How much to worry of a glass chip?

[Rover88]

I was working on my 75 gallon tank plumbing, and while lifting the tank back into place it bit me in the thumb with a wafer sized chip of glass. It came out of the end of the glass panel on the lower corner side (the corner in the overflow) right above the black frame at the very bottom of the tank.

It was very thin, and doesn't look like it even reached the silicone bead that joins the two panels of glass together. It was a thin, bowl kinda shape where it was slightly thicker in the center. At a glance and examination of the end, I couldn't figure out why it broke; there wasn't any rubble or debris around it that would have pinched on it.

So before I fill this tank again... Anyone have any experience with something like that? Read a few threads on it, but I saw conflicting replies in a good portion of them.

My thoughts are, it wasn't deep and didn't reach the silicone; Also its the corner braced with the overflow, so it should be okay?

 

[ReefNomad]

Should be, but every chip is different. Can you plug the overflow holes and fill the chamber to above the chip? You'll get a better idea of what you're dealing with.

 

[Rover88]

Should be, but every chip is different. Can you plug the overflow holes and fill the chamber to above the chip? You'll get a better idea of what you're dealing with.

Yeah, the overflow already has water in it up to the bottom of my standpipe (about 12 inches) and the chip is only an inch or two up. It hasn't leaked since last night when I put water in, I was concerned of long term viability.

 

[ReefNomad]

Long term, that's the corner with the least pressure on it, since the greater pressure is pressing that seam closed on both sides via the seams of the overflow.

 

[nereefpat]

picture?

 

[Rover88]

picture?

I'll supply one tonight.

 

[homer1475]

Sounds just like a chip I have in my 20G FW tank. It's been that way for 5 years. Granted its only holding 20G and not 75, but I don't think I would worry about it.

 

[Rover88]

Sounds just like a chip I have in my 20G FW tank. It's been that way for 5 years. Granted its only holding 20G and not 75, but I don't think I would worry about it.

Thats relieving. Its REALLy small, compared to other chips I've seen. Its just my first chip on a tank thats almost new to me.

Its really hard to take a picture of it. Its in an area thats painted over, but it doesn't look like there are any cracks going away from it. Can't tell on the inside, because there is a heap of silicone in the corner.

 

[Tripod1404]

Hard to say anything since we cannot see the rest of the glass panel because of the paint. If it is just a surface damage, probably alright. But if there are cracks going inside, or if it let air in between the glass and the silicone, it might cause it to fail in the future.

 

[Rover88]

Hard to say anything since we cannot see the rest of the glass panel because of the paint. If it is just a surface damage, probably alright. But if there are cracks going inside, or if it let air in between the glass and the silicone, it might cause it to fail in the future.

Yeah, its kind of a pain. I've tried to see, and it doesn't look like there is any cracks. As for air, I'm not sure. The chip tore off in my thumb when I was lifting, so I don't think it seperated. Gonna risk it.

 

[zheka757]

put some glass glue in the crack to prevent it from spreading.

 

[JTL]

Pull some of the paint away so you can get a better look at it. You can easily put a dab of black paint over the area and it will look fine. The topic of to fill or not to fill a chip came up a while back. My personal opinion is to put some clear two part epoxy in the chip hole. No one can say for certain whether it will prevent a crack from spreading but it can't hurt and for $5 why not try it. They do it on windshields all of the time.

 

[LeJeune981]

My 150 has about 5 or 6 chips like that from fixing the bottom when it broke....twice....
I haven't finished repairing it for the second time.. but the first time I repaired it. The little chips did not effect it at all...
First time.. I shattered the bottom tempered glass.. the second time (10 years later) the seal let go at the bottom.. (that was a mess)

But the many chips in the glass never cause a problem

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