180gal sump cracked, what would you do?

[miguelp19]

Hello fellow Phoenix reefers!

Like the title says, I have an 180gal sump and the front panel cracked today out of the blue. I just finished draining to below the crack and cleaned up a bit and I am pondering on what to do. I have the industrial grade silicone, RTV108 I believe, that I can use to seal the crack but I am not sure if that'll hold. The crack is a good 2.5 feet long. Don't have crazy funds to find another one that size so Im looking at any options.

What would you do?

 

[DgenR8]

It's unfortunate, but you can't seal that crack with silicone, and expect it to hold. As I see it, your options are;
1)silicone another piece of glass, larger than the cracked area (full panel size, if you can) right to the cracked panel, on the inside.

2)replace the cracked panel. You'd have to cut the entire tank apart and rebuild it.

3)replace the tank.

All 3 are workable, but #3 is obviously the safest way to go. Have you checked here and even locally on Craigslist for a replacement tank? You might be surprised.

 

[NaClH20NMYVEIN]

^ Yep

 

[Weyrman]

It's unfortunate, but you can't seal that crack with silicone, and expect it to hold. As I see it, your options are;
1)silicone another piece of glass, larger than the cracked area (full panel size, if you can) right to the cracked panel, on the inside.

2)replace the cracked panel. You'd have to cut the entire tank apart and rebuild it.

3)replace the tank.

All 3 are workable, but #3 is obviously the safest way to go. Have you checked here and even locally on Craigslist for a replacement tank? You might be surprised.

I did the "silicone another piece of glass" a few years back, maybe 5 years or so ago, on a 55 gallon glass tank that had a 1 & 1/2 foot crack spanning a corner on the long side. Put the "patch" on the inside. I put a crazy amount of silicone on it and pressed it in firmly. Got all the air bubbles out that I could. Siliconed the edges of the piece I put in. It has held water ever since.

But a 180... that might be a bit more pressure than I'd want to trust with a "patch" of this sort.

 

[rocsec1]

I think replacing is the best choice
I've had glass crack on baffles and silicones a piece of glass over it but I wouldn't chance it on the tank itself

 

[afishionado]

Replacing a panel is A LOT more work/expertise/knowledge than 99% of reefers/people on here are aware of ...