tank has chip. Is it okay to use?

[NVTE]

I got used tank and found this chip in the backside of front panel. It is chip inside the silicon. Is it okay to use or good way to fix it ??






also
Can coralline Algae eating away glass tank ?
I found bunch of flake chip glass under a white dried Coralline. I thought it is just a haze but non removable.


I would try vinegar bath to see how it goes the rest of Coralline.

 

[Diesel]

Well, positive thing is you're in good shape on the ugly backside from the coralline algae, just leave it to be as the tank is a waste anyway with a chip on the glass by the front panel between the silicone.
IMO the tank is a no go in this situation, you got a ticking time bomb on your hand.
Question here is not if it could happen but more like when it will happen that the tank will spring a leak.
What you can do is remove the front part glass, and scrape all silicone away 100%.
Replace it with a new a new piece of glass and the right silicone.
Most ppl don't want to touch this task as it's more for a pro to do so as you need to know what to do.

 

[Fish Werx]

I agree. No go on the tank. I wouldn't trust it anyway...

 

[Diesel]

Btw, that's the first time I have seen coralline algae eating away glass......... EVER!!

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

Are you sure that's a chip and not just a bubble inside the silicone? My tank had tons of those look like that I just stripped and resealed.

 

[Diesel]

Are you sure that's a chip and not just a bubble inside the silicone? My tank had tons of those look like that I just stripped and resealed.

Bubbles are even worse.

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

Of course they are

 

[Diesel]

Of course they are

I'm not kidding.
I have seen more tanks fail due to air bubbles in the silicone than chips.
If a good aquarium manufacturer spots one or more air bubbles the tank will be redone.

 

[Fin]

Sorry, but I am in the same line with everyone else above. When you get right down to it, the integrity of the tank is very important. If it fails (particularly when you are not home, as a lot of tank disasters do) you may not only lose valuable marine life, but can also do fairly substantial damage to your home. Could even burn your house down, if a leak caused an electrical fire. I'd get a new tank.

 

[recess62]

You don't want this to happen to you

 

[NVTE]

thanks guy for your input.
We just get closed inspection and see the chip is actually on the side panel of the tank, not front panel.


Just curious if the windshield chip resin are able to fix the gap of the chip. Will it fix the problem ?
Because I saw the video how they fix windshield rock chip and look invisible.

 

[TonapahNorth]

The water column puts a significant amount of pressure on the inside of the tank.

Pressure on the various points in the tank can be calculated but it is primarily based (in this case) on the height of the sea water (which has a static density) above the weak point and gravity. The weak point also ultimately changes the calculations for the columnar pressure below the crack.

You can't compare windshield repair because that is purely cosmetic. While wind shear may exert pressure, it isn't even remotely close to the columnar pressures inside the tank of water.

 

[Steve Tobias]

I had almost an identical chip on a 55USG DIY Sump I built. I convinced myself it was not an issue. 6 months later... POP!!!! Once the integrity is compromised... I will NEVER let that happen again.

 

[Lowell Lemon]

You don't want this to happen to you

There you have it. The reason I only use acrylic for large tanks in my home...and I have built thousands with only two failures like this...one was experimental bonding of dissimilar materials.