Cracked bottom

[Justunsmegareef]

I bought a tank from a local reef group member and the bottom is cracked from the bulk head to corner of the over flow. Was wondering if I should scrap the tank or do something to try and repair. I haven’t even put water in it do to buying all the equipment for this exact tank.

 

[Nick30G]

Scrapping it is the only real solution. It is not worth the risk nor anxiety.

 

[bsr2430]

Scrapping it is the only real solution. It is not worth the risk nor anxiety.

I second on scrapping it. You’ll always wonder when it will go.

I do wonder how a crack happened at that spot.

 

[Reef_gardens]

I bought a tank from a local reef group member and the bottom is cracked from the bulk head to corner of the over flow. Was wondering if I should scrap the tank or do something to try and repair. I haven’t even put water in it do to buying all the equipment for this exact tank.

Scrap it

 

[a4edwin]

You bought it cracked?

 

[Nick30G]

You bought it cracked?

It's possible the seller dident inform him about it on purpose or it was damaged during transport. Looks to be either someone tightened down on the bulkhead too much or there was significant force applied to the bulkhead

 

[Biokabe]

I've had a tank leak from the bottom before. That turned into three days of hell, tons of coral loss, and the loss of a couple of fish, and it set me back by several months towards getting a new tank. And that was with a simple leaking seam; with an actual crack that could give out and cause a truly catastrophic leak, that tank would be a ticking time bomb.

If you're confident in your silicone work, you may be able to get a replacement pane for the bottom and re-seam the tank. Personally, unless it's a large tank that's expensive to buy new, I'd just get a new tank.

 

[Nathan Milender]

Scrap, not even a choice. Or use it for reptiles or something else dry.

 

[Katrina71]

Agreed. Maybe repurpose the glass for something.

 

[ca1ore]

A bit of context would help. How big is the tank? Lets see a picture of the actual overflow. The consensus here to not use it is certainly the most prudent advice, but the tank may actually not be a write off quite yet. Crack has ‘run’ as far as it can. Inside the overflow means that the pressures are somewhat reduced, and bolstered by the actual weir. Replacing the tank is probably the best course of action, but t’were me I’d silicone in a glass patch and run it in the garage.

 

[Zoaologist]

I wouldn’t take the risk.

 

[flsalty]

If it's in the overflow I would just seal it.

 

[ZoWhat]

That's a FINE LOOKING reptile tank now...for sure.

The critter now has a bulkhead hole to crawl thru a tube to an adjoining tank

 

[Justunsmegareef]

You bought it cracked?

Yes, to be honest I didn’t even think to look down in the overflows, the rest of the tank checked out fine

 

[Justunsmegareef]

A bit of context would help. How big is the tank? Lets see a picture of the actual overflow. The consensus here to not use it is certainly the most prudent advice, but the tank may actually not be a write off quite yet. Crack has ‘run’ as far as it can. Inside the overflow means that the pressures are somewhat reduced, and bolstered by the actual weir. Replacing the tank is probably the best course of action, but t’were me I’d silicone in a glass patch and run it in the garage.

It’s a rimless 60G cube, I was wondering if it would be okay but there was salt deep on the crack underside. I contacted the previous owner that bought it 9 months early and he stated that the bulk heads were leaking but stopped when he tightened them.

 

[Justunsmegareef]

I bought a lot of equipment for it to get it going and I think now I just have to scrap the tank. Maybe night the bullet and just get a RSM reefer xl300

 

[W1ngz]

Nope nope nope.

The good news is that crack isn't growing, it ends at two edges and it's behind the overflow so the entire tank isn't going to end up on the floor, but it could well end up with the contents of the sump and overflow on the floor. You could try and patch it from the inside, block the overflow weir and leave the overflow dry and drill the back of the tank for an external overflow box. The risk isn't something I'd take in my home.

Either it was cracked for a while and the seller didn't know, or it was moved with the bulkheads still in the bottom and was broken along the way. You might be able to tell if you look at the crack, there's bound to be some algae and crud in the crack if it's been there a while.

 

[Quietman]

I think the only way to fully repair would be to replace the entire bottom panel. I don't necessarily think that's overly complicated and would be much cheaper than new tank. If it were me (and I'd already bought this), I may try it.

The only way I could see patching so I would sleep would involve removing it from service as an overflow. I don't think there's much risk of crack spreading as it stops at hole and edge. You could try drilling holes before replacing patch. Also the overflow it going to limit how much water will drain even if it fails...so risk, but not unmanageable in my opinion.

 

[Justunsmegareef]

Nope nope nope.

The good news is that crack isn't growing, it ends at two edges and it's behind the overflow so the entire tank isn't going to end up on the floor, but it could well end up with the contents of the sump and overflow on the floor. You could try and patch it from the inside, block the overflow weir and leave the overflow dry and drill it for an external overflow box. The risk isn't something I'd take in my home.

Either it was cracked for a while and the seller didn't know, or it was moved with the bulkheads still in the bottom and was broken along the way. You might be able to tell if you look at the crack, there's bound to be some algae and crud in the crack if it's been there a while.

It is salt creep on the frack bottom side and was dry when I got it.

 

[W1ngz]

It is salt creep on the frack bottom side and was dry when I got it.

Salt creep is probable from water following the crack from the bulkhead hole. That would indicate it was cracked while it was still full of water.