Fixing smashed 2.5g

[vanillaXtiffy]

Okay, I know it sounds crazy since they're so small and so cheap, but I can't spend money on my hobby really right now, and I'd like to have it around just in case. So I was cleaning my room and the empty 2.5g was sitting on a chair and I accidentally dropped it. Only one of the small sides smashed. I couldn't find all of the pieces. I do have some waterproof aquarium sealant, so I was wondering if, since it's such a small tank, I could just take a hard piece of plastic and stick that to the remaining glass to repair. Any input?

 

[Dieprophezeiung]

I think that woluld work. Your gonna want a stiff piece that dosnt flex at all, and somthing that bonds well to both glass and whatever mAterial u use. You also might be able to go to a local glass shop and ask if they have any scrap pieces you could have since it's so small.

 

[Jspigs]

I would not risk it. Aquarium silicone does not bond well to plastic anyways. I would wait until you have the opportunity to buy a new one.

 

[XanAvaloni]

Van, don't listen to the naysayers....TRY IT. At worst you lose a few hours of time and wind up no worse off than you were before, e g with a busted tank.

But the hours are not wasted even then, as you will have learned something about working with glass, plastic, adhesives, assorted cutting tools and your hands. At best you wind up with a tank that holds water. You test this by filling it and leaving in the shower overnight.

If it leaks you figure out why and try again.

If it still leaks THEN you say a bad word or two and throw it out. No point in being a fool about it.

 

[dbosman]

XanAvaloni isn't the one who will have to clean the mess when the tank lets go.
Silicone aquarium adhesive does not bond, stick well, or sometimes stick at all, to plastics.

As XanAvaloni said, but isn't practicing, "No point in being a fool about it."

Find someone else's broken tank and salvage a pane of glass from it. Be very careful. Glass shards are more than razor sharp.

 

[fishorama]

I wouldn't bother on such an iffy project...

 

[platytudes]

I have a 2.5 gallon I'm not using, been sitting outside for like a year, I doubt the silicone is still intact. If you want I could send you a side to replace it with for the cost of shipping.

It's a good way of trying your hand at resealing, and the cure time won't be as long since it's such a small tank. Remember that you will have to remove every scrap of silicone otherwise it won't stick...silicone to silicone won't bond!

 

[RodInCALIFORNIA]

use a piece of glass to path it not plastic. let it dry good for a few days fill outside let it sit a few days and see if its a leaker or not. what do you have to loose but a little piece of glass and some silicone and a little time.

 

[jetajockey]

you can get a piece of glass cut to size at most hardware stores. Kinda takes the cheap factor out of it I guess but at least you'd end your project with something as good as new.

 

[jbradt]

don't forget if you replace the one side, you will need to reseal the whole tank.