Cracked Tank
- Cristy Keister
- Posts: 2215
- Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2003 6:52 am
- Location: MD
Cracked Tank
Can a crack in a tank wall be reliably repaired? Just discovered that my brand new 40g has a crack diagonally from the corner seam to the top rim. No idea how it happened. The tank hasn't had water in it yet!
- Ghazanfar Ghori
- Site Admin
- Posts: 3258
- Joined: Sun Nov 23, 2003 5:26 am
- Location: United States
Ouch! Don't know if it can be repaired reliably without replacing the glass.
You can replace the glass but it's a bit of work.
The brace will have to come off. That in itself is a fair bit of work.
You'll cut the silicone holding the broken side and take the broken side off.
Clean up the old silicone with a razor blade and further with a silicone solvent
if need be - probably even off the top of the tank where the brace was
siliconed on. Then find a replacement glass (old broken similar sized tank from
club member?), silicone that in, let it cure, add the brace back on, test to ensure
no leaks.
To be honest with you - me thinks its not worth the trouble.
You can replace the glass but it's a bit of work.
The brace will have to come off. That in itself is a fair bit of work.
You'll cut the silicone holding the broken side and take the broken side off.
Clean up the old silicone with a razor blade and further with a silicone solvent
if need be - probably even off the top of the tank where the brace was
siliconed on. Then find a replacement glass (old broken similar sized tank from
club member?), silicone that in, let it cure, add the brace back on, test to ensure
no leaks.
To be honest with you - me thinks its not worth the trouble.
- Cristy Keister
- Posts: 2215
- Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2003 6:52 am
- Location: MD
How recently did you purchase it? I say it's worth a shot to try and return it if it's never been used. Chalk it up to a defect if you can. They may or may not take it back, but it's worth a shot.
You could also setup an emersed setup with a low water level and just glop some silicone on the crack. I wouldn't fill it up all the way though.
You could also setup an emersed setup with a low water level and just glop some silicone on the crack. I wouldn't fill it up all the way though.
- Ghazanfar Ghori
- Site Admin
- Posts: 3258
- Joined: Sun Nov 23, 2003 5:26 am
- Location: United States
- Cristy Keister
- Posts: 2215
- Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2003 6:52 am
- Location: MD