What to Do If Your Aquarium Glass Breaks?

Having a large aquarium may lead to problems. A small rock, for example, can crack the thick glass, causing a larger rupture down the road. Unless you're prepared, a broken aquarium can mean many dead fish and hundreds of dollars in water damage to your home.

  1. Be Prepared

    • When you are purchasing your fish tank, purchase some five-gallon buckets, one for each fish, for emergencies. If you have 20 fish, buy 20 buckets. In addition, save up some money in case you need to pay for costly water damage to your home or apartment. Finally, have a friend on speed dial who can help with saving your fish and mopping the floors if the aquarium breaks.

    Save Your Fish

    • As soon as your aquarium breaks, save your fish. Each fish should be in its own bucket with about five gallons of water. This is a temporary solution; you will soon need to find a long-term replacement.

    Save Your Home or Apartment

    • Be careful when you move around your apartment or home, because glass shards may be on the floor. If you find broken glass, throw it away immediately. Next, get rid of the water. Either mop it up or use towels to soak it up. Check to see whether the water leaked downstairs. If it did, be prepared to pay for water damages.

    The Rest of the Tank

    • Remove all of the pebbles and other aquarium decorations from the tank. Clear out the rest of the tank to see whether it is salvageable. If you see many hairline cracks in the tank, you should buy a new tank. If only one glass pane was damaged, you could replace it or try to repair it.

    Causes

    • Before you spend money on repairs or replacement, identify possible causes for the break. A fish could have used flopped its tail near the glass so hard that water pressure cracked the glass. Also, a rock could have cracked the glass if a fish or the aquarium filter moved it violently. Consider buying a tank with thicker glass or purchasing an acrylic tank.

    How to Repair a Broken Glass Pane

    • Disassemble the tank. At a hardware store, buy silicone and a glass panel the same size as the one you're replacing. Start reassembling the tank. Place all four glass walls upright with the edges touching each other in a rectangle. Apply a generous amount of silicone to all of the edges. Let dry for 24 hours. Attach the bottom of the aquarium. Apply more silicone and let it dry for 24 hours. Test for leaks by adding water to the tank in increments. If you see a leak, restart the rebuilding process or buy a new tank.