gallon tank that has the bottom patched, with one piece on the inside. This tank does not have a suspended botttom and the entire bottom is supported. It has been that way for years.