cracked tank

[methalorange]

ok so i found a used 10G tank at a friends house
i took it for free but on its trip home i cracked the glass...oops

i know a 10G is cheap to buy and not worth repairing but all that aside how would i go about fixing it

the crack runs from top to bottom

i don't care how ugly the tank looks as long as i can get it to hold water

suggestions?

 

[glasstapper]

is there a glass shop near you? sometimes they have spare pieces, scraps, that they'll help you out with, even cut to size, then slice the old panel out, remove all the old silicone, wipe the old area with acetone let that dry, then put on the silicone then slide the new panel in

 

[methalorange]

hmmm
thanks for the idea - i might look into it

but im thinking its just a bit too much work (and probably money) to go to for a 10G

id prefer somthing i can do myself at home

can i pour the silicon to it? or some other type of glue or bonding substance? will it hold the pressure? could i add some sort of support to teh glass after i glue it to help support the pressure?

 

[Mr Burns]

oy...you're putting way too much work into this. just go to walmart and get a new one. they are $10 (at least mine was)

 

[methalorange]

thats not the point
i WANT to fix this one

 

[grimlock3000]

thats not the point
i WANT to fix this one

Ok, take the entire tank apart and clear off all of the silicone with a razor blade. Get a new glass panel that fits, then reassemble the tank and redo all of the silicone seals. Allow the silicone to cure for at least 48 hours. Fill the tank with water for one week as a test.

Trying to just "fix" the crack is not going to work. With little cracks, bracing the crack and sealing it with silicone can usually work as a temp fix until the panel is replace. With a top to bottom crack, you really need to replace the panel if you plan on safely keeping water in the tank for any length of time. The reason people are telling you to replace the tank is because a new tank is cheaper than properly fixing the one you have. If you are too cheap to spend another $10 on a new (and safe) 10g tank, maybe you should not plan on keeping fish anyway.

 

[TankGirl]

I agree that this crack will never hold, even if you go to great lengths to seal it up carefully.