sealing a cracked pane?

Hi.

I have inherited a 20 gallon aquarium that I would like to convert to my
water change staging tank / quarantine tank. Unfortunately, while
cleaning it, it seems to have developed a few cm long crack on one of the
panes, starting at the very edge, about 2/3 of the way up from the bottom.

Two people have suggested that I get a piece of glass bigger than the
crack and seal it to the inside of the aquarium with silicone.

My question is, has anyone done this successfully? Is it easy enough that
I can be confident that it will take care of my crack and last long enough
for this tank to be useful as a quarantine tank? Will the crack continue
to grow after the repair is made, or will this extra piece of glass
prevent the crack from growing?

Or am I better off just getting rid of the cracked aquarium & just buying
a new 20 gallon?

Any advice?

--cp






NB: This email address is dead. If you would like to email me directly,
please use: cpalmaATSYMBOLastro.psu.edu

"Chris Palma" wrote in message
...
Hi.

I have inherited a 20 gallon aquarium that I would like to convert to
my
water change staging tank / quarantine tank. Unfortunately, while
cleaning it, it seems to have developed a few cm long crack on one of
the
panes, starting at the very edge, about 2/3 of the way up from the
bottom.

Two people have suggested that I get a piece of glass bigger than the
crack and seal it to the inside of the aquarium with silicone.

My question is, has anyone done this successfully? Is it easy enough
that
I can be confident that it will take care of my crack and last long
enough
for this tank to be useful as a quarantine tank? Will the crack
continue
to grow after the repair is made, or will this extra piece of glass
prevent the crack from growing?

Or am I better off just getting rid of the cracked aquarium & just
buying
a new 20 gallon?

Any advice?

--cp

You can probably pull off a successful repair using an extra pane inside,
or just changing the entire pane, but at the price of a new 20g (glass
tank only), all that repair work sounds like too much of a pain ;~).

NetMax

Based on the limited amount of free time that I have, this is my usual
solution -- if I can afford it, buy it since if it depends on me having
enough time to fix it, it might take months. Besides, this helps the LFS,
right?

I just hate to admit that around all the accomplished DIY'ers reading this
group.

So... anyone interested in a free 20 gallon aquarium with a small crack?
It's located in central Pennsylvania, USA.

--chris


On Tue, 6 Apr 2004, NetMax wrote:


"Chris Palma" wrote in message
...

snip


Or am I better off just getting rid of the cracked aquarium & just
buying
a new 20 gallon?

Any advice?

--cp

You can probably pull off a successful repair using an extra pane inside,
or just changing the entire pane, but at the price of a new 20g (glass
tank only), all that repair work sounds like too much of a pain ;~).

NetMax




NB: This email address is dead. If you would like to email me directly,
please use: cpalmaATSYMBOLastro.psu.edu

Chris Palma wrote:

Based on the limited amount of free time that I have, this is my usual
solution -- if I can afford it, buy it since if it depends on me having
enough time to fix it, it might take months. Besides, this helps the LFS,
right?

I just hate to admit that around all the accomplished DIY'ers reading this
group.

So... anyone interested in a free 20 gallon aquarium with a small crack?
It's located in central Pennsylvania, USA.

Stick 'er out on the sidewalk with a "free to good home" sign on it. Still OK
for a reptile or small mammal cage.

"Chris Palma" wrote in message
...
Hi.

I have inherited a 20 gallon aquarium that I would like to convert to my
water change staging tank / quarantine tank. Unfortunately, while
cleaning it, it seems to have developed a few cm long crack on one of the
panes, starting at the very edge, about 2/3 of the way up from the bottom.

All that work to fix a $20 tank?


Graham

"Graham Broadbridge" wrote in message
. ..
| "Chris Palma" wrote in message
|
...

|
| All that work to fix a $20 tank?
|

Around here that'd be more like $45(US). Only one big-box place in
town(petsmart), and they don't do too good at keeping the prices
competetive.

On Thu, 8 Apr 2004, Graham Broadbridge wrote:

"Chris Palma" wrote in message
...
Hi.

I have inherited a 20 gallon aquarium that I would like to convert to my
water change staging tank / quarantine tank. Unfortunately, while
cleaning it, it seems to have developed a few cm long crack on one of the
panes, starting at the very edge, about 2/3 of the way up from the bottom.

All that work to fix a $20 tank?


Graham




NetMax made the same point. I think that I'm probably just going to buy a
replacement. I haven't priced aquaria around here lately, but I have at
least 4 options in town, so my guess is that I should be able to find one
for a reasonable price. In the meantime I'm trying to find someone who
wants the tank for a paludarium or reptile cage so that I don't have to
just put it out for trash.

--chris






NB: This email address is dead. If you would like to email me directly,
please use: cpalmaATSYMBOLastro.psu.edu