A quick question regarding acrylic/repairing a tank

[calvin_orchidL]

Hey everyone,

I have a 10gallon tank which I'm currently using to house a few small aerangis species, and the bottom was accidentally broken during transportation. So now essentially it's a four sided glass tank with no bottom or top. I bought a piece of clear acrylic from HD and planned to cut it to the correct shape and use caulk to seal it in to form a new bottom.

Then I read some of these threads regarding acrylic and warping. I'm just wondering whether this will still happen if I use caulk to seal the edges tight - will this be strong enough to hold it in place, or will it end up putting too much pressure on the glass and leading to more damage?

If that's the case, what other kind of material could I use to repair the bottom? I am on the look-out for professional glass suppliers but I was hoping to be able to pick something up rather than getting something custom made (although now that I'm posting this, I realize I'll need to get some sort of glass cover on top anyway... ). It doesn't have to be clear either. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

[Ross]

Essentially, you can use clear silicone sealant as long as it's not a structural issue (which it doesn not sound like). Get a silicone meant for bathroom, etc (ie. waterproof). This should work even if you choose to use glass rather than acrylic.

[calvin_orchidL]

Thanks Ross! I have some stuff called 'Kwik Seal' under which it is labeled "Tub and Tile Adhesive Caulk" so I think it should be okay. I was just worried the humidity would cause the acrylic to warp, and if I sealed it in, it would rip the entire tank apart...but then I was thinking - don't some people have entire tanks made out of acrylic??

Thanks for the reassurance nonetheless

[dave b]

Id guess the pressure exerted on the glass from the tank full of water is greater then whatever it would experience otherwise. But, that being said, replacing with glass would still be your best bet. As mentioned, Silicon would be best also. Once dried, its very strong and inert (wont leach out chems into the water if that were an issue).

The correct way to apply the new pane is:
apply a solid bead to the entire bottom edge upon which the new pane will be placed. It is important that it will form a solid connection between the 2 points of contact, no gaps, no air bubbles. This insures strength. From inside the tank, apply another bead (not too thick) around the entire corner and use a finger to spread it evenly into the corner and around.

[dave b]

Originally Posted by calvin_orchidL

Thanks Ross! I have some stuff called 'Kwik Seal' under which it is labeled "Tub and Tile Adhesive Caulk" so I think it should be okay. I was just worried the humidity would cause the acrylic to warp, and if I sealed it in, it would rip the entire tank apart...but then I was thinking - don't some people have entire tanks made out of acrylic??

Thanks for the reassurance nonetheless

If i recall correctly, acrylic tanks are sealed with a different adhesive than silicon as in glass tanks. Its more of a glue. But yes, some fish tanks are complete acrylic.