Cracked Stock tank

[misu]

I bought it used a few years ago from a guy here and it was holding water fine only had a small leak at the bulkhead (Gary it's the one you used). I filled it with water this weekend to try a new external pump on it and it's leaking bad from a crack in the plastic near the bottom opposite from the bulkhead - see pic. What caused this? Anything I can do to fix it or is it trash?
Could be used as a pond if I put a liner in it maybe.
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[sts04c]

Silicone Bandage?

 

[rdnelson]

Not sure how well silicone will adhere to the stock tank. I was thinking fiberglass. If you try fiberglass, rough up the surface around it a bit with a grinder before you apply the patch. Most auto supply stores have small kits that would be just about right for that. (used to patch a boat before every use back in my younger days. LOL)

 

[nassar0505]

How about marine epoxy or JB weld that stuff can hold an engine block together im sure it will hold that tank.

 

[tobyte1]

What material is the tank made of? If it is fiberglass, for sure just do a fiberglass patch. Hard to tell by the pic, but it might be glass-filled nylon. In that case, a patch of marine epoxy and some fiberglass mat will work fine.If it is a polypropylene tank, thats a whole different ballgame. Poly is inherently non-stick. As suggested, marine epoxy will hold for a while as a patch but you wont have any chemical bonding. To fix poly, the only really good solution is plastic welding. The welding kits are fairly cheap.

 

[jef4y]

Fiberglass would be my vote for an easy and permanent fix. I'd patch it inside and out with 3-4 layers of glass.

 

[rdnelson]

The biggest advantage you have in your favor is the location. Whatever patch you put on it will be helped by the weight of the water pushing it into the tank material instead of away from it (assuming you patch from the inside).

 

[misu]

It's a classic 150 gal Rubbermaid, no clue what it's made out of. Will the fiberglass patch keep it "reef safe"?

I may just give it away to whoever wants to fix it.

 

[rdnelson]

Fiberglass is reef safe. Once the resin sets up it is hard as a rock and leaches nothing out. I have seen threads where people have built "Plywood" tanks. They basically just cover the plywood with fiberglass.

 

[grouper therapy]

Fiberglass will need a protective coating over it to prevent the saltwater from permeating and creating a blister. This is an issue with offshore boats where the gel coat is compromised. Ask me how I learned that $ lesson.lol If it is a Rubbermaid brand it is actually made of foam.

 

[frantz]

A plastic welder would work too. I've only welded small stuff but I use soldering iron. I took the tip and ground the non pointy part (that typically is inside the shaft) and ground it flatish. In an isolated area it won't weaken the structure any and you can still glass the patch on top for added safety.

 

[rdnelson]

Didn't know that. Always good to learn something new. Know what else I learned about boats? The definition of Boat is "A hole in the water in which you throw money". But I sure wish I had one again.

grouper therapy;763139 wrote: Fiberglass will need a protective coating over it to prevent the saltwater from permeating and creating a blister. This is an issue with offshore boats where the gel coat is compromised. Ask me how I learned that $ lesson.lol If it is a Rubbermaid brand it is actually made of foam.

 

[dine]

rdnelson99;763160 wrote: Didn't know that. Always good to learn something new. Know what else I learned about boats? The definition of Boat is "A hole in the water in which you throw money". But I sure wish I had one again.

so a boat and a reef tank are the same thing by your definition?

 

[grouper therapy]

I'd just buy a new one and not risk it.