[monisaab]

One of my tank's bottom has developed a crack.

How should I go about repairing it?

Should I use a glass piece the size of the crack and cover the crack or should I change the whole bottom glass?

 

[60gallon]

Cracks will usually get worse and will spread. I would change the I entire bottom glass out or buy a new tank.

 

[jmlp3]

Do a search on youtube for carls aquariums tank repairs he will give you good ideas..

Hope it helps, he has repaired tanks with cracks in it, like yours and with a piece of glass siliconed in the place of the crack and it has worked, be sure to put your piece of glass longer then the crack and you will be fine.

Take care

 

[pistolpete]

My recommendation would be to put in a piece of glass to cover the whole bottom of the tank with 1/16 clearance all around. Silicone it in place. this would create a double glass bottom. This way if the crack spreads in an unexpected direction you are still covered.

 

[monisaab]

Thanks friends forthe advice. Will get the glass today and silicone it over the bottom glass...

jmlp3 will search the video...

 

[monisaab]

can I use the new piece outside? I mean under the old bottom piece or does it need to be inside over the previous piece?

 

[M&S]

I would personally put it inside, and then use silicone to seal all around the 1/16" gap around the edges as well. This should bond the new glass to the corners as well as the base. Also teh weight of the wate/substrate will push the repair piece down onto the base of teh tank, which would help enforce a seal.

 

[jmlp3]

Make sure that you clean the area thoroughly.

 

[monisaab]

Thanks M&S and jmlp3...

I was worried about reducing the tank area, hence thinking about doing it from the outside...

I was thinking about patching it up from the inside and then adding a glass sheet on the outside...

 

[M&S]

You're not going to reduce the tank area by very much by putting it inside, and I'd trust it more that way.

 

[monisaab]

Thanks M&S...

 

[Riceburner]

+1 to inside. I'd also spread some silicone around the crack specifically ...and the rest of the bottom to adhere it to the band-aid piece of glass....as well as the edges.

 

[monisaab]

Thanks everyone for the inputs.

Did the repairs last night, will give it 48 hours to cure before testing it... Keeping my fingers crossed...

 

[monisaab]

I've been adding a couple of cans of water (10 Liter each) every day after giving it 72 hours and so far so good...

Its nearly one third full now...

Thanks for the advice.

 

[M&S]

Good, now get the hose out and fill it

 

[monisaab]

OK M&S...

 

[M&S]

(but don't blame me if it leaks) :?

:wink:

 

[monisaab]

LoL...

I guess in that case I should continue putting in the cans/buckets...