Cracked panel on frag tank

Define "crack".  I know what I think of, but I've seen cracks that I would call chips, so a photo will help.  Assuming it is a small crack you may have the option of drilling a larger bulkhead hole that will remove it.  If not you have a couple good options, and a couple bad ones:1) Replace the panel.2) Turn it into a reptile tank.3) Drill enough holes to remove the cracked portion and patch over it.  This won't be pretty, but may be functional depending on the circumstances.  This depends on among other things the thickness of the patch, its proximity to an edge, and your personal acceptance of risk.4) Replace the tank.I would not personally use the tank with the crack still there, patched or otherwise.  If on the other hand it is more of a chip there are easier solutions.
 
Rimless or braced?General process is: Remove the plastic bracing, hope it comes off without breaking.Cut the old panel out.Prep the surfaces (razor blade then acetone) while trying not to soften the remaining silicone.Obtain replacement panel, measure twice.  Drill hole in advance of installation.  Also tape edges on the panel and in the tank however far back you want from the corner.Apply Momentive 100 series RTV (Grainger was cheapest for one tube last I checked).Install panel.Smooth the bead with your finger.Wait 30 seconds and then remove the tape.Reinstall trim.Wait a week (24 hours won't cut it).Water test sitting on paper towels with water and a full bottle of food coloring.  If it seeps you'll probably see a food coloring stain.There are a couple options for putting the panel on.  I highly recommend taping the seams as it results in a much nicer look than the ones I have done without.  On a small tank you can just apply the silicone and then slap the (clean) panel on (wear gloves to avoid skin oil contamination).  With a bigger piece it may be preferable to clamp in place and inject silicone.  I've done both, and am an expert in neither so hopefully others will chime in.Note that Momentive has a *VERY* short working time.  When I added the euro-brace to my 170 I ran a bead along one end, grabbed the sheet of glass, and it was already skinned over more than I would like.  I think the official working time is something like 5 minutes, but in my experience you have much less time than this, closer to 60-120 seconds.  If it skins over you might as well stop as you'll need to clean everything and start over.
 
Repeat after me, and then ignore the people who say otherwise:"Acrylic does not bond properly to silicone"There are acrylic adhesives that bond to glass, they tend to be less secure.  I highly recommend using glass.
 
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