Chip on corner of tank.

digitalxri0t

digitalxri0t

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I have a 1 inch chip on the very corner edge of my 20 long tank. I just noticed it today but its obviously been there the whole time since I got it from my friend about a week ago. It's more towards the bottom and goes up and down along the edge. I can't tell how deep it is. My question is is how likely is a 20 gallon long to collapse on itself over this? I can get pictures if needed though I'm unsure if they would be any use. Any help is appreciated.
 
If you're concerned that it might collapse, you should fill in the chip with silicone (or whatever glue stuff it is they use to hold tanks together, I can never remember the name).
 
share a photo, I've patched a few tanks before. are you sure it is a chip in the glass or could it be a tear in the silicone, because sometimes those will look like chips in the glass. I would need to see it before I could tell you the seriousness of it though.
 
Argh I typed out a whole reply and hit the wrong button and lost my post. If only the power would come back on!!! Anyway it's a chip for sure, it doesn't feel super deep and I read that if it looks like a clam shell I should probably be okay but I want a general opinion. It's getting drained and moved tomorrow anyway but I need to know If I should repair it sometime soon before getting 20 gallons of water on my floor. Anyway ill include a picture below.

ezy2yped.jpg



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I'd be careful with that chip because the weight of the tank filled with water (a few hundred pounds), could make a crack and leak form. I second the advise for filling w/ silicone.
 
I am, it's on a sturdy wood stand that is out of the way so I don't have to worry about bumping it. I'm over cautious so I will probably check it every day to make sure there's no leaks until I can get it sealed up with some aquarium sealant. By the way would I want it empty while I fill the chip or full of water so the sealant doesn't warp?


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I wouldn't fill it with water and then apply the sealant. It wouldn't dry properly. As long as it's a sturdy repair, warping shouldn't be a concern, unless you like things to look nice.
 
Kay so empty it out and repair. That I can do. And no I'd rather it be sturdy than pretty. Plus it can be in the back so it doesn't matter. Thank you!


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I did not. Moving my friend in took a toll on my free time but I had to move tanks around yesterday and got a good look at it. It's not very deep at all into the glass itself. I'm still keeping an eye on it but I'm not so worried about it.
 
are you from Spokane? also if you are going to put silicone in the chip make sure to cut away some of the old silicone around it( silicone wont stick to dry silicone)
 
Not from here but I live here. There's no actual silicon on the chip itself, it looks like some just splintered off because it got bumped into something.
 
I've had a few aquariums over the years with similar chips in the glass. As long as the chip doesn't go down into the silicone, I've had them be fine indefinitely (many, many years). One note, though, the tank won't be able to tolerate another bump, so hopefully you don't have it in a high-traffic area.
 
Just a quick question; what kind of silicone are you using? I asked around at home depot today about one that would be aquarium safe and they were a bit confused and didn't have a real answer for me. Anyhow, good luck fixing it up!
 
SkollSunChaser said:
Just a quick question; what kind of silicone are you using? I asked around at home depot today about one that would be aquarium safe and they were a bit confused and didn't have a real answer for me. Anyhow, good luck fixing it up!
Click to expand...

A couple pet shops here in my town actually sell silicone made specifically for aquariums. You could look around in pet shops near you for some.
 
Depends on how much youre looking for. If youre doing patches then you can buy a little thing of sealant from a pet store but if youre looking to reseal a tank its madness to buy a bunch of those from petstores. I'm trying to find the kind youre supposed to use for the tanks with a caulking gun.
 
I thought that stuff would be ok, but the container said "not safe for aquarium use". I'm guessing that they probably mean without letting it sit to avoid getting sued.

Also, I watched a few of his DIY filter videos and considered going that route eventually. I was planning on making a hide with a tupperware container, silicone and rocks.
 
To my knowledge it's fine, I've seen a lot of videos of people using it and having used it in the past. It's really not cost effective to try any other way when it's been decently proven.


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