I've just chipped the top of my Cube Garden 
The chip is about 3mm x 2mm and right on the top edge. Is it repairable?
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Chipped ADA Cube Garden...Help
- Thread starter Tim Harrison
- Start date
I've just chipped the top of my Cube Garden The chip is about 3mm x 2mm and right on the top edge. Is it repairable?
AverageWhiteBloke
Member
How did you manage that mate? Soul destroying isn't it. I did the very same thing with my ADA 60H by having a glass lid, was lifting it off one day in a rush and just managed to hit the edge which knocked off a chunk similar to yours. I find optiwhite glass very susceptible to these types of things especially when glass on glass. A glass thermometer I had sat on the rim even left a mark, ignored it for a while thinking it was a wipe off but when I went to wipe it one day realised it was a permanent chip probably caused by me leaning on the thermometer during maintenance.
I find my normal glass cheap tanks I've hit with stones and everything without marking so I'm all ears on whether there is a fix. Some people advised me to take it to a glazer and have the damaged edge chamfered off and polished back up but like yours it's probably 3 or 4 mm down the tank so I reckon it will just look odd having a faceted edge. Then you need to find a glazer who is going to carry out this work without causing any scratches in the process.
I ended up just using the SS clips the lid sits on and strategically placing them over the chip to take my eye off it.
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I find my normal glass cheap tanks I've hit with stones and everything without marking so I'm all ears on whether there is a fix. Some people advised me to take it to a glazer and have the damaged edge chamfered off and polished back up but like yours it's probably 3 or 4 mm down the tank so I reckon it will just look odd having a faceted edge. Then you need to find a glazer who is going to carry out this work without causing any scratches in the process.
I ended up just using the SS clips the lid sits on and strategically placing them over the chip to take my eye off it.
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It is a bit soul destroying...especially since my eye is automatically drawn to it
AverageWhiteBloke
Member
Feeling your pain mate. You look at the tank, check out the plants and think everything is looking fine then the last thing you look at is the chip and think except for that! What made it worse for me was I just can't get hold of a tank with the same dims unless I get it custom built so I just have the cabinet.
I wonder if there is some kind of repair kit out there?
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I wonder if there is some kind of repair kit out there?
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That's what I was wondering, maybe some sort of resin ?
AverageWhiteBloke
Member
When I was digging into it mate the best I could come up with was to use a piece is tape on the top edge to form a line then maybe a clear epoxy resin like you use for windscreen repairs to patch in and see if it would polish up. My worry would be that this actually looked worse and you won't know until you went for it at which point you are committed. Maybe try it just on a scrap piece of glass first you've deliberately chipped to see how it pans out, the kits are only about a fiver so nothing lost.
I think your tank had wood coming out the top do I guess a lid isn't an option? I've also looked at possible trims that could be used but couldn't find much really. In my case I was extremely lucky, if you can call it that. I've got three chips on the edge of my tank. One off the glass drop, one for the thermometer and one on the corner from trying to move it one day and hitting it on a curtain tie back that was made of glass. I left the lid on so like I say I covered one with lid clips, the one on the corner I covered with clear silicone table corner protectors which has it happens looks like they should be on there as my lily pipes sit on them at the back and the thermometer one I just leave the thermometer on to hide that. I was at one point going to as a glazer for a price to facet right round both internal and external edges about 3mm down but I though it might have a strange glistening effect around the rim. I think you can actually do this yourself with wet and dry paper in smoother and smoother grades on a block then polish it up but obviously that's a tank strip down job. I might do that one day but go into it knowing if it doesn't look right the show is over as a show tank in my living room.
Last option I guess if it annoys you so much would probably get a lid made.
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I think your tank had wood coming out the top do I guess a lid isn't an option? I've also looked at possible trims that could be used but couldn't find much really. In my case I was extremely lucky, if you can call it that. I've got three chips on the edge of my tank. One off the glass drop, one for the thermometer and one on the corner from trying to move it one day and hitting it on a curtain tie back that was made of glass. I left the lid on so like I say I covered one with lid clips, the one on the corner I covered with clear silicone table corner protectors which has it happens looks like they should be on there as my lily pipes sit on them at the back and the thermometer one I just leave the thermometer on to hide that. I was at one point going to as a glazer for a price to facet right round both internal and external edges about 3mm down but I though it might have a strange glistening effect around the rim. I think you can actually do this yourself with wet and dry paper in smoother and smoother grades on a block then polish it up but obviously that's a tank strip down job. I might do that one day but go into it knowing if it doesn't look right the show is over as a show tank in my living room.
Last option I guess if it annoys you so much would probably get a lid made.
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AverageWhiteBloke
Member
Just to add if you were going to put a lid on clips on it I would get a clear perspex one made. If you have a glass one sooner or later you will hit it again.
Sent from my STH100-2 using Tapatalk
Sent from my STH100-2 using Tapatalk
Thanks, I'll turn it around for the next scape. Meantime, I'll just have to learn to learn to live with it 
You can polish chips like this out, takes ages and can be messy. You can take the sharp edges off using wet & dry Emery paper, start at 100 grit, moving to 200, 400 & 800 and 1200. Finaly jewelers rouge or rock tumbler polish will put a shine on it.
Not quick to do, need to protect water if left in tank from the mess. You tape cling film to side of tank and float it on the water to collect the mess.
I have done it on wife's pyrex cooking dish after a chip.
Not quick to do, need to protect water if left in tank from the mess. You tape cling film to side of tank and float it on the water to collect the mess.
I have done it on wife's pyrex cooking dish after a chip.
Thanks Ian, that sounds like hard work, I might have a go next time the tank is empty.
AverageWhiteBloke
Member
Where would you stop and start though Ian? Would you try and blend it in to the glass so its all flat again or would you need to create another definite line edge on rim that's as low as the chip goes? My tank is currently stripped down at the moment so not sure whether to tackle this. Looking at @Tim Harrison chip it also looks quite deep into the actual pane whereas mine are more on the edges. To run Tims down I guess you're going to have to sand a lot of glass off before you get back to flat.
Barbara Turner
Member
You can buy Araldite Crystal Clear, it claims "
Araldite Crystal provides a strong adhesive that dries crystal-clear. The transparent glue strongly bonds nearly all materials including glass, jewellery, ceramics,
Never tried it though,
Araldite Crystal provides a strong adhesive that dries crystal-clear. The transparent glue strongly bonds nearly all materials including glass, jewellery, ceramics,
Never tried it though,
Keith GH
Member
Tim
Chipped glass can be repaired eg car windscreens BUT that is totally different to a tank of water plus as you said its draws your attention.
The worst that can happen its now a weakness "Crackooooo". It can be used as long as you do not fill it with water.
I know exactly what I would do it would be in a big bin that is collected weekly or another Terrascape.
Keith
Chipped glass can be repaired eg car windscreens BUT that is totally different to a tank of water plus as you said its draws your attention.
The worst that can happen its now a weakness "Crackooooo". It can be used as long as you do not fill it with water.
I know exactly what I would do it would be in a big bin that is collected weekly or another Terrascape.
Keith
Haha, thanks Keith, It'll be fine, it's just a very small chip. I've got over the initial ...
I'll just turn it around for the next scape
...I'll just turn it around for the next scape
PARAGUAY
Member
Now you tell us,was getting worried for you,memories of Monty Pythons Graham Chapman The Dirty Fork Sketch coming to mindHaha, thanks Keith, It'll be fine, it's just a very small chip. I've got over the initial
I'll just turn it around for the next scape
Crikey, it's not quite that bad...just wanted to know if there was a quick fix really; obviously not.
Lucky I didn't say anything about the...
Lucky I didn't say anything about the...
