Uses for a cracked tank

[RovingGinger]

I have a 10g that has a crack curving through one of the long side panels. It’s all the way through but clean. The tank was about $5 used so I’m not tied to it, but waste not want not.

One thought I had was re-siliconing the whole thing including the crack, and then using foam and concrete directly on the back panel to build a faux stone background directly on the broken glass panel. However I don’t know if this is impractical. 

The other thought was a shallow paludarium. The third thought was installing a sheet of acrylic over the broken panel and seeing if it could be a sump for a 20g if I got very adventurous (I have a laser cutter so the cutting acrylic would be simple, but I’m sure the overall project would be a large learning experience). 

What have you done? What would work best? 

 

Edited August 15, 2020 by RovingGinger

[Streetwise]

I heard an interesting tank idea that I want to try, but a ten might be too big:

Push an empty tank down into a tub to film from within the empty tank into the tub.

Cheers

[MickS77]

Ted Judy is making one in a video series in his channel right now. It looks really cool! 

 

[RovingGinger]

14 minutes ago, Streetwise said:

I heard an interesting tank idea that I want to try, but a ten might be too big:

Push an empty tank down into a tub to film from within the empty tank into the tub.

Cheers

I could do this in my outdoor pond, I have a variety of glass containers that would fit and still be large enough to stick a camera in. I’ve been using some to do inverse aquariums but hmm, I might have to try this. 

[Speakeasy]

Does it have to be fish related? I can think of a few things to do with a cracked tank. Nothing which holds water...if you get a lid and light my head goes stright to a terrarium. Check out bio active set ups...just minus the reptile....i know not to many ppl are into bugs (me included) but there are a ton of really cool harmless ones. That could allow you to turn a busted tank into a really cool little ecosystem.

[RovingGinger]

1 minute ago, Speakeasy said:

Does it have to be fish related? I can think of a few things to do with a cracked tank. Nothing which holds water...if you get a lid and light my head goes stright to a terrarium. Check out bio active set ups...just minus the reptile....i know not to many ppl are into bugs (me included) but there are a ton of really cool harmless ones. That could allow you to turn a busted tank into a really cool little ecosystem.

No, but I'm not currently looking for new obsessions... if nothing else the tank will go into storage for that reason in the future. I might just use it as a planter in the meantime too?

[Streetwise]

I honestly want to keep all my houseplants in glass boxes now. I want to see the roots, the water level, etc.

[Speakeasy]

10 minutes ago, Streetwise said:

I honestly want to keep all my houseplants in glass boxes now. I want to see the roots, the water level, etc.

If you're not worried about keeping critter in the glass box, you can use it just like a flower pot. Just give yourself about 4 inches of drainage...look up wicking beds...you really want to get cool with it..drop an earth worm or two....plants coming out the top of the tank, roots spreading in the tank...and ever now and again a worm tunneling along the glass

[RovingGinger]

2 hours ago, Streetwise said:

I honestly want to keep all my houseplants in glass boxes now. I want to see the roots, the water level, etc.

Someone should invent a double layer pot that lets you drain out the excess water. I can picture it but I definitely can’t glass blow it. Basically a traditional pot but double walled with drainage at the inner bottom and along the rim. 

[Kat_Rigel]

I would br ew ak it down and use the glass pieces for DIY glass aquarium lids; saw a video by the King of DIY recently on how to do this.

[MattyIce]

I’d probably take the frame off, remove the silicone and take it all apart.

cut the other long sheet in half to make two 6 in high sheets, use them for the front and back sheets and trim down the side glass to 6 inches.

make a kind of 5 gallon rimless low boy.

 

Broke the bottom out of a 29 gallon by accident, cut the front panel in half for two 9 inch high sheets, Laid the aquarium on its back, cut the side panels down to 9 inches, used the 9 inch high sheets for a new front and back panel, to make a 30 long x 9 high x 18 deep 20 gallon low boy.  

Edited August 15, 2020 by MattyIce

[Dean’s Fishroom]

Best uses for cracked tanks that I've found is to cut up the glass for tops, dividers, to make smaller tanks, or maybe a photo tank.

[Shadow_Arbor]

On 8/15/2020 at 5:09 AM, RovingGinger said:

I have a 10g that has a crack curving through one of the long side panels. It’s all the way through but clean. The tank was about $5 used so I’m not tied to it, but waste not want not.

One thought I had was re-siliconing the whole thing including the crack, and then using foam and concrete directly on the back panel to build a faux stone background directly on the broken glass panel. However I don’t know if this is impractical. 

The other thought was a shallow paludarium. The third thought was installing a sheet of acrylic over the broken panel and seeing if it could be a sump for a 20g if I got very adventurous (I have a laser cutter so the cutting acrylic would be simple, but I’m sure the overall project would be a large learning experience). 

What have you done? What would work best? 

 

The best option if you want to use the tank, is to replace the entire cracked panel. Most likely that will cost the same as a new ten gallon tank though.

 

I use old/cracked tanks as lids. Take them apart and keep the glass for new tank builds in the future or glass lids.