I bought a used DIY 180G glass tank, took it home, got to cleaning it up, removed paint, coraline algae, and sand, and then I discovered the bottom of the tank. Question, would you trust this tank? It was running fine for 7 years without issues, but I fear moving the tank hundreds of miles and passed through several people before I bought it may have done some damage (I know, only a freshwater test will tell me if it still sealed).
So my dilemma, I have no experience with structural integrity when it comes to building tanks. I understand how they go together, just don't know the limits of glass and what is required to make a tank structurally sound. I have never in my 20+ years even heard of an aquarium having 2 bottom panes that appear epoxied together with some type of special epoxy (almost looks/feels like sanded glass). Both panes on the bottom where beveled and sanded, looking at the seam from the front, and there is plywood siliconed to the bottom of the tank for support. There is no water damage at all to the plywood or stand, so it appears to have never leaked.
What I am looking for is someone who has experience building tanks to either say 'No way in hell is that safe', or 'yes, that is one way to do it, although not recommended obviously'. If I can get someone to even state they have seen 1 other tank in the history of aquariums that had 2 panels on the bottom, I may feel a little better, but as it is now, I can't find anything in google about an aquariums having 2 bottom panes.
If someone more knowledgeable on the subject says they have seen or been taught that joining 2 pieces of glass by that method is acceptable (obviously I won't hold anyone accountable if something fails) then I plan on cutting out the old silicone on the bottom, putting a 1/2"x12" wide piece of glass front to back on the bottom over the seam and silicone that in to give it more support, then resilicone the rest of the tank. Silicone seal still looks 'ok' but is peeling up just a little on the edges in a few little spots just from being 7 years old. I am $400 deep into this tank and about 8 hours of work so far. I am right at the point of 'Do I spend more $ and continue moving forward' or 'cut my losses and toss the tank in the dump'.
So my dilemma, I have no experience with structural integrity when it comes to building tanks. I understand how they go together, just don't know the limits of glass and what is required to make a tank structurally sound. I have never in my 20+ years even heard of an aquarium having 2 bottom panes that appear epoxied together with some type of special epoxy (almost looks/feels like sanded glass). Both panes on the bottom where beveled and sanded, looking at the seam from the front, and there is plywood siliconed to the bottom of the tank for support. There is no water damage at all to the plywood or stand, so it appears to have never leaked.
What I am looking for is someone who has experience building tanks to either say 'No way in hell is that safe', or 'yes, that is one way to do it, although not recommended obviously'. If I can get someone to even state they have seen 1 other tank in the history of aquariums that had 2 panels on the bottom, I may feel a little better, but as it is now, I can't find anything in google about an aquariums having 2 bottom panes.
If someone more knowledgeable on the subject says they have seen or been taught that joining 2 pieces of glass by that method is acceptable (obviously I won't hold anyone accountable if something fails) then I plan on cutting out the old silicone on the bottom, putting a 1/2"x12" wide piece of glass front to back on the bottom over the seam and silicone that in to give it more support, then resilicone the rest of the tank. Silicone seal still looks 'ok' but is peeling up just a little on the edges in a few little spots just from being 7 years old. I am $400 deep into this tank and about 8 hours of work so far. I am right at the point of 'Do I spend more $ and continue moving forward' or 'cut my losses and toss the tank in the dump'.