200Gal - Cracked bottom?

Insane Reefer

Insane Reefer

New member
I happened into a lady who has a basement full of tanks. She says the largest is something like 200gals, but has a cracked bottom.

Is a bottom something that can be replaced successfully? If so, what type of glass, how thick, how to do the fix, etc. ???

She is going to let me know the sizes on the largest in the next few days, but man, 200gals.

Thanks!!!
 
Bottom is more than likely tempered and will cost about 15/sqft for 1/2" tempered depending on glass dealers... Resealing it could be more difficult though and would likely result in needing to rebuild the entire tank... New silicone doesn't bond well to cured silicone so getting the coners to seal could be an issue especially under 200 gallons of water weight.
 
dont replace it i had a 150 long and the bottom cracked when filling it. me being an idiot at the time didnt check the elvelness of the stand. i paid someone like 8 bucks he cam ein with one full piece of glass siliconed the bottom of the tank and laid it right over top the cracked on. the tank is filled ot this day 2 owners later.
 
So your saying DJ, that there was a glass patch, the size of the tank, layed into the bottom? Do you know how thick the glass patch was or if it was tempered?

What if I wanted to plumb? (is that the term?) this tank? I couldn't do that with tempered glass, could I Calvin? If not tempered, then what?
 
it was 1/4" regular run of the mill replacement glass. he just put a bead on both sides of the crack and around the edges and layed it down. i let it cure 2 days and filled it up with no issues. and yes it was the whole bottom minus i think like an 1/8 to 1/4 gap around the edges. as for plumbing if the glass thats cracked is tempered then you would have to remove the area you want plumbed but then you weaken the bottom of the tank. you could always plumb it through the back or side just as easy.
 
Hmm...
Has anyone else heard of this kind of repair? Sounds like it would fit the bill, but would like more input before thinking about trying something like this...

THANKS!!
 
I gave my old 55 gal away and it had a 1 foot crack on the bottom, I instructed the Guy who I gave it to that he should just Buy a 18" x 6" strip of 1/4" glass and coat it with silicon then patch it on the inside. He did this 2 years ago and he tells me it is still going strong today.
If you going to do this I recommend that the Tank be on a very flat surface with no foam, so that the glass cannot flex at all. The great part of all this is that once you dump some sand in the patch will no longer be visible.
 
I thought foam was used on the large tanks to prevent flexing? I'm I wrong? You'd think that foam under the glass would be extra support?
??
 
Tanks are supported by the bottom edges, if you put foam it may put strain on the bottom center of the glass and cause the crack to get bigger or create new cracks.

When I called Oceanic about my 92G Bow they said I should not put anything under the Tank as it may void my warranty.

I have done some reading and the general rule seems to be that a very smooth & Level hard surface is best, if the surface has imperfections or is not dead level, foam can be used to correct some of the problems, but if it's not supporting the bottom Edges correctly it may put huge stress on the center of the tank's bottom.
 
I dont know how well I would sleep kning I had 150 +/- gallons on a "repaired" pane of glass. Not saying I know anything just saying it would scare the crap outta me.
 
I agree, but he asked if anyone had tried this!
It does work but personaly I would not use this on a SW tank, maybe FW but not SW.
 
I have done repairs like this myself on larger tanks. The biggest problem is making sure that what ever caused the tank to crack in the first place is fixed. As long as the tank is not stressed and the crack has no place to go, the extra glass on top of it will seal the tank and keep it from leaking.

Kim
 
I worked for a glass company for yrs, if the glass is cracked chances it is not tempered. Once tempered glass gets even the smallest crack it either shatters the whole piece or the crack continues to grow until it does shatter, which usually happens fast. Since in aquariums its the sidewalls that do 99% of the weigth support, placing another bottom piece on top of the old piece should work, but be sure there is no air space or material like grains of sand between the 2 pieces. Also be sure the edges are siliconed heavy.
 
Thanks for all the replies folks :)

I went out to her place, and the tank was more like a 150, and while moving it, the bottom gave and it just got scary, so we abondoned that for the trash :(

However, I did make it out with 2 octagonal tanks; one is smaller - 20 gals or so, the other is larger, maybe 40gals, plus their respective stands, as well as an antique 15?gal, and 2, count them 2, 75gal AGA's - one had never been used and one housed, um, baby chickens for a science project, lol - but after a thorough cleaning and a touchup on the silicone, will be in pretty good shape. Also got a really, really nice stand, oak, 2 doors - very nice.
Free. Just took a couple of hours to free the tanks from the corner they were stacked in and load them into the stock trailer, lol...

Sometimes life throws a deer in front of your car (my husband totaled our car a week ago hitting said deer) - sometimes life throws a great person in front of you. I'll take the great person anyday :D
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7547453#post7547453 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RobbyG
Tanks are supported by the bottom edges, if you put foam it may put strain on the bottom center of the glass and cause the crack to get bigger or create new cracks.
Click to expand...

Robby, have you ever used hard cell foam under a tank? This argument often comes from people who havent used it.

When I built my stand, I built the trim to accomodate 1/4" of foam compression. Right now, theres probably 15/64" of an inch there. Thats right, about 1/64" of compression in the foam. The foam doesnt come anywhere near the bottom of the glass. I'm not even sure its doing anything. I dont know whether or not people should use it, but your argument is completely invalid.

My tank is 24" deep.
 
DOes the foam sit under the tank, edges not included (so inside the trimline), or does the tank edge sit on the foam?

And what is the benefit?

Thanks!
 
No Rich I have never used Hard Foam. I am surprised that hard foam only sinks 1/64" but what size tank are you talking about?

I can only go by what the guy at Oceanic said and he seemed pretty stern in saying that I should not use Foam under the tank.


<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7559215#post7559215 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RichConley
Robby, have you ever used hard cell foam under a tank? This argument often comes from people who havent used it.

When I built my stand, I built the trim to accomodate 1/4" of foam compression. Right now, theres probably 15/64" of an inch there. Thats right, about 1/64" of compression in the foam. The foam doesnt come anywhere near the bottom of the glass. I'm not even sure its doing anything. I dont know whether or not people should use it, but your argument is completely invalid.

My tank is 24" deep.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
  • Article Article
My newly built 300 gallon by my 20 yr experienced tank builder...silicone question
2
Replies
21
Views
393
JaysTank
J
BigEZ77
DIY Plumbing Repair Options?
Replies
3
Views
1K
Uncle99
Uncle99
D
DIY Stand Help
Replies
6
Views
394
kharmaguru
kharmaguru
S
Small Sump Leak - Worth fixing?
Replies
1
Views
110
griss
griss
S
Sump at Same Level as DT
Replies
9
Views
1K
wvned
wvned
Back
Top