Acrylic tank fix...

CBonito · Nov 11, 2023

So the first tank I received in my build was broken and useless. But I still have it...

But I got to thinking (which is usually bad) the tank is only broken in the rear. The front half is fine.
There's like half a tank that I could use if I could fix this for a cryptic zone tank plumbed into my display.

SO...doo dee doo....what if I were to insert a new back into the middle of the tank that precisely fit, shoot that bugger with weld-on and then route the back part of the tank off it?

Anyone think this is possible? This is 3/4" thick stuff, so there is a lot of bonding surface. tank is 24" front to back. If I could keep a foot I'd be happy. It would make a very interesting tank for my purpose.
I don't want to use it for a display so it doesnt have to be perfectly photogenic. It would be utilitarian in nature.
But it does have all nice polished and bullnosed edges on it and would still look great.

Anyone have any ideas that would be a better approach?

You can see the bottom right corner and the back panel is cracked. The front of the tank is perfect.
They must have nailed it on the overflow box out back.

I live in michigan...anyone want to help attempt it? I'd be glad to make it worthwhile...
Just drop a new back panel a few inches in front of the existing one, glue it and mill/route the back off.

I can't throw it away...something tells me I would be dumb for doing that.

Eh????

CBonito · Nov 11, 2023

What's a good place to buy a piece already cut for this?

albano · Nov 11, 2023

‘weld’ the new panel to the inside of the broken back panel and seal it all up. No need to remove the back panel as no one will see it.

Xanthurum · Nov 11, 2023

Post a few more pics of the damage if you can

Cabinetman · Nov 11, 2023

If it’s just a crack lay a piece over it and weld it

CBonito · Nov 11, 2023

albano said:
‘weld’ the new panel to the inside of the broken back panel and seal it all up. No need to remove the back panel as no one will see it.

Yeah, but look at the lower right rear corner. It's shattered too down into the side and through part of the floor.
I have to basically drop a "divider" about 4 inches or so from the original back, but would rather do it about 12 inches for the kind of tank it would be.

CBonito · Nov 11, 2023

Xanthurum said:
Post a few more pics of the damage if you can

Here's the lower rear right corner. The crack goes from the left return hole which you can see in the original pic, diagonally all the way down to the floor, runs through the rear floor seam, then cuts across the corner into a diagonal crack up the side as shown in this picture.

What I want to do is drop a new black acrylic panel right in between the right and left panel a few inches in front of all this breakage (it's rimless), weld it, and then route off the scrap, thus shortening the overall front to rear dimensions of the tank.

albano · Nov 11, 2023

Sorry, didn’t really ‘study’ the pic… if you really want to reduce the depth (front to back) you have a lot of work to do, and personally I’d never trust the repair, unless done by an actual tank builder. If it doesn’t matter what it looks like, I’d just weld on thin acrylic sheets, possibly on both inside and outside, top and bottom of cracks.

Xanthurum · Nov 12, 2023

I use to work for an acrylic tank manufacturer and I’d be skeptical about doing what you want to do. The issue is there could be other areas on the verge of cracking that aren’t visible. That being said it could very well work out. I’d just do a lengthy water test outside to make me feel better about putting it inside my home.