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Any glass experts out there? - Aquarium glass crack

Otakuthugster

Otakuthugster

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Looks like I got an airline crack on my aquarium that's slowly expanding. I can feel the imperfection on the outside of the aquarium. However, I had a starbreak crack on a windshield that originated on the inside, but I could only feel it on the outside. Could this be a similar case? I just really don't want to break down my tank to fix this crack if it is on the inside.
 
A couple of years back on my 29gal freshwater, I had a crack. It never leaked but got about 1cm bigger a year. If the crack becomes too big/ugly to look at, I'd consider getting some water-tight seal thingy that is transparent. Let us know if it leaks...
 
[quote author=Elite link=topic=5947.msg75121#msg75121 date=1232152194]
inside or outside, I would tear it down and replace the glass.. You don't want saltwater on your floor.
[/quote]

I agree, I did once when I was Euphyllia's age, fix an old Metaframe tank with a BB hole by slapping a piece of glass on the outside, and on the inside with silicone. That tank held water for at least five years and survived 3 moves. Would I do it now? No way....
 
I'm a self-made expert at broken tanks...:D

replace the tank ASAP, put livestock in a temporary container they'll live without light for a couple days easily, and toss the tank (then hit it with a hammer in the garbage can that can help vent a bit :D).
 
[quote author=Elite link=topic=5947.msg75121#msg75121 date=1232152194]
inside or outside, I would tear it down and replace the glass.. You don't want saltwater on your floor.
[/quote]

Darn, replacing glass is not an option. The entire tank consists of a curved, one-piece glass - minus the back panel, but that's not where the crack is at. Anybody know of any temporary solutions? How 'bout any sealing agents that can cure underwater?
 
[quote author=sfsuphysics link=topic=5947.msg75127#msg75127 date=1232153131]
I'm a self-made expert at broken tanks...:D

replace the tank ASAP, put livestock in a temporary container they'll live without light for a couple days easily, and toss the tank (then hit it with a hammer in the garbage can that can help vent a bit :D).


[/quote]

"Sharks"...guess I'm screwed.
 
Can you take a pic??.. If it's curved glass, how are you going to glue another piece of glass to it??.. Is it on the side or front? If it on the side and you don't care about look, drill a hole, install a bulkhead and cap it or glue another piece of glass to it. Drill the hole will stop it from cracking fader though.
 
Oh, I wasn't thinking along the lines of gluing another piece of glass to it. Is there anything that will fill in the crevice and stop the crack from expanding, or am I just searching down an empty road? I can take a picture of it, tho'. I'll post back in a bit.
 
Gluing a piece of glass over a crack will stop a small leak but won't prevent catastrophic failure. If you are fine with coming home one day to find your entire tank drained in your house and your livestock out to dry, then by all means chance the glass patch :) I for one would ditch the tank in a heartbeat.
 
I would also ditch the tank. Also older large JBJ nano-cubes were known to have problems with glass cracking. Junk the tank its not worth the hassle if it does leak.
 
Ok, so I tried taking a pic, and I couldn't get the light to shine off it, so you could see the defect. But after consulting my pops - and I should of known this better since I worked a glass inspection job for 4 years - it turns out the crack is actually a deep scratch. It doesn't penetrate through the entire glass, but I freaked out 'cause it's shinier than a surface scratch. I'ma try some glass polisher and see how it turns out.
 
Yeah, sorry guys 'n' gals. I tend to overreact when it comes to my aquarium. Thanks for the advice, tho'.

Still curious about the gluing glass on glass thing. Never heard of doin' that to spare a piece of glass. Do different pieces of glass expand and contract at different rates like different metals would?
 
i used to work in the class industry. somebody correct me if Im wrong here. The windshield in laminated glass with some tempering. as for your aquarium (glass) is not. most tanks (unless custom made) are just 3/16 -1/4 plate glass with same thickness but tempered bottoms. the bulk-head holes are pre-drilled before the tempering. you could in theory drain the tank drill a small hole at both ends to stop the crack from spreading and fill it with an epoxy. but i myself would most defiantly ditch the tank. i do not think that the repair could hold the water pressure for long. if it was flat glass you could do the band-aid Tuberider posted with silicone sealant and two small pieces of glass, but i would only do it as a very short term fix. hoped that helped and wasn't to lengthy.
 
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