Crack in new tank- please answer ASAP

[PygmyPepperJulli]

I can't get the refund.

I'm still going to go with it, because, if you haven't guessed already, I'm a stubborn headstrong cheapskate idiot. There's nothing in the room (or house) that will be damaged if it does explode (other than the fish). The flooring is waterproof, and it can't drain below because there is no below.

I'll probably only fill it 3/4 or even 2/3 of the way as a riparium, and I might put the actual water in a container like archer suggested. I am also saving up to hopefully get a brand new one next year. I know you're all trying to help, but as I said, I can't get past my stubborn-head-strong-idiotness.

And as I said to Badger if it explodes, my fault my problem.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I'm still going to go with it, because, if you haven't guessed already, I'm a stubborn headstrong cheapskate idiot...I know you're all trying to help, but as I said, I can't get past my stubborn-head-strong-idiotness.

Yeah, I can identify with that. You know the risks and you are prepared for the consequences. Good luck! I think it might actually work.

 

[kiko]

I can't get the refund.

I'm still going to go with it, because, if you haven't guessed already, I'm a stubborn headstrong cheapskate idiot. There's nothing in the room (or house) that will be damaged if it does explode (other than the fish). The flooring is waterproof, and it can't drain below because there is no below.

I'll probably only fill it 3/4 or even 2/3 of the way as a riparium, and I might put the actual water in a container like archer suggested. I am also saving up to hopefully get a brand new one next year. I know you're all trying to help, but as I said, I can't get past my stubborn-head-strong-idiotness.

And as I said to Badger if it explodes, my fault my problem.

you said earlier that the crack was about 1 inch...why not drill it and plug it with a bulkhead?
now you just added the option to have an overflow in the future
you can drain it from there into a sump or attach some pvc with a 90 degree elbow with a piece of pipe adjusted for height of the lowest draining point
this way you don't even have a crack anymore just a future option for an overflow/sump

 

[PygmyPepperJulli]

Sounds very cool… and technical. Had to look up at least half of those terms just then

don’t have tons of space for a sump, unfortunately, and have already patched it. No leaks or further crack expanding so far (put pen on the end of the crack to see if it expands, and it hasn’t) since I put water in it nearly a month ago, so we’ll see. I would have love to have tried that, though.

Wouldn’t the drill further crack the glass around it?

 

[GaryE]

Drilling glass isn't for the faint of heart, but if you know what you're doing, it causes no cracks.

It's cracks that spider out, not drill holes, so that would have been a clever strategy. It all depends where the hole would be. No one wants a sump stand pipe front and centre. But you could drill a hole with a diamond bit and cooling water and stop a crack - then seal up the hole. I have a bunch of second hand drilled tanks sealed with glass and silicone. They are long term stable.

 

[kiko]

Sounds very cool… and technical. Had to look up at least half of those terms just then

don’t have tons of space for a sump, unfortunately, and have already patched it. No leaks or further crack expanding so far (put pen on the end of the crack to see if it expands, and it hasn’t) since I put water in it nearly a month ago, so we’ll see. I would have love to have tried that, though.

Wouldn’t the drill further crack the glass around it?

as long as you don't apply pressure it shouldn't crack...
once the drill cuts into the glass outside the edges of the crack...even if the crack spreads, it won't spread farther than where it's already cut into
you have 2 ways of drilling glass
1. you spray the surface and put the drill in an angle so the drill won't run away (this can cause the crack to spread on the other side)
2. drill a piece of wood the same size as the drill bit you're going to use fill it with water and just let the weight of the drill itself do the drilling
you should always put some tape on the back side so it doesn't chip more than it needs to when it drills through
another trick you can use to prevent spread is a glass cutter
make a nick just after the crack on both ends and then drill the glass
Just be patient...
and if you have no experience drilling or cutting glass
just remember a glass cutter doesn't actually cut glass it just creates a scratch line that you make the glass break by turning it over and tapping it along the line
and drilling just requires patience...most people tend to apply force by pushing the drill...
---> you don't need to <---
want to drill faster/cleaner? apply running water (it helps clean out the hole from glass dust allowing the drill to do its job better)

 

[kiko]

the hardest glass to drill is small pieces where the hole is huge compared to the size of the glass itself
like this guy over here...to drill 2 pieces without imperfections took me 5 pieces of glass total

 

[Endlersendlers]

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

Now that we know it didn’t work, we also know it wasn’t negativity so much as realism.

 

[PygmyPepperJulli]

Even though it didn't work, I don't regret my decision. It was worth a shot and I did what I could with what I had. It didn't cause any damage other than to my budget, and that was only because I needed to buy a new tank, which would have been the same even if I rejected it in the first place.

 

[AJ356]

Was worth a go!

 

[kiko]

the crack just spread with the pressure?
maybe I'll just make a video because I drill mostly very thin glass and make tons of holes without any issues
thicker glass is tons easier because you have more play unlike 2/3mm glass which as soon as it cuts you have to stand the drill