Is there any way to repair a broken bowfront tank?

[jonatheber]

This isn't really a fish emergency, but it is an equipment emergency so I figured I'd try here....

I have a 46gallon bow-front tank. Today, for whatever reason, the plastic that runs across the middle of the tank decided to break (see pictures below). I have it clamped so there is no chance of the thing breaking apart. I went into Home Depot, and they suggested using epoxy to glue the sections back together.

Is that likely to work? Any other suggestions? There has to be SOME way to connect the two halves back together effectively.

 

[Colin_T]

I don't know the tank but if the broken piece is a cross member (goes from front to back of the tank) they can be replaced with glass, or use glue or nuts & bolts to join it. Some people get a piece of aluminium or stainless steel and bolt it to the plastic. Others use glue and glue another piece of plastic to the broken bit. Some people remove the plastic and silicon a piece of glass in its place.

If the cross member is broken, reduce the water level in the tank at least 4 inches to reduce the pressure on the glass and seams (corners with the silicon).

If you put a patch on the broken piece, try to have the patch the full width of the tank.

If you use a piece of glass to replace the plastic, use glass that is the same thickness as the aquarium, and make the piece the full width of the tank x 3-4 inches wide. Use a glass silicon (for aquariums) to glue the glass in place.

 

[MaloK]

For a quick no hassle and solid repair.

You could also use a plastic hot stapler welding gun.

I wish I had bought that sooner. They work great.

Plastic Welder, 2 in 1 Plastic Welding Kit

 

[GaryE]

Also, look for the source. Is the stand even?

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I had the center brace on one of my 33L tanks break in about the middle/ It also was an end support for the lids. What I did yo repair it was to find a piece of plastic which I could use to glue the grace parts together along with gkuing both ends of the break. The biggest issue was having to do this with water and fish in the tank. I hhad clamps but when a tank is full it tends to bow out the glass a bit, So I had to buy a very large clamping devise so I could pull the back and front glass closer in oder to get the two brace ends to join.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/BESSEY-...2-in-Throat-Depth-GSCC2-524/204986197#overlay

I am not sure how it would work on a bow front. I think it would do the trick but it is a guess not a certainty. It was a good thing I bought it as my first gluing did not take and I had to redo it. It has stayed put since.

Also, because I was diing the reoair in a sticked tabk I first lkowered the water and then I floated a small box under where I applied the glud in case some dripped down it would not go into the water.

I bought the glue used for coral as it is the same thing as crazy glue. I have both the more liquid kind and the gel one. The liquid stays usable a long time but my gel solidified after I had used it a few times.

Liquid Gel
Both are available on Amazon.

 

[jonatheber]

Thanks all. I got one of those clamps to hold it together for the moment, but I've decided to buy a new tank at this point. The LFS happens to have one in stock and it is on sale this weekend. I suspect that the cause was that it is a bit off-level, which means even of the repair takes for a bit it is just going to break again eventually anyway.... I'll be posting other threads to get some advice about how to transfer everything.

I very much appreciate the input!