Crack in bottom

[jmac]

I'm currently seeking up my tank and was using a level the level fell in and hit the bottom of the tank and was wondering if any one had any ideas on how or what to fix this thank you.

 

[NanaReefer]

Buy a new tank. No way to fix a cracked bottom other than tearing it completely apart, buy new tempered glass for the bottom.

 

[jmac]

For what I noticed it's not cracked all the way through...is it still repairable than ??

 

[Scooterman]

You can't repair glass like you can for a car windshield, if there is the tiniest fracture, then under pressure at any given time it can just let go. I'd be scared to invest that much into it and hope it doesn't leak or explode. Just my opinion, I'm not a glass expert.

 

[NanaReefer]

Doesn't matter if it's all the way through or not. Imagine the amount of pressure it will be under! Bottom line, DO NOT use the tank period. Sorry ?

 

[Fishsticks86]

Not worth your while. Imagine you have everything set up and it gives in. Then you'll end up having to clean up that mess and start over.

 

[Blue Lip]

Thats a bummer!

 

[1guydude]

imo without seeing it. Its toast. Get a new tank. A $200-$600 DT is cheaper than $1000s+ in livestock if it did burst.
hths
-d

 

[JPG@CFI]

I'd look into an acrylic tank. This would not of happened. What LxWxH is the glass tank? You could recoup some cash with the snake keepers. J

 

[vinny2261]

Well you could place a new sheet of glass in the bottom and silicon it in. This is still a little work but would make the tank usable.

 

[spieszak]

Its unlikely you will get a proper seal by just putting a new sheet in the bottom. Also, sides should sit on top the bottom glass, the bottom glass shouldn't sit inside the sides.

 

[vinny2261]

The fix will work, however, you would have to cut away the old silicon on the inside around the bottom. Don't cut between the panes. Then you would have to have the plate cut to fit exactly and lay in the bottom of the tank. Once you have it prepend and ready you would lay a bead of Silicon around the parimiter . Carefully place the new sheet in a press evenly into place. At this point I would usually run my finger around the edges to remove the excess silicon and make sure it is secured. Let this dry for at least four hours. Then I would razor away the edges I then run blue tape about 1/4 inches away from the seam for a nice edge. Run another bead of Silicon,run ,your finger around to press It in and remove the excess, pull the tape off and then I would let it sit for 24 hrs. Test fill it some place safe. Sometimes easier to buy another.

 

[spieszak]

The point of the sides being being on top the bottom is so that the weight of the water pushing on the bottom doesn't slide the bottom out from between the sides.
The fix you are suggesting MIGHT work, I'm not saying it won't. What I'm saying is for ME it would be putting waaaaay to much pressure on the silicone holding the bottom in place, and I personally would expect to at any moment for that silicone to get over stretched and start leaking. There is a reason tanks aren't built that way.

 

[vinny2261]

Your are not messing with the integrity of the tank, this type fix would probably make it stronger. The side do not rest on the bottom. The bottom slide into the sides. You can silicon the glass together anyway you want and it will hold water. However, height of tank, thickness of glass, tempered or not. Too much wieght, not properly supporting the tank for the wieght. That will pop seams acrylic or glass. I'm sure there has to be a video on freakin you tube that shows how they put tanks together. People make their own tanks all the time.

 

[spieszak]

Sides rest on the bottom for rimless, which is what I would compare this too since the rim isn't going to be supporting the side seams at all.