Cracked bottom panel any hopes?

southerntnreefer · Jun 23, 2019

Was going to buy a 265. Got it all the way to the house, (seller delivered.) And he cracked the bottom panel on it. It's a custom Glass cages 265. 85x24x31. Was a nice tank. Any hopes here? Or should I just buy the marineland 220 I'm looking at tomorrow after this incident? See photos of tank before and now the damage. Side note I got the tank for pretty much free, minis my work tearing it down all day.

Mastiffsrule · Jun 23, 2019

Sorry, goner. Can always be resealed with a new pane. On the other hand I love my Marineland 180.

So I say go new

Bropar_Marty · Jun 23, 2019

trash in my opinion and if you could find someone to fix it cost a lot and possibly leaking. better off biting the bullet on a new one especially if it wasn't a lot of money for this one.

southerntnreefer · Jun 23, 2019

Well the marineland isn't new, and I didn't pay anything for the 265. By the time I sell of equipment and 300 lbs of live rock I'll be even better off my 125 that this was to replace is a marineland and I love it

jtl · Jun 24, 2019

It is fixable but I would but a new bottom panel on the inside and not just a patch. If you seal it good all around the parameter and around the damaged area it will be as good as new. Obviously you would need to drill the holes. Price a sheet of 1/2" glass and you may decide to just trash it.

southerntnreefer · Jun 24, 2019

jtl said:
It is fixable but I would but a new bottom panel on the inside and not just a patch. If you seal it good all around the parameter and around the damaged area it will be as good as new. Obviously you would need to drill the holes. Price a sheet of 1/2" glass and you may decide to just trash it.

I live about a 45 minutes from. Glass cages. (It's a glass cages tank) I'm calling them to see what a new bottom panel would cost as I'm not equipped to do that. Likely I'll just buy the 220 and be happy with that

southerntnreefer · Jun 24, 2019

southerntnreefer said:
I live about a 45 minutes from. Glass cages. (It's a glass cages tank) I'm calling them to see what a new bottom panel would cost as I'm not equipped to do that. Likely I'll just buy the 220 and be happy with that

what about the resin stuff they use for plywood tanks?

NewGoby · Jun 24, 2019

I'd say buy a new tank, it's not worth hot fixing it & having it leak 6 or 12 months into the future,

that being said though, i'd remove the panels that seem alright, and keep them aside, just incase you need some good glass : - ) perhaps make a top out of it for a new tank, to get through the cold winter months (if they're cold where you are) just cover the drop of the tank with 1 of your old panes, after cutting 2-8 holes into it to allow for oxygen exchange

BeejReef · Jun 24, 2019

I'd have a hard time letting go of a near-free tank that was already in my house. I'd also have a really hard time filling it with water and hoping for the best.

Being that it's a bottom panel, it would be very tempting to attempt a ROBUST repair and let the sand cover it up.
Did you see it holding water before the mishap? I might consider it then. If it's a blind leap and you're hoping that a repair will hold AND hoping that the rest of the tank is sound... meh..

I'll be interested to see what you decide.

Mjrenz · Jun 24, 2019

New silicone won't adhere properly to old silicone, unless you have the whole tank taken apart and resealed you're taking a huge risk of finding it empty one day.

lapin · Jun 24, 2019

Let us know if glass cages would rebuild it for less than a new tank. I would think they wont, but ya never know.

southerntnreefer · Jun 24, 2019

NewGoby said:
I'd say buy a new tank, it's not worth hot fixing it & having it leak 6 or 12 months into the future,

that being said though, i'd remove the panels that seem alright, and keep them aside, just incase you need some good glass : - ) perhaps make a top out of it for a new tank, to get through the cold winter months (if they're cold where you are) just cover the drop of the tank with 1 of your old panes, after cutting 2-8 holes into it to allow for oxygen exchange

im an hour south of nashville, so not cold at all. but i like less water evap, so i could cover my sump with it.

William DeCoursey said:
I'd have a hard time letting go of a near-free tank that was already in my house. I'd also have a really hard time filling it with water and hoping for the best.

Being that it's a bottom panel, it would be very tempting to attempt a ROBUST repair and let the sand cover it up.
Did you see it holding water before the mishap? I might consider it then. If it's a blind leap and you're hoping that a repair will hold AND hoping that the rest of the tank is sound... meh..

I'll be interested to see what you decide.

it was up and running that morning, i tore it down over a 4 hour period, tore it down from a functioning home to 2 pufferss nd 300 lbs of live rock, to breaking in my driveway 20 feet from the stand by the seller..heartbreaking for sure, but hey just cost me that time.

Mjrenz said:
New silicone won't adhere properly to old silicone, unless you have the whole tank taken apart and resealed you're taking a huge risk of finding it empty one day.

I dont trust my self so id look to glass cages.

lapin said:
Let us know if glass cages would rebuild it for less than a new tank. I would think they wont, but ya never know.

they wont, i called. it would be a new tank order, and this one wasnt a stock, they dont build a stock 85 inch long tank. its 72 or 96.

dantimdad · Jun 24, 2019

So, if you don't want to keep it, hit me up. I will make a deal and come get it from you.

southerntnreefer · Jun 24, 2019

dantimdad said:
So, if you don't want to keep it, hit me up. I will make a deal and come get it from you.

i may look into that, unless you know of a sure fire fix for it?

dantimdad · Jun 24, 2019

I was going to get it, cut out the bottom and the overflows and put a plywood bottom on it. It would work for what I want it for that way. Lots of work, but worth it to me.

southerntnreefer · Jun 24, 2019

dantimdad said:
I was going to get it, cut out the bottom and the overflows and put a plywood bottom on it. It would work for what I want it for that way. Lots of work, but worth it to me.

feel free to send me a PM. it has the steel stand, shroud, and the canopy with it as well.

dantimdad · Jun 24, 2019

PM sent.

I am sorry this happened.

southerntnreefer · Jun 24, 2019

dantimdad said:
PM sent.

I am sorry this happened.

life happens my friend life happens. It would of been epic, but a 6 foot 220 is a good plan B and will fit my current stand.

dantimdad · Jun 30, 2019

I appreciate the tank and stand! Thanks again!

It's a good thing you didn't set it up. Within a few months to a year, one the weld on the stand would have finished rusting through. Luckily, my son that you met, is a welder. He caught it first.

We are going to cut the stand apart and square it up. Then weld it all back together and add a couple more legs.

We devised a plan to fix the tank very simply. We are going to cut out both overflows, remove the chips of glass. Glue down one of the large overflow pieces over the broken spot. Then build a tray type plywood bottom and seal it with pond armor and then silicone it onto the bottom. I will be stonger than new when done and will only take a weekend or two to finish it up at most.

I am ordering the pond armor this week. I already have the plywood.

Since it's going to be freshwater planted, it won't be drilled anyway. Just canister filters.

southerntnreefer · Jun 30, 2019

My

dantimdad said:
I appreciate the tank and stand! Thanks again!

It's a good thing you didn't set it up. Within a few months to a year, one the weld on the stand would have finished rusting through. Luckily, my son that you met, is a welder. He caught it first.

We are going to cut the stand apart and square it up. Then weld it all back together and add a couple more legs.

We devised a plan to fix the tank very simply. We are going to cut out both overflows, remove the chips of glass. Glue down one of the large overflow pieces over the broken spot. Then build a tray type plywood bottom and seal it with pond armor and then silicone it onto the bottom. I will be stonger than new when done and will only take a weekend or two to finish it up at most.

I am ordering the pond armor this week. I already have the plywood.

Since it's going to be freshwater planted, it won't be drilled anyway. Just canister filters.

My pleasure!! I'm glad it got a good home!! Good catch!! Glad it can be fixed up and used. Can't wait to see it all running!