Repairing Acrylic tanks?

[Squeesan]

Hi all, I'm new to the board, so I hope I am posting in the right place.

I purchased a 40 gal Sea Clear tank as is. It has 2 cracks, one on the front, and one on the back. Almost as if someone had laid it on its side, and stepped on it.

My question is this....is it possible to repair an acrylic tank as a DIY project, or does it need to go to a professional? The cracks are probably about 6" long on each side.

Thank you very much for any assistance you can give.

 

[snapcrackler]

You can use an acrylic solvent to weld the crack, IPS makes a good solvent here:

http://www.ipscorp.com/ind_html/acrylics.html

You could contact them to locate a dealer in your area

People make their own tanks using this solvent, if your crack doesn't detract from the looks of your aquarium too much, then you should be able to repair it OK and still have a usable tank.

Good luck and I hope that helps a little.

 

[justDIY]

I concur with the IPS suggestion

if the crack has any visible pieces missing, you may need to patch it using additional acrylic pieces welded over the missing section.

if the crack is a good tight and perfect fit, then Weld On #3 or #4 will be your best choice... you may need to clamp or tape the tank so the crack stays tightly together, and then you apply the weld on with a needle and syringe and it will draw into the crack and melt it back together.

if the crack is loose, you can try weld on #16 which can fill small gaps, but it's not as strong as #3 or #4

check out: www.craftics.com for weld on (ips) products.