20 year old fish tank `12/27/10
You guys are really great! I couldn't find an answer on previous posts, so I hope I'm not wasting your time with my question. I recently bought from Craigslist a 150 gallon tank (72" long) which was never used, but is 20 years old. The silicone does not seem to have yellowed (I have some experience in fish tanks and handy work), and is still soft to the touch.
Besides for that, I bought it to upgrade from my 75, but having no room in my house for it, it's sitting on my back porch covered, but in freezing temperatures (NJ) until I build a new stand for it. Do you think it will be a problem? Do I need to replace the silicone?
<Mmm, I'd take a/the small risk of this tank having some issue with the old/er Silastic/Silicone here. I know of many such sized glass thanks of this and older age that are fine>
If I can one more question, it has a chip on the long glass (like a rock hitting a windshield) less than 3mm wide, and a little more than a finger nail deep. From reading previous questions the answers are mostly for
chipped corners, but couldn't seem to find one real similar to mine. I filled the tank for about 24 hours to test it, but I don't know for sure when the chip got there. Before or after the water fill.
<I'd re-test, refill it to check>
I'm pretty sure before, and I just didn't notice it. Should I worry?
<Not likely, no>
Thanks so much!! Your answers are real helpful, and sometimes lifesavers (for the fish of course)!!!! Keep up the great work.
Eric
<Thank you for your positive comments, input. Bob Fenner>
Re: 20 year old fish tank `12/27/10
Thanks so much for the fast reply! Just to be clear on the first part, the fact that the tank is outside in freezing weather (plus snow) is not a problem? Thank you so much again for your time!! Eric
<Not a problem with the cold weather. Silicones, once "cured" are fine to very gold temperatures. Think on their "other" main application: Holding glass windows in place in buildings... at times in very cold settings.
Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Chip in front lower corner 20 Gallon tank, help sought : Aquarium repair 9/7/2010 <Hi Arthur.> First of all, kudos to a WONDERFUL trove of incredibly helpful information. <Glad you find it useful.> Now on to my problem. I was transporting a used 20 gallon 17x17x16 tank and chipped the bottom corner. <Hate it when that happens.> Got home and filled it halfway. No leaks after 3 days. <A good sign.> I then filled a plastic trim molding piece I found at Home Depot with silicone and pressed it on the outside corner and waited 2 days then filled it. No leaks after a day so far. This is an AIO tank and I can't afford a new tank right now. Could I take two long glass rectangle strips and silicone them to the bottom of the tank along the two panes that the crack is on? How about getting a piece of glass the size of the floor and laying it on the floor and siliconing along the top of the new glass floor? Do I have any other options short of replacing the front pane which will be pretty expensive? <Looking at the pictures, it appears to be a simple surface chip which should not cause any problems. As long as the glass pane isn't cracked, you should be fine. read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/aqrepairfaqs.htm > Thank you immensely for your help. <My pleasure.> <MikeV>

chipped tank, poor English, no search/reading 8/29/10 hi I am new here and really don't know if this is the right place for this if its not please send me in the right direction. thanks... well my question is I got a 72 gallon bowfront tank and stand for 50 bucks but there is a small chip in the lower right corner back glass I will post some pics to show you all and could you please tell me what I should do! like is it safe? or is the tank trash? any help would be greatly appreciated thanks in advance.... the chip is about an inch long and the pics look worse than it really is!!!! <... Please send your note/s after running them through spell-check... And read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/SystemPIX/Tank%20Repair/glasaqcracks4.htm and the linked files above. Can't see much in your pix... Bob Fenner>

here r some other pics!!! the glass is still in and intact and nothing is wrong with the seal Fix your English and re-send... Re: chipped tank here are some other pictures and the chipped glass is still intact and the seal in not broken. <... Mmm, a close/one-call... read where you were referred. B>

Advice on glass tank damage. 7/22/10 Hello WetWebMedia Crew, <Hi Ben> Firstly excellent site, I've spent many hours reading your advice. I have a question on a 48"x24"x24" (all 10mm glass including braces) tank which I recently acquired second hand. It looks like in transport a corner has been knocked and caused a piece to break in the front bottom left corner, I've attached a picture to show the damage. The tank is otherwise ideal. What would be the best way to repair this kind of damage? Would adding a full size bottom panel as a double base help with strength, or is replacing the front panel going to be best? <It looks like there is a pretty big crack in the front pane in the silicone-seal area. This pane will have to be replaced in order to keep the tank reliable. Adding a full size panel to the bottom will not fix that issue.> Also the tank is going on a metal stand, made from 40mm square section with a center cross brace. Is a sheet of wood required under the Styrofoam normally placed under a tank or should the foam be directly on the metal? <The metal rack will provide plenty of support. As long as the Styrofoam is rigid enough not to deform and squeeze out from between the rack and tank, no wood is necessary.> Thank you for your time, Ben <Scott T.>

Can I fix my aquarium? Crack... Plexi for glass repairs... 6/29/10
Hello.
<Hello Helen.>
I have read, read, and reread, the many posts on how to fix cracked aquariums. Now I am just totally confused! Please tell me what you think.
<Sure.>
It is a 125 gallon that has a u shaped crack on each end of the bottom. I have no money to replace this tank and so must either fix it or forget it.
It is was originally fixed with a Plexiglas panel that measured 12 x 18 and which was sandwiched with silicone over each crack. The panels were thin and not really done properly, I think.
<They are not. If this is an acrylic tank then silicone should have never been used. If this is a glass tank (which I am assuming here) then Plexi should have never been used. Silicone will not bond to plastics in any sort of meaningful way.>
One of them came off very easily but the other took some work to get off.
I have removed the interior silicone and am now wondering what to do. I don't need any more disasters as these past couple of years have been pretty traumatic for me but I would so love to get this tank up and going. Fish can be so wonderful and very therapeutic, and this tank is my dream tank.
Although this aquarium is an oldie I feel it deserves a chance to be fully functional again, sort of like me!
So, what do you suggest?
<If this is indeed a glass tank the only thing I would personally be comfortable with is replacing the whole panel. A full panel patch may work, but the bottom of a tank is nothing to take a chance on. If the bottom panel is "boxed in", that is inside the side panes you may well be able to break it out, cut out all silicone in the tank, replace the panel and then reseal the entire interior of the tank. If this tank was built with the sides sitting on the bottom you will need to carefully dismantle the entire tank, remove all silicone and then reassemble with a new bottom.
Either way it is a ton of work and a new bottom panel may not be cheap (glass varies widely, call all you can for quotes). Knowing what many will charge for such a panel you may very well be better off buying a new tank used. This is the time of year to look, you may be surprised at how cheap you can find one of these. I in fact have one that I just want to get rid of! If you are anywhere near the center of California do let me know!>
Thank you for the chance to ask.
Sincerely,
Helen Tucker
Virginia Beach, Virginia
<Welcome, dang, nowhere near CA! Do look a bit for used tanks, local classifieds or Craigslist. It will be less trouble and quite possibly
cheaper for you. Scott V.>
<Bob, if you would not mind posting, I do actually have a 125 tank stand and canopy free to a good home in Fresno, CA if anyone is interested they can email me at acrofrag@gmail.com><<Will do, have done. B>>
Re: can I fix my aquarium? 6/30/10
Dear WWM Crew,
<BobF this time>
Thanks for your info. Wish I was close enough to California to get that tank. Thanks for offering.
Yes, my aquarium is made out of 1/2 inch glass and has been in use as a turtle tank until fairly recently. It has one of those metal frames that only goes along the bottom and the sides, but does not run across the top as the old metal frame tanks did. The frame looks like it might be aluminum?
<Mmm, more likely steel/nickel... "chrome" finish>
I remember seeing these new, but it has been awhile.
<Me too>
One more question. Do you think that I could get it to safely hold about 60 gallons of water and use it as a Riparium?
<Likely so. Do please read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/SystemPIX/Tank%20Repair/glasaqcracks3.htm
and the linked files in the series above and those on Silicone use>
I know, I don't like to give up, do I?
<Persistence pays>
If this could be managed via the glass sandwich method I would be very happy but I do not want to be stupid about it, yet stupidity comes so naturally to me!
<To all... excellence requires/takes focus, effort>
I will call around tomorrow to get some prices on glass. To be honest, I am a little concerned about getting the frame off without doing any damage to the tank or to me. I will see how the bottom fits in once the sun is up.
I truly do appreciate your help. I started keeping fish when I was about 7, in 1965, and learned early on to ask lots of questions and listen hard to what was being said. I enjoy keeping biotype setups and love all fish for different reasons but find myself being drawn to the BIG goldfish.
<Ahh, I as well>
Not overly cool, I guess, but I do love them and find them to be so beautiful and silly at the same time. It seems that I have come full circle as I started off with goldfish won during a ping pong ball toss at a school fair.
Too funny.
I really do hope that my dream of a large tank doesn't stay just a dream.
Thanks again,
Helen
<Welcome Helen. BobF>

chipped fish tank, reading 3/23/10
Late fall I purchased a 150 gal tank. I found two notches/chips in the glass in two of the back corners of the tank, can these be repaired or fixed??
<Maybe... depends on how bad the chips are, how much work you might be willing to do to replace the pane, or adhere a piece of glass over the bad area. Read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/SystemPIX/Tank%20Repair/glasaqcracks2.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
Thank You
Jeremy

Cracked Tank Repair. 3/15/10
Hi Guys.
I need some advice/instructions on repairing a tank I was given.
Whilst cleaning and prepping the tank to be set up inside, I made the rookie mistake of doing it alone and cracked one of the large panels (1425mm x 440mm) from approximately 1 inch from the bottom of the panel to the side,
to 7 inches at the top of the panel.
Whilst cleaning my house after recent renovations, I came across a panel of glass in one of my cupboards. The panel of glass is 1375mm x 465mm x 4mm.
<Too thin to suit me for this repair>
This panel of glass is slightly shorter than the existing panel but wider than the existing panel. I can get this cut to fit inside the tank.
The idea I have is that I could cut the existing silicone out, clean properly and silicone the new panel to the inside the tank to cover the crack.
The question I need answered is, is this possible and if it is, how do I attach the 2 pieces of glass together without getting any air bubbles between them?
<Hard to do (and not necessary)... applying thin, closely-spaced beads of Silastic, evenly placing a large amount of weight (I usually use books) over the repair area glass (with the tank turned on its side>
Also what type of adhesive should I use?
Cheers Brock McInnes
<... read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/glstksilastic.htm
and the linked files above, particularly re cracks... Bob Fenner>

Glass tank repair -- 3/6/10
Hello,
<Hi there>
I have an older glass aquarium that must have been hit recently with something hard, because it has a new, smooth indented chip in the front corner, with a single crack extending from it about halfway into the side panel. It doesn't leak, but I've emptied it and moved the fish to a bowl just in case. Would you recommend repair or replacement? I do stained glass, so I don't mind trying a repair. New tanks of the same size (I think it's 20 or 30 gallons) are about $100. Thanks!
<Mmm, because of your glass experience... I'd likely try Siliconing a strip (about 2 inches wide) across (lengthwise) the chipped/cracked area, along the entire length... See WWM re. Bob Fenner>