5 gal hex tank with stress cracks question

I'd throw that one out, it is a ticking time bomb and I just wouldn't risk the fish loss or the property damage when that thing decides to leak.

yeah once that thing is full of water you're looking at 60-80 pounds of water, etc. those cracks won't stay that size long if you had a way to replace the bottom and reseal it you could maybe reuse it but that option may be more expensive than getting a new one at liek a wal-mart or someplace.

if I were making an acrylic tank like that (this is hypothetical) I would look into getting a piece of acrylic that is at least 3/4" thick for the bottom (maybe 1" thick). that one most liekly has the same thickness as the walls, and for a bottom it just won't hold. IF you look around for a local plastics fabrication company (not many around) you may be able to get a replacement for less than 10 bucks. however, this is me talking and my wife works for a plastics fabricator where if we need acrylic of any size or shape she can get it dirt cheap.

i worked in a plastic injection mold plant where i operated a machine that made plastic parts, including acrylic spools. there would often be stress cracks in the plastic because of the pressure used to force the plastic into the steel mold, and i had to reject those parts. they would snap in half very easily because of the crack. i would throw the tank out

Or save it for a house plant outside, it if breaks no big deal....OR maybe a hermit crab??? But definately go with something not cracked for fish

yeah, I would suggest the same.... A crack is a crack, no matter which way you look at it. If you see it there in the morning, it's still there if not bigger at the end of the day. I would throw some dirt in for a house plant and/or a crab too....

except that hermit crabs require a 10g tank or larger and need to be in groups of 3 or more, or they will literally die of lonelyness.