Crack in new tank- please answer ASAP

[PygmyPepperJulli]

Finally found an excellent deal on gumtree- 64gal tank, stand, filters and heater for $75.

Well, it was too good to be true.

Bought the tank (extremely dirty with calcium build-up, but I knew I could fix that) at night, as they were trying to get rid of it as soon as possible. Brought it home. In the proper light, there's a crack. It's not big and doesn't reach any of the edges, but it is very close to the bottom, and therefore would undergo pretty high pressure from the extreme amount of water.

Advice? I say ASAP in the thread as we messaged them back to see if they knew it was there, and they said no and offered to refund it. However, I still think it's a good deal- if it can be fixed. And the person that bought it with me wants to take it back soon.

I've heard about patching with silicon and new glass, and totally replacing that pane, (which for me is not an option, as I would have to take apart the entire tank), but some people just say replace it.

Thanks.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Can you post a picture? Is it just a scratch, or a real crack? Possibly you could seal it with silicone.

 

[Fishyfreeonz]

Personally if you can't replace the piece of glass that is cracked I wouldn't use it at least not with water.

 

[Magnum Man]

Agree, if it’s a scratch, or a crack… if the glass is plate, it could get a little crack, if it’s tempered, a little crack spiderwebs over the whole piece… is the glass thick ( like 7/16 to 1/2 inch thick ) then it’s most likely plate, if it’s closer to 1/4 inch thick, then it’s likely tempered… if it’s a crack in plate, you may be able to patch it… if it’s a scratch in tempered, it’s probably ok… is it on the side or the bottom???

 

[PygmyPepperJulli]

Alright, thanks everyone.

@WhistlingBadger, Sorry, I can't post a pic, I'm not at home right now. It is definitely a crack, but it's pretty small (maybe a few centimeters/1 inch).

@Magnum Man, going from that I think it's plate. We've decided we're not going to refund it either way, so no rush, but it's on the side, near the bottom. We're going to attempt a patch on the weekend with thick acrylic offcuts from a local business.

We'll patch it, then fill it up for a week. If it combusts, or looks like it might in the foreseeable future, we'll just get a new tank. If not, I'll cycle it under heavy observation, and maybe replace it when I have enough to buy a new one.

 

[AJ356]

I've been reading some of your threads. You are trying so hard on that limited budget to do the right thing and get a nice set up with healthy fish. I for one am really rooting for you.

 

[Lcc86]

I'd get the refund, it could let go at any time once there's water in it.

 

[PygmyPepperJulli]

I've been reading some of your threads. You are trying so hard on that limited budget to do the right thing and get a nice set up with healthy fish. I for one am really rooting for you.

Thanks, that means a lot to me IMO, fish aren't just decorations, and I have the responsibility to care for them.

I'd get the refund, it could let go at any time once there's water in it.

Is it still likely for the crack to expand even if it was well-patched? I can't get the refund anymore, we've told them that we'll take it. If you really think it won't hold, I don't know if I can risk putting fish in it.

 

[Archerfish]

Cracks, like bad news, never get better with time. I would use the tank as a reptile habitat. Another idea is a paludarium with very limited water. You could even put a tub or some kind of container within the tank to contain the water and plant around that.

 

[Magnum Man]

Just an FYI… silicone doesn’t stick well to acrylic… it may stick it, but won’t hold any weight, and if you put the patch on the inside, so water pushes the acrylic to the glass, it may be water tight, but the silicone doesn’t stick well enough to keep the crack in the glass from spreading

 

[WhistlingBadger]

OK, now you've got me thinking. How about gluing on a patch (glass might work better than acrylic) with two-part epoxy? That would definitely seal the crack, and the glass would probably end up stronger than it was before the crack...

 

[Fishyfreeonz]

OK, now you've got me thinking. How about gluing on a patch (glass might work better than acrylic) with two-part epoxy? That would definitely seal the crack, and the glass would probably end up stronger than it was before the crack...

Good idea. I used JB weld brand clear weld 5-minute set epoxy to glue the acrylic handles to my glass lid on my aquarium because the factory adhesive was junk. It's been holding great for months.

 

[AJ356]

I'd get the refund, it could let go at any time once there's water in it.

This person has no real idea. Negativity, constant worse case scenario guess work.

 

[Fishyfreeonz]

Here is one of the the handles I did.
I am sorta an adhesive nut. I'll spend hours agonizing over which adhesive to use for a certain joint and this would be my first choice to use on that repair. Just clean the surfaces really good with soap and water and then wipe them down with alcohol before codeine both surfaces with epoxy and pressing them together carefully. Since the crack is on a side I would lay the tank on that side while I did the repair.

 

[PygmyPepperJulli]

JB weld sounds really good- is it fish safe though?
There's another product called JB WaterWeld, which might be better? It IS more expensive, but I would rather pay a bit more than kill all the fish. Also not clear dry, but at this point I'm fine with sacrificing looks for practicality.

@Magnum Man and @Fishyfreeonz, when using JB, would acrylic work as well as glass? Only because we can get acrylic offcuts really cheap. I know glass works better with silicon, but would it be the same with epoxy, or would the crack continue to spread?

Also, how would you remove the alcohol from the repair from the tank before putting water in?

Thanks.