Chipped top glass on rimless tank

fendanto · Mar 21, 2024

Just picked up this used Deep Blue frag tank to install and I guess I didn’t notice this chip on the corner before. I’m sure I know what everyone’s going to say but I figured I’d ask.

Follow up question: any recommendations for where to get a decent rimless 48x24x12?

threebuoys · Mar 21, 2024

The break extends downward what? 1 - 2 inches?
Do you see any hairline cracks surrounding the break?

How long has the tank been dry, or did it have water in it until you got it?

It would make me as nervous as H E well, you know, but where it is it could be fine. I would have to set it up in the garage for a while to be sure it was ok.

fendanto · Mar 21, 2024

threebuoys said:
The break extends downward what? 1 - 2 inches?
Do you see any hairline cracks surrounding the break?

How long has the tank been dry, or did it have water in it until you got it?

It would make me as nervous as H E doublel

no hairline cracks other than what you see in the picture that all extend out to the edge (as in if it weren't for the silicone that sliver there would come off). nothing that appears to be "unfinished".

has been dry now for quite a while. i just filled it with water to do a leak test before noticing it.

Kodski · Mar 23, 2024

I've had a few tanks with blemishes set up. I will say that your chip is larger than anything I've delt with in the past.. but its also a very shallow tank. If I were to decide to use this, I would do the following. Run the tank with the water level lower than the chip itself if possible. This will help reduce pressure on the upper portion of the seam. For peace of mind I'd 3-d print a corner bracket or use a piece of glass in that corner and silicone it on to help reinforce the seam. My thinking behind that is the fact that the chip is the same depth as the thickness of the adjacent glass panel. So as the two pieces of glass try to pull away from each other, that area of glass being thinner is more likely to break further. The plastic or glass would help brace it and take the force away from that area. I think I could live with that amount of risk personally.