ok so I bought this used 20g long tank about a month ago at a goodwill store. $5 I couldn't pass it up. It had all sorts of reptile stuff in it and thus I did not see the drilled hole in the bottom when I bought it.

Now I know all the objections to making a reptile tank into a fish tank BUT my intentions were for this to be a new home for my african clawed frog. I figured a good cleaning and resealing job and my frog would be fine since they breath air.

To further complicate things someone attempted to patch the hole with a rubber cork covered by a piece of glass that was cracked and a very crappy half glue half silicon job. Now that I think about it that is probably why it was $5. So anyway with a little surgery via my razor blade this is now removed nice and cleanly.

So here sits this hole dead center of this tank. I would say its about a half inch. I would like to make this hole go away and my tank to be water tight. I really cant use it for a filter of any kind because african clawed frogs don't like a whole lot of water disturbance so I use a sponge filter with him. Should I patch this hole or should I get a bulkhead fitting and plug it?

Either way I don't want something that will be ugly because I keep my frog tank bare bottom for cleaning and feeding.

Ideas, suggestions ect?

ETA: Reading back over this after I posted, I realized that the title to this thread was not the best choice. I didn't intend for it to be the way it sounds. eek! sorry

I would seal it with a piece of glass about 2 to 3 inches square, put enough silicone around the hole so that it would reach to the edges of the cut glass. Press glass down to spread the silicone and then put something heavy on it for about 3 days and it should be water tight.

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Either way would be ugly. But couldn't I do a little work with a bulkhead fitting and silicon some gravel to it or maybe a plant to try and make it fit with the rest of the tank. My frogs tank is mostly fake plants and larger river style rocks.

I am just sort of throwing around ideas.

Well you will have some substrate in there so it should cover the glass.

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SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY YEARS, NOT MONTHS!!!
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+1 for the piece of glass or plastic over the hole.

A bulkhead if you bump it will shatter the bottom, its more risky when you weigh that in.

hmm I hadn't thought of the shattering thing. I guess it will be a patch. I wish it were not in the dead center of the tank though. I will have to get creative with my set up.

Second question. I have a 10g practically new that has a major crack in the bottom thanks to my DH. Would it be ok to mangle this thing and use a piece of the 10g for the actual patch. Not from the broken part of course. My first thought on how to do that would be a glass hole cutter. But that would make the patch circular and you have said use a square piece. Would that make a difference? Just wondering because I am super cheap and doing this would make my repair free because I already have access to a glass hole drilling bit, and I would have experience drilling a hole which can come in handy later. If not then I can go and get some glass cut to size, im just a nerd. lol

oh if anyone cares to take a gander this is how my current frog tank is set up. Half bare bottom for feeding. I would like to keep it similar in the new one so I will have to get creative. Maybe a cave for him in the center...

It wouldn't hurt to cut it in a circle, just make sure its a few inches bigger than the hole to give a better seal.

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SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY YEARS, NOT MONTHS!!!
220 Tank build
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I'd say it'd be better to have a circle...I'd have to ask my engineer dad.

Just my 2 cents.

id put a thin sheet off perspex over it and silacone it with Aqua sealent, and on the bottom ,do the same. There yah go

Or else fit a new piece of glass into the tankl and reseal again

As in get the measurement of the bottom sheet of glass and drop a new peice in over the old bottom and seal. Shouldnt cost you much

I bought a glass cutter today and cut a square out of an old busted 10g and patched it on both sides today. I am gonna let it cure for a few days and see how it holds. If it doesnt then ill just have to buy a new one for my clawed frog and buy a reptile of some sort to go in this one. :D

thanks for all the help. I will let you know how it holds up.


ETA... I would love to see the expression on the face of some fish nerd stoping to look at the 10g on our curb with square holes cut out. lol

Siliconing a glass doubler inside the tank should work.

But if the hole 1/2" you might try a nylon screw with washers and lotsa silicon. But that doesn't take care of the crack. There the doubler would really help.


my .02

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fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html
recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden

He never said there was a crack, only a hole someone else drilled. The crack was in the tank he took the glass to make a patch.

[quote=OscarGal;30765
[/QUOTE]

He is sooo cute, i want a frog!

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What to do today, water change?

It that's the case wouldn't the nylon bolt with large washers and silicon fix it?

just a thought. worth at most .02 because I have never tried this.

__________________
fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html
recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden

Has any one tried sikaflex? It seems like you could fill the hole with sikaflex and let cure and that should seal it. Then all you would have is a grey circle at the bottum of the tank.

I have never heard of it used on aquariums, but I don't see why it couldn't be.

I just dont know. You could fix it and then wake up one morning and your tank could be empty and your floor a puddle.Do it right the first time and all should be ok.Never take the cheaper option as usually that ends up the most exspenive option

I actually suspect sikaflex would not be cheaper then the other methods. I mentioned it because it would be low profile. It is designed to seal joints in concrete floors but It can also be used to patch holes in canoes and what not. The stuff is realy tough and should seal your tank. My main consern was that it might leech a little bit. I just don't know for sure.