Small crack - should I be worried? (Photos)

[camel_racer]

I just got a second hand tank and now that I have it home and am giving it a good clean I have noticed a time crack in the top corner above the waterline. I have attached some photos (ignore grime).
How concerned should I be? It's pretty tiny, has to only be a few millimetres in size.

 

[Doctorgori]

Doesn’t look like it’s gonna pop …
leave it, monitor it

 

[LadyMac]

Maybe put a piece of tape or mark it so you can see if it grows.

 

[camel_racer]

Thanks!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I would just keep a close eye on it for now

 

[vetteguy53081]

I just got a second hand tank and now that I have it home and am giving it a good clean I have noticed a time crack in the top corner above the waterline. I have attached some photos (ignore grime).
How concerned should I be? It's pretty tiny, has to only be a few millimetres in size.

Doesnt appear to be structural but keep an eye on it for any change is appearance. If after 10 days zero change- Likely safe

 

[FUNGI]

If super concerned, use car Windshield crack epoxy and fill in......

 

[camel_racer]

If super concerned, use car Windshield crack epoxy and fill in......

It is in the middle of the glass / on a join, I wouldn't be able to get the epoxy onto it.
I'll put some circled pics up showing it.

 

[Harpo]

I would add euro bracing to that rimless tank

 

[camel_racer]

I would add euro bracing to that rimless tank

Sorry I am a newbie, unclear on what you mean? I assume it is some sort of perimeter bracing? I am down for that if so. How would that work with the sump channel in the middle? Is it something that I need to get made up?

 

[Naekuh]

Well i dont think you would need a full euro brace.
You would just need one peice of glass to touch the corner front and side where its cracked.

For symetry purposes i guess you can put 2 on each side, or one up front.
But the point is the reinforce the corner where its cracked so it doesnt split open.

like this.

 

[camel_racer]

Well i dont think you would need a full euro brace.
You would just need one peice of glass to touch the corner front and side where its cracked.

For symetry purposes i guess you can put 2 on each side, or one up front.
But the point is the reinforce the corner where its cracked so it doesnt split open.

like this.

Oh I see. It's a little hard for my to understand what I am looking at in this photo, but do you mean like the attached?

 

[FUNGI]

image 115413

 

[camel_racer]

image 115413

Great. Thankyou! Is that something I should get done by a professional?

 

[FUNGI]

If you have the $$ get it done by pro....if not, you can do DIY, except maybe cutting the glass....I would just get a glazer to do.....

 

[Naekuh]

I think i would personally get the glass cut at by a professional, or at the hardware store to exact size.
Then i would take sand paper and smooth out the edges so u don't cut yourself.
Then i would do the silicon and laying it flat on top myself.

Its not too difficult, there are a LOT of youtube videos on how to silicon glass.

I do not think your tank is worth the value to have a professional do it, as it may cost more then the current value of the tank itself. I don't know how cost / labor is in AUS, but i know in the US it would cost serveral hundered dollars.

You can also use regular cheap glass, thickness is not important, as glass does not sheer, but too thin of glass may break if you put something on top which u definitely don't want. So don't select too thin, but at the same time does not need to be equal thickness of your current glass.

Again your only looking at reinforcing the two sides with a top to prevent a runaway tear in the silicon at the crack.

 

[camel_racer]

I think i would personally get the glass cut at by a professional, or at the hardware store to exact size.
Then i would take sand paper and smooth out the edges so u don't cut yourself.
Then i would do the silicon and laying it flat on top myself.

Its not too difficult, there are a LOT of youtube videos on how to silicon glass.

I do not think your tank is worth the value to have a professional do it, as it may cost more then the current value of the tank itself. I don't know how cost / labor is in AUS, but i know in the US it would cost serveral hundered dollars.

You can also use regular cheap glass, thickness is not important, as glass does not sheer, but too thin of glass may break if you put something on top which u definitely don't want. So don't select too thin, but at the same time does not need to be equal thickness of your current glass.

Again your only looking at reinforcing the two sides with a top to prevent a runaway tear in the silicon at the crack.

Thanks for the follow-up. Australia is typically significantly more expensive than the US so I would expect that you are correct re. it's value.
Thanks I will have a think about next steps! Appreciate your time/messages!!
Immediately I am going to fill it up and see what the crack does over the next week or two and look into the bracing as well.

 

[camel_racer]

I think i would personally get the glass cut at by a professional, or at the hardware store to exact size.
Then i would take sand paper and smooth out the edges so u don't cut yourself.
Then i would do the silicon and laying it flat on top myself.

Its not too difficult, there are a LOT of youtube videos on how to silicon glass.

I do not think your tank is worth the value to have a professional do it, as it may cost more then the current value of the tank itself. I don't know how cost / labor is in AUS, but i know in the US it would cost serveral hundered dollars.

You can also use regular cheap glass, thickness is not important, as glass does not sheer, but too thin of glass may break if you put something on top which u definitely don't want. So don't select too thin, but at the same time does not need to be equal thickness of your current glass.

Again your only looking at reinforcing the two sides with a top to prevent a runaway tear in the silicon at the crack.

Do you think some snug corner gussets like this (except deeper / more capture.on the glass) would do the trick?

 

[Naekuh]

That may work.
But if it starts to split, i dont know if abs can withstand the sheering force.
Its still better then nothing i suppose.

 

[camel_racer]

That may work.
But if it starts to split, i dont know if abs can withstand the sheering force.
Its still better then nothing i suppose.

Yeah, fair point. This was just a size prototype, I have made some in CarbonFibre PLA with more capture which feel super strong. I still plan to use the glass brace, but not sure when I will be able to get a glazier to cut it for me, so trying to bandaid for now.