Need Help Fast,chipped Tank!

saltwaterdave · 02-09-2003, 06:33 PM

I was moving my 110 glass tank and the back left corner got chipped.A small piece of the glass chipped off.I filled the tank with water and let it sit there a while with no leaks.Do you think it will hold or should I trash it and get out of the hobby,I can't afford to replace it.
David

***Reefland*** · 02-09-2003, 07:07 PM

How big of the chip and exactly where is it at? I am guessing it is on the outside of the tank but where at, near the top, bottom, center? Is the chip as big as a pencil, bigger, smaller? How deep of a chip?

saltwaterdave · 02-09-2003, 07:28 PM

The chip is on the bottom about 2" up from the trim,the actual chip is about the size of a pencil eraser.I just brought the tank back inside and off to the left of the chip on the back glass there is,I am not sure what to call it but it is about the size of a quarter,just a round spot in the glass and I think I see a small crack about 1/16" long.Visual inspection of the inside of the glass shows no damage at all,it is all on the ouside of the glass.I am so sick about this,I just picked this tank up yesterday..............

***Reefland*** · 02-09-2003, 07:32 PM

If you currently have the tank setup with water in it (testing the chip) I would leave it for a couple of weeks. Another thought would be to take the tank to a glass shop and get a professionals opinion. If the inside of the tank shows no damage, it's worth a shot to leave it up for a few weeks to see what happens.

Sorry Friend,

saltwaterdave · 02-09-2003, 07:36 PM

Would I need to the fill the tank all the way up to test the chip,or could I just fill it right above the chip?I filled it up outside but I could'nt leave it outside because it is suppose to freeze tonight.Do you think it would have to up all the way full to put the max pressure on it?

***Reefland*** · 02-09-2003, 07:39 PM

I would think filling it all the way up would be best in order to put full pressure on the glass. Obviously you would need to put it someplace that if (hopefully it won't) it did give the spilling water wouldn't make a mess.

Understand I am just giving you opinions and courses of action I would consider, I am in no way a glass professional.

saltwaterdave · 02-09-2003, 07:42 PM

Thank you Scott I really appreciate it. I think I will stop by a glass shop after work tomorrow and talk to someone.The glass is 1/2 " thick and I just don't know what to do about it.
David

***Reefland*** · 02-09-2003, 07:45 PM

I think that would be a good first step. Maybe even try to take it to a glass shop and let them look at it to get their opinion.

Best of luck and let me know how it turns out. Michelle and I will keep our fingers crossed for you.

LittleDevil · 02-09-2003, 10:58 PM

I had a 125 with a HUGE chip in about the same location as yours. It was the size of halfdollar, wasnt very deep though. I had no problem with it. It was set up for alomst a year.

My 2 cents......

MAtt

saltwaterdave · 02-10-2003, 03:56 PM

Thanks for the reply littledevil,That has crossed my mind also........

saltwaterdave · 02-14-2003, 08:54 PM

I talked to a couple of glass shops and they have said the tank will be fine nothing to worry about...............well I can't help but worry about it breaking,so I went and got some stuff you fix windshields with and fixed the chip,then I was planning on making a patch out of acrylic,basically just using silicone to adhere it to the glass both on the inside and outside where the chip was,how does that sound to you?
David

wastedincome420 · 02-14-2003, 09:35 PM

Totall bummer about the chip dude
JMO: But silicon will not bond glass and acrylic together. Glass to glass will be ok but it doesn't bond acrylic

If the glass place saud youd be ok then I'd roll with it. Did you shown them the tank or just describe it to them?? The windshield repair lit sounds like a good idea..

saltwaterdave · 02-14-2003, 11:27 PM

To be honest I just talked to the glass places,i described the chip and what was going on with the glass and I had 2 different shops tell me it was good to go.Now as far as acrylic bonding to glass,I was thinking with the silicone and acrylic it would at least help in taking some of the pressure off the glass,this tank was a BIG TIME upgrade for me and I could'nt even begin to tell you what I did the 2 weeks before I got this tank,trust me the wife was as upset as I was.

wastedincome420 · 02-15-2003, 12:04 AM

Again just my 2 cents

I think that with only the winshield repair kit you should be ok

I think thats a x-tra step up from the glass guys opinion. I think you end up with a better look.
If the silicone & the acrylic cant bond then it wont help in taking any stress off the glass IMO. I fyou feel as though you must reinforce the chipped area then I suggest getting a piece of glass and silicone

saltwaterdave · 02-15-2003, 07:43 AM

I think I will skip the acrylic and just give it a test fill outside and let it sit a few days and see what happens.Thank you for the help,I do appreciate it.

Glassman · 02-15-2003, 08:19 PM

Dave,
There are two types of common faults with glass. One is called a shell which yours sounds like. This is where a piece of the glass is broken away from the glass edge and as the name suggests it leaves an impression very much like a scallop shell. It is uncommon for a vent to occur with the shell but it can happen. Be aware that a vent or crack is the bad one to get as eventually it will run. If you have the tiniest crack comming away from the chipped area the panel will fail. The end point of a vent is actually invisible to the eye and is normally 10-12mm further than the end point of the crack that you can see. This is why we tap in front of vents to make them run where we want rather than at the visible end of the vent. The easiest way to check if a vent is present is to empty the tank and give the area around the chip some good solid thumps with the flat of your fist to make any vents that are present appear. This will only show you what is really there and will not make a vent. Hope this info helps.

Andy

saltwaterdave · 02-15-2003, 11:06 PM

I got the scallop shell looking part that you are talking about.I should bang around that area with my palm and see what happens? The tank is still empty and now I am getting worried again..

One glass place said it would cost a 100 bucks to replace the panel that is chipped,but he will not do it,not that have the 100 to shell out at this point.................

saltwaterdave · 02-16-2003, 11:32 AM

I have beat on the chipped area with my hand and nothing happened,no cracks or anything were visible (other than the crack I got in my hand

).I have filled the tank full of water and placed a couple of powerheads in it (not sure why).How long should I "test" it before it would seem safe to use? Should I heat the water?What about the lights,will they have any affect on the glass?
Thank You ,
David
p.s.
If I should try anything else I am open for suggestions!

Glassman · 02-16-2003, 07:05 PM

Dave,
I don't think you can really do anything more to set your mind at ease. The fact that you didn't find any vents after thumping the glass is a positive sign. All you can do is check the area daily for a few weeks but I think things are looking good for the tank remaining intact. The heat from the lights shouldn't affect anything in regards to the shell.

Andy

saltwaterdave · 02-16-2003, 07:12 PM

What about putting a patch on the corner's inside and out? I really appreciate the help.
David

02-09-2003, 06:33 PM	#1
saltwaterdave Citizen Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Virginia Posts: 145	Need Help Fast,chipped Tank! I was moving my 110 glass tank and the back left corner got chipped.A small piece of the glass chipped off.I filled the tank with water and let it sit there a while with no leaks.Do you think it will hold or should I trash it and get out of the hobby,I can't afford to replace it. David

02-09-2003, 07:07 PM	#2
*Reefland* Owner Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Bardstown, KY Posts: 13,007	How big of the chip and exactly where is it at? I am guessing it is on the outside of the tank but where at, near the top, bottom, center? Is the chip as big as a pencil, bigger, smaller? How deep of a chip? __________________ Scott Z. 75 Gallon Reef Log Powered by Reefland's Personal Online Aquarium Log

02-09-2003, 07:32 PM	#4
*Reefland* Owner Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Bardstown, KY Posts: 13,007	If you currently have the tank setup with water in it (testing the chip) I would leave it for a couple of weeks. Another thought would be to take the tank to a glass shop and get a professionals opinion. If the inside of the tank shows no damage, it's worth a shot to leave it up for a few weeks to see what happens. Sorry Friend, __________________ Scott Z. 75 Gallon Reef Log Powered by Reefland's Personal Online Aquarium Log

02-09-2003, 07:39 PM	#6
*Reefland* Owner Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Bardstown, KY Posts: 13,007	I would think filling it all the way up would be best in order to put full pressure on the glass. Obviously you would need to put it someplace that if (hopefully it won't) it did give the spilling water wouldn't make a mess. Understand I am just giving you opinions and courses of action I would consider, I am in no way a glass professional. __________________ Scott Z. 75 Gallon Reef Log Powered by Reefland's Personal Online Aquarium Log

02-09-2003, 07:45 PM	#8
*Reefland* Owner Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Bardstown, KY Posts: 13,007	I think that would be a good first step. Maybe even try to take it to a glass shop and let them look at it to get their opinion. Best of luck and let me know how it turns out. Michelle and I will keep our fingers crossed for you. __________________ Scott Z. 75 Gallon Reef Log Powered by Reefland's Personal Online Aquarium Log

02-09-2003, 07:28 PM	#3
saltwaterdave Citizen Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Virginia Posts: 145	The chip is on the bottom about 2" up from the trim,the actual chip is about the size of a pencil eraser.I just brought the tank back inside and off to the left of the chip on the back glass there is,I am not sure what to call it but it is about the size of a quarter,just a round spot in the glass and I think I see a small crack about 1/16" long.Visual inspection of the inside of the glass shows no damage at all,it is all on the ouside of the glass.I am so sick about this,I just picked this tank up yesterday..............

02-09-2003, 07:36 PM	#5
saltwaterdave Citizen Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Virginia Posts: 145	Would I need to the fill the tank all the way up to test the chip,or could I just fill it right above the chip?I filled it up outside but I could'nt leave it outside because it is suppose to freeze tonight.Do you think it would have to up all the way full to put the max pressure on it?

02-09-2003, 07:42 PM	#7
saltwaterdave Citizen Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Virginia Posts: 145	Thank you Scott I really appreciate it. I think I will stop by a glass shop after work tomorrow and talk to someone.The glass is 1/2 " thick and I just don't know what to do about it. David

02-09-2003, 10:58 PM	#9
LittleDevil Tenant Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Flint,Mi Posts: 90	big chip I had a 125 with a HUGE chip in about the same location as yours. It was the size of halfdollar, wasnt very deep though. I had no problem with it. It was set up for alomst a year. My 2 cents...... MAtt

02-10-2003, 03:56 PM	#10
saltwaterdave Citizen Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Virginia Posts: 145	Thanks for the reply littledevil,That has crossed my mind also........

02-14-2003, 08:54 PM	#11
saltwaterdave Citizen Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Virginia Posts: 145	I talked to a couple of glass shops and they have said the tank will be fine nothing to worry about...............well I can't help but worry about it breaking,so I went and got some stuff you fix windshields with and fixed the chip,then I was planning on making a patch out of acrylic,basically just using silicone to adhere it to the glass both on the inside and outside where the chip was,how does that sound to you? David

02-14-2003, 09:35 PM	#12
wastedincome420 Council Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: NH Posts: 270	Totall bummer about the chip dude JMO: But silicon will not bond glass and acrylic together. Glass to glass will be ok but it doesn't bond acrylic If the glass place saud youd be ok then I'd roll with it. Did you shown them the tank or just describe it to them?? The windshield repair lit sounds like a good idea..

02-14-2003, 11:27 PM	#13
saltwaterdave Citizen Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Virginia Posts: 145	To be honest I just talked to the glass places,i described the chip and what was going on with the glass and I had 2 different shops tell me it was good to go.Now as far as acrylic bonding to glass,I was thinking with the silicone and acrylic it would at least help in taking some of the pressure off the glass,this tank was a BIG TIME upgrade for me and I could'nt even begin to tell you what I did the 2 weeks before I got this tank,trust me the wife was as upset as I was.

02-15-2003, 12:04 AM	#14
wastedincome420 Council Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: NH Posts: 270	Again just my 2 cents I think that with only the winshield repair kit you should be ok I think thats a x-tra step up from the glass guys opinion. I think you end up with a better look. If the silicone & the acrylic cant bond then it wont help in taking any stress off the glass IMO. I fyou feel as though you must reinforce the chipped area then I suggest getting a piece of glass and silicone

02-15-2003, 07:43 AM	#15
saltwaterdave Citizen Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Virginia Posts: 145	I think I will skip the acrylic and just give it a test fill outside and let it sit a few days and see what happens.Thank you for the help,I do appreciate it.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

02-15-2003, 08:19 PM	#16
Glassman Just Moved In Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Australia Posts: 9	Dave, There are two types of common faults with glass. One is called a shell which yours sounds like. This is where a piece of the glass is broken away from the glass edge and as the name suggests it leaves an impression very much like a scallop shell. It is uncommon for a vent to occur with the shell but it can happen. Be aware that a vent or crack is the bad one to get as eventually it will run. If you have the tiniest crack comming away from the chipped area the panel will fail. The end point of a vent is actually invisible to the eye and is normally 10-12mm further than the end point of the crack that you can see. This is why we tap in front of vents to make them run where we want rather than at the visible end of the vent. The easiest way to check if a vent is present is to empty the tank and give the area around the chip some good solid thumps with the flat of your fist to make any vents that are present appear. This will only show you what is really there and will not make a vent. Hope this info helps. Andy

02-15-2003, 11:06 PM	#17
saltwaterdave Citizen Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Virginia Posts: 145	I got the scallop shell looking part that you are talking about.I should bang around that area with my palm and see what happens? The tank is still empty and now I am getting worried again.. One glass place said it would cost a 100 bucks to replace the panel that is chipped,but he will not do it,not that have the 100 to shell out at this point................. Last edited by saltwaterdave; 02-16-2003 at 11:27 AM.

02-16-2003, 11:32 AM	#18
saltwaterdave Citizen Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Virginia Posts: 145	I have beat on the chipped area with my hand and nothing happened,no cracks or anything were visible (other than the crack I got in my hand ).I have filled the tank full of water and placed a couple of powerheads in it (not sure why).How long should I "test" it before it would seem safe to use? Should I heat the water?What about the lights,will they have any affect on the glass? Thank You , David p.s. If I should try anything else I am open for suggestions!

02-16-2003, 07:05 PM	#19
Glassman Just Moved In Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Australia Posts: 9	Dave, I don't think you can really do anything more to set your mind at ease. The fact that you didn't find any vents after thumping the glass is a positive sign. All you can do is check the area daily for a few weeks but I think things are looking good for the tank remaining intact. The heat from the lights shouldn't affect anything in regards to the shell. Andy

02-16-2003, 07:12 PM	#20
saltwaterdave Citizen Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Virginia Posts: 145	What about putting a patch on the corner's inside and out? I really appreciate the help. David

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