has anyone replaced the front glass on a tank before?

[bcreps]

I picked up a tank for free yesterday, it had a cracked front so i took the glass off by first removing only the front the plastic on top from one corner to the other. then i removed the glass with a razor. So what im left with is an open tank with a missing piece on the top where the glass was. If i didnt lose you yet... im wanting to put an acrylic front on with doors and maybe screen. this may be difficult as i didnt take the plastic frame off in one piece. also i really dont want this to leak so what can i do to ensure that the bottom seams are extra waterproof? I was thinking great stuffs pond sealant? this reall has to be sealed good Anyone have experience or any good links for this kind of stuff ? thanks

[AbranV]

I hope someone chimes in on your question. I have a broken tank that I would like to do the same way

[UncleChester]

Do you have a picture? How big is the tank and how much water is it planning to hold?

I'm imagining a normal fish tank that started with a bottom, 4 sides and no top. You've removed one of the sides so it's now a fish tank with no 'front' and no 'top'?

I've never seen a great way to attach acrylic to glass. Is there a reason you can't make the front out of glass and attach it with silicone for a strong, water-tight bond? You could then make sliding glass doors using e-channels, a modified version of how the front of this 'euro-style' vivarium is (you could skip the vent system they use at the bottom depending on your tanks dimensions and use): http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/par...step-step.html

[bcreps]

I actually want it so be glass anyway. i just think its risky so i said acrylic. probably wont have any water in this one in just wanting the area under the false bottom to be extra water tight. thanks for the link that will be better than hinges. Ill have a pic up either tonight or tomarrow for a better understanding. thanks

[DigitalPunk]

I would stick with glass. Silicon would give you the secure watertight seal you are wanting. You will first want to remove all silicon and silicon residue from the seams you cur free on the tank. Then run a nice thick bead of silicon on the new glass and lay it in place. Let it cure for 48 hours or longer. Fill with water to your max projected water height and let sit for 48 hours to test for leaks.


I am not sure on adding a door to that side. Without the proper frame or glass on all sides the remaining walls will start to flex and fall.

A picture would be very helpful.

[deranged chipmunk]

Is this a terrarium? Or an aquarium? Either way, it would need to be glass. It would eventually fail if you used acrylic.


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[bcreps]

heres what i have.. and all the silicone is out there is a slippery feeling just where the seams were. im going to use acetone because rubbing alcohol isnt doing the job. What should i use to hold the tracks to the glass? epoxy? thanks

[UncleChester]

Silicone works for holding the tracks in place.

If you think your tank is low and wide enough to skip the lower vent like in the link, I'm not sure of the best design for the lower track. One thing the vent does is give a horizontal shelf for the track to sit on. The track will be wider than your glass, so you might need to find something that can widen the piece you add to the bottom front of the tank. Something like the plastic trim with the "L" shaped profile like they use in the link might do the trick if you support it from behind with a second strip of glass.

[bcreps]

i think ill do exactly that design. its not a low tank at all. it actually might make a nice tree frog tank. finding those e profile plastic tracks around here will be fun. might just order them online. Thanks for all the info Brian

[UncleChester]

No problem!

After a few months of searching for the E-channel locally (and not so locally), annoying and confusing many hardware store employees in the process, I came to the conclusion that no one in Canada has ever made a cabinet with sliding glass doors. Even the usual wizards at Lee Valley were no help. A few months after I had abandoned all hope of getting E-channel and avoiding shipping costs at the same time, I found it in a random aisle at Home Hardware. Not the aisle with the other long plasticy thingies like the L-profiled trim, but something random and out of place. I had even shown employees pictures of what I was after.

So check your local HH. They also sell the cheapest aquarium safe silicone I've seen (their house brand, comes in clear and gaudy white if you want to make something extra ugly).