HELP!!! How bad is this?

CGT3

New member
Hello everyone, this is my first post to the forum and I am in dire need of advice. I've seen mixed opinions on this type of thing:headwallblue:, some same it should be fine others saying it's all bad.:fun5: My question is , how serious is this chip? It's near the bottom of the tank (90g) but is relatively shallow and nowhere near the silicone. There are also no stress cracks bridging out from it. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

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with any aquarium chip/crack you never really know.. could be fine.. could cause problems..
I have a very..very similar chip and the tank is just fine... so far.. knock on wood. :)
 
Like mcgyvr said. Could go either way. If it has chipped into the seam the tank is now a critter cage. If not, the tank doesn't appear to be full so if it were me I would get some Loctite 37613 or JB Weld or high strength epoxy equivalent and make a cast and fill the chip, then let it sit in a garage or porch on a level surface for a month and see if it leaks. If it doesn't leak, I'd probably go for it. If you have a controller I would be sure to add a leak detector. Personally, I made a DIY leak detector out of some 2 strand wire wrapped around the tank hooked to my Apex breakout box.

Edit: After a second look, obviously it didn't chip into the seam.
 
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I would just use something rigid and very flat like sanded wood, glass, acrylic, steel, aluminum, flat tile, or stone (granite or travertine). Anything that you can make a 90 degree right angle. Then put a layer of parchment paper, wax paper, zip lock bag or saran wrap in between the cast and tank. Anything to prevent the cast from adhering to the tank and that won't adhere to the epoxy, or if it does, anything that is easily removed. If your unsure, test it first. Fill the chip with the epoxy, then clamp the cast, remove any excess epoxy with mineral spirits or acetone and let it dry for 24 hours. If you don't have a clamp you could use something heavy to hold it in place or you can buy clamps for cheap at Harbor Freight.

After it's dry, if it's not aesthetically pleasing and you want to clean up the appearance you can "carefully" sand it smooth. Heavily tape off the glass so you don't accidentally blemish it. Start at a low grit working your way up to a very fine wet sand. You could even go a step further and buff it with a rotary tool and compound and then buff it with a polish. Do a search on fixing fiberglass boats. Similar process. It's in the back so it may not be worth finishing it or if your cast is really good you may not notice it at all.

I'm not certain what kind of strength the repair will achieve, but it's better than nothing. Some epoxies have a holding strength of over 4000 psi. More than enough. The key is getting a good adhesion. The chip appears to be rough so you'll probably be fine.

Good luck, let us know how it turns out.
 
I would just use something rigid and very flat like sanded wood, glass, acrylic, steel, aluminum, flat tile, or stone (granite or travertine). Anything that you can make a 90 degree right angle. Then put a layer of parchment paper, wax paper, zip lock bag or saran wrap in between the cast and tank. Anything to prevent the cast from adhering to the tank and that won't adhere to the epoxy, or if it does, anything that is easily removed. If your unsure, test it first. Fill the chip with the epoxy, then clamp the cast, remove any excess epoxy with mineral spirits or acetone and let it dry for 24 hours. If you don't have a clamp you could use something heavy to hold it in place or you can buy clamps for cheap at Harbor Freight.

After it's dry, if it's not aesthetically pleasing and you want to clean up the appearance you can "carefully" sand it smooth. Heavily tape off the glass so you don't accidentally blemish it. Start at a low grit working your way up to a very fine wet sand. You could even go a step further and buff it with a rotary tool and compound and then buff it with a polish. Do a search on fixing fiberglass boats. Similar process. It's in the back so it may not be worth finishing it or if your cast is really good you may not notice it at all.

I'm not certain what kind of strength the repair will achieve, but it's better than nothing. Some epoxies have a holding strength of over 4000 psi. More than enough. The key is getting a good adhesion. The chip appears to be rough so you'll probably be fine.

Good luck, let us know how it turns out.


Thanks alot I'll give it a go. The chip is on the outside of the glass and isnt affecting the silicone seam on the inside or the seam sandwiched between the two panes, so i think as far as structural integrity goes i should be good still.
 
Thanks alot I'll give it a go. The chip is on the outside of the glass and isnt affecting the silicone seam on the inside or the seam sandwiched between the two panes, so i think as far as structural integrity goes i should be good still.

Does this assumption seem logical? Of course i wont know till i fill it up but i would like everyone elses 2 cents
 
Probably not an issue but discussing this with a glass expert or the manufacturer would give you additional peace of mind.
 
Probably not an issue but discussing this with a glass expert or the manufacturer would give you additional peace of mind.

Just called Central Pet this morning ( Aqueon is a subdivision of theirs) and spoke to a tech. Told him about the chip and asked if it was good. He said that this type of thing happens all the time and as long as the silicone seams inside and out were not affected then the tank is all good and nothing to worry about. Good news put my mind at ease:dance:
 
Just called Central Pet this morning ( Aqueon is a subdivision of theirs) and spoke to a tech. Told him about the chip and asked if it was good. He said that this type of thing happens all the time and as long as the silicone seams inside and out were not affected then the tank is all good and nothing to worry about. Good news put my mind at ease:dance:

I would still repair the chip. The reason we fix small chips in our vehicles windshields is to prevent it from spreading. A small chip can create a large crack as time and pressure are put on the glass.
 
I would still repair the chip. The reason we fix small chips in our vehicles windshields is to prevent it from spreading. A small chip can create a large crack as time and pressure are put on the glass.

Oh yeah i still will repair the chip. Does JB Weld make a product that dries clear and not gray or should i just get the loctite?
 
Unfortunately you can't compare a chipped windscreen to this type of chip 2 totally different scenarios (I'll expand on this if people care but if not.....) the main thing to look at is to ensure that the chip is fairly smooth and shell shaped and this will mean that any stresses are retained in a circular manner within the chip. Also the resins mentioned as being exceptionally strong are out there look for hysol epoxies (there are several with different properties) but unfortunately they tend to be fairly expensive. Personally I'd make sure I was happy with the shape/condition of the chip and do a fill check outside to make sure it will take the pressure then just go for it. My 48x18x18 has one in the base pane that's been there at least 4 yrs
 
Ok so i went to OSH and got some epoxy. I got JB Weld Quick Epoxy. Sets in 5 mins, dries crystal clear and 4400psi. Only was $6. I figure that will more than suffice. Post pics once i repair. :dance:
 
Hello everyone, this is my first post to the forum and I am in dire need of advice. I've seen mixed opinions on this type of thing:headwallblue:, some same it should be fine others saying it's all bad.:fun5: My question is , how serious is this chip? It's near the bottom of the tank (90g) but is relatively shallow and nowhere near the silicone. There are also no stress cracks bridging out from it. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

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I would use clear epoxy on the inside and also a thin layer on the outside.
 
I think it will be 100% fine because there are a lot of glass tank manufacturers that round off those edges after assembly which surpass the depth of that chip. the only problem could have been the seal/silicone was dislodged enough from impact to cause a leak but I am sure that would have been immediate. sorry if I duplicated anyone else's response.
 
Ok so i went to OSH and got some epoxy. I got JB Weld Quick Epoxy. Sets in 5 mins, dries crystal clear and 4400psi. Only was $6. I figure that will more than suffice. Post pics once i repair. :dance:

Looking forward to seeing the result. What did you decide to use for a cast?
 
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