Cracked tank

[lestat]

I have a 55 gallon tank that has a crack down the back of it. I resealed it with silicone, but I'm hesitant to add water. I only want 25-30 gallons of water in it. Is it worth trying, or should I just get a new tank? I don't really have much room to test the seal, so I'd like to have some feedback before I try it. If it's sure to be a failure, I won't bother. :uhoh:

 

[cro117]

if it's acrylic i would say it's not going to be a problem, but if it's glass i wouldn't risk it. any pressure will make the crack spread. ten gallons of water would probably be ok, but anything more would be a risk. i'm not an authority though, so hopefully someone else can give you a more definitive answer.

 

[lestat]

It's glass. I was thinking about putting a piece of wood against that side, but I don't know if it's worth the trouble.

 

[Mark]

I agree with cro117. Simply smearing silicone over a crack isn’t going to hold for very long. Cracks can sometimes be repaired by siliconing another piece of glass over the top of the affected area but given that aquariums are fairly inexpensive it doesn’t really justify the risks or hassle.