500 gallon starphire now has crack HELP

[Chicago]

my seven year old starphire tank now has a crack. edge crack meaning it is coming from the top and down. at center of viewing area. just showed up out of blue. the front is two panes of starphire glass laminated together. made by inter america ..which is now bow valley. anyone hear from them laterly.

so. here is question. who has number for good glass guy in chicago that can tell me what i already think. the crack cannot be felt inside or outside of the tank which means it is running on inside of the laminated sides. i assume in time the width of the crack will eventually split farther so that it hits the inside of the tank or outside depending on which pane of glass is running the crack..

i am wondering if those windshield repair guys would help... would additional bracing help? i have bracing on center and two off center for total of three and rim bracing all the way around. tank length is 8 feet with 30 inches high and about 30 deep.. it is framed into the house and have large sump in basment mechnical room ect.

this will probably be enough to through me out of the hobby or into a smaller tank. 300 or less.

let me know your thoughts and i would like info to contact some local glass tank builders..

any help is greatly appreciated

 

[urastame]

how did this happen?

 

[Chicago]

forgot to mention. right now crack is about two inches. only about 1 inch is visable since tank has black rim plastic around it.

 

[Chicago]

i think the crack was always their under the the black rim that runs around the top of the tank and inch down the front.. think the room got colder during the winter spell hear..66 degrees.. in the room and was enough to get it going.. wish i could fiqure it out.. but if it was the house sitter that did it while i was out of town what would the truth do me know.. just bad situation

 

[Chicago]

forgot to mention that this started while family and i were out of town.. which makes it even worse..

 

[urastame]

This is a big girl i would not play around with a crack at all. i cant imagine 500 gallons of water in your house. Just my opinion i would dain this bad boy and start thinking ahead.

 

[urastame]

Im thinking maybe if you lower the water level and add some strong silicone to both side and let it cure for 24 hrs. That way you have something holing it some what together. I would think there would be that much pressure up that high in the tank but once you have a weak spot thats allways dangerous. IMO

 

[Chicago]

i think the pressure will still be there..is bow valley in business.. any one hear had to take down large tank becuase of crack.. i am thinking about silicone under the black rim that runs around the tank..looks like its missing some by where the crack starts on top. also i have some starphire bracing.. think i can add a brace the length of the tank to join all the top bracing in the front together..i guess at this point anything is worth a try... the alternative is really a nightmare. undue and destroy the wood trim and doors above the tank so it can be removed .. then the sledge hammer. just way to heavy to move.....or ask the with how she feels about snakes in the the den.. amazone habitat.. frogs...they smell nice right????

 

[Nanook]

Whoa, sorry to hear this I have two tanks from Bow Valley Aquarium as well....not sure if Mitch is still in business though.

 

[Nanook]

Found this on Google:

Bow Valley Aquarium

Last Updated: 2008-06-17

Legal Name: Bow Valley Aquarium & Pet Supplies Inc.
Operating Name: Bow Valley Aquarium

Mailing Address
6333, 35 St SE
CALGARY, Alberta
T2C 1N1
Location Address
6333, 35 St SE
CALGARY, Alberta
T2C 1N1

Telephone: (403) 248-0884
Fax: (403) 248-0889
Email: bva1@telus.net

Top
Contact Information


Audrey Karazub
Title: Data Provider
Telephone: (403) 248-0884
Fax: (403) 248-0889


MITCHELL KARAZUB JR.
Title: Manager
Area of Responsibility: Export Sales & Marketing


MITCHELL KARAZUB
Title: Manager
Area of Responsibility: Management Executive


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Company Description


Country of Ownership: Canada
Year Established: 1981
Exporting: Yes
Primary Industry (NAICS): 327215 - Glass Product Manufacturing from Purchased Glass
Primary Business Activity: Manufacturer / Processor / Producer
Total Sales ($CDN): $100,000 to $199,999
Export Sales ($CDN): $1 to $99,999
Number of Employees: 3

Top
Product / Service / Licensing


Product Name: GLASS AQUARIUMS

 

[Chicago]

yep.. i know that phone call to him will be interesting.. he made one tank.. nice work but was not 31 inches high as ordered... so after i moved that giant.. bought another from him that was done to correct dimensions. sold other one to dt photoplankton owner.. now this one has a crack that just grew a little.. i think there was always a little crack but now it is growing.. any one talk to mitch lately.. man all this work to have tank for only 7 years. looking at frog habitat. maybe just a nice beach with some land hermits. i am losing it thinking about this..

 

[Chicago]

thanks for the info..

 

[Nanook]

Sure thing. I wish I could give you advice, but I don't have the knowledge. Perhaps a structural engineer or something along those lines could advise? If it were my tank, I would take pictures of the crack and have some of the experts on RC take a look at it, perhaps James at Envision Acrylic, or the guys at Miracles Aquarium Co.

Worse case scenario is pretty scary, so, depending on what these guys say, it might be time to get a new tank.

 

[Nanook]

BTW, I have Robert Hunter's book of poetry:thumbsup:

 

[Losungen]

It was bow valley that caught my eye on this post. Good ol Mitch is still in business somehow. They just moved shop but still here in town. If you want his cell number lemme know, its about the only to get ahold of him... He magically dissapears if there's any issues. I've one tank built by him... Learned my lesson that's for sure.

 

[Chicago]

i had to have two built buy him. .. thing is they really look nice and all.. yes please pm.

 

[Chicago]

who builds large tanks on site near chicago...maybe replace laminated front glass on site...???/ thoughts on acrylic for new tank... who would want a nice reptile glass tank??

 

[Chicago]

need name of local tank builder.. thanks

 

[Losungen]

You got pm

 

[Chicago]

thanks..