Tank Repair

[Greg Richardson]

Have a 55 I got that I didn't like the way the seal was.
Color looked fine but edges coming up and in certain spots not much there.

So I did some searching around about repair and want to confirm some things.

I understand silicone needs to be new not gone over as the ability to adhere to old is not there.

U are to take it all off and then re-apply.

So here is my situation.

Are u supose to take it off the panes also meaning take tank apart?

I can just barely see the silicone between the peices after removing seal.

My thoughts are the bead of silicone even if it doesn't stick to that 1/16th" I can see the bead would be wide enough to do the job it's intended for.

Is my thought process wrong?

Can I just redo all the seam seals without taking it apart?

My confidence level to put it back so everything is straight quite frankly is not there.

The tank looks fairly new if u are thinking hey u already have that off might as well do the rest.

If I absolutely need to do the rest I may just sell it as reptile tank.

Thoughts?

[Mr. Limpet]

Gregg,
You do not need to take it all apart. Just make sure you have gotten all of the silicone off. Run a brand new blade over the entire area even after you think you have gotten it all. When you are applying the silicone, I am assuming that you are using a caulking gun, make sure you keep the nozzle at an angle and push the bead out in front as you go. This gets harder to do as you get to the corners. I have fixed and sealed over 20 tanks, and this has always worked for me.
Now, the subject of which silicone to use will come up. There are many differnet kinds, some specific for Aquariums, but as long as they are 100% silicone, and they cure with acetic acid, and they do not have any anti mildew agents added, they are fine. GE Silicone I is a good one that is usually available at Home Depot or OSH or any big home improvement/hardware store.
Good Luck,
Paul.

[Lance_Krueger]

Greg,
I agree with Paul, just razor blade (use a scraping tool to insert the razor blades too, it'll save your hands bigtime) off the old silicone thats not between the panes of glass. I guess that would be the external silicone on the internal part of the tank, if that makes sense. I would just add that after you've razor bladed off the old external silicone bead, I'd use some acetone on an old cotton towel or wash cloth. This will help get the last remains of the old silicone off the glass.
I've repaired tanks up to 200 gallons in the way Paul and I are telling you, and they're still holding strong after years of use full of prized discus.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Lance Krueger

[Greg Richardson]

Paul and Lance. THANKS!
Whew!
I googled this subject and it wasn't very clear how much I needed to do.

In fact, if I was interpeting it right, they were talking about complete tear down.

Heck I might as well just start building my own tanks if I'm going to do that.

I have used caulking in my work many times so feel very comfortable just doing the seal.

Lance. Your descrition was good. It is hard to explain the area but u nailed it!

Thanks again Paul and Lance.

I'll get back to work on that today.

[ronrca]

:thumbsup:

Yep! I agree that a tear down is not necessary. When I build tanks, I use a double seal method which entails running a thin bead of silicone on the edge of the glass and another thick bead of silicone on the inside of the tank once the two pieces are together. The first seal really isnt necessary but only used as a back up if the second seal inside the tank were to fail for whatever reason.

[kaceyo]

Hey Greg, quit being lazey and tear that sucker apart piece by piece. Then start cleaning the end edges with a tooth brush and acitone. You'll have it up and runnin by this summer, if your lucky.
Good luck with that,

Kacey

[ronrca]

lol! Jacey has a point! Tear down isnt as hard or long as it seems. I can redo a 90G in maybe 3-4 hours working time which doesnt include cure time.

[Moon]

After cleaning out the old silicone with a blade I use silicone remover to clean the joint. This is a paste that is applied and cleaned after a few minutes. Finally apply some rubbing alcohol will really clean the joint ready for new silicone. Home Depot sells both products.

[Greg Richardson]

Ron.
I can redo a 90G in maybe 3-4 hours working time which doesnt include cure time.

I think I need u to come over and prove to me u can do it that fast.
On my tank. LOL!

Seriously Ron, someday I think it would be cool to build my own.
I just need the room for projects like that.
Hopefully in the future that will happen.


Kaceyo.
You'll have it up and runnin by this summer, if your lucky.

I know where you live! LOL! Geeze!

That tank is for those YC's.
They pecking at the wall again.
I no longer put breeding cone in.
I think they look at it and laugh at me.

You get your stand I hope?

Moon.
I use silicone remover to clean the joint. This is a paste that is applied and cleaned after a few minutes.

Didn't even know they had that stuff. Thanks. Good to know in the future.

[pcsb23]

Greg, in an emergency vinegar works as well to clean off silicone once its been scraped!
Paul.

[ronrca]

Ron.
I think I need u to come over and prove to me u can do it that fast.
On my tank. LOL!


By using a good scraper ie. razor blade, peeling silicon is easy. The time consuming part is waiting of the silicon to cure before putting another tank piece together as you cant silicon it together all at once unfortunately. However, waiting for silicon to cure isnt included as 'work time' unless you sit and watch it cure. :D

[kaceyo]

Greg,
Hey, I was just kidding. Then Ronrca came right behind me and backed me up. Why can't I get people to do that when I'm serious?
Yeah, those yellows don't need nut'n but a tank of water to do their thing in. How are the fry doin?
The people with the stand e-'d me Monday morning and said there van broke down! Figures, huh? I knew it was going to easily, lol.

Kacey

[Greg Richardson]

Ron.
However, waiting for silicon to cure isnt included as 'work time' unless you sit and watch it cure.

Not in the union. LOL!

Paul. Thanks!

Kaceyo. It figures on the stand. If it turns into a time situation to get that tank up and they don't look like they getting it fixed anytime soon call me.

Something to think about. Could always go get a gorilla rack?

Maybe that will insire u after doing that to get that fish room going?

I lost one fry. Have no idea why. Left the house to the store all them doing well. Come back and he's dead. Other than that going fine.

Being sick means all my tanks getting extra wc's.
Did a cleanout of my hoses today also.

If I even turn my head from the monitor to the tank of juves from u they rise to the top. They love playing the guilt trip on me all day long.
They had their way they'd eat all day.

Got to love that though.

It's funny though.

[kaceyo]

Greg,
What have the fry been treated with, anything? If the occasional deaths continue you may want to try using some formalin and Meth Blue to clean them up.
I told the tank people to let me know if they get it running and got no answere. I think it's just a matter of going to get it. Give me a call?
I'm not ready for the rack yet, I still gotta pull the rug out of that room etc, etc, etc....

Kacey

[Greg Richardson]

Only one so far fry so not to worried. I did the formalin the other day.


If the occasional deaths continue you may want to try using some formalin and Meth Blue to clean them up.

Does this mean u use a combo?
Or was just listing options?

[kaceyo]

I used both together, along with salt, when fighting off the superflukes my new Erupts and BK's had. Usualy I use just the formalin though on fry with flukes.

[tcfish]

Was on the G.E silicone web site and found this----GE does not recommend the use of our CONSUMER products on aquariums. The Silicone II product line releases ammonia as the by-product of cure. The ammonia can change the pH of the water in the aquarium having a negative impact on the marine life,they also say none of there silicone is for below water Hmmmm ?

[ronrca]

I have heard the same however I believe the ammonia release is part of the curing process. Once cured, it does not release anymore. I have not confirmed that yet however. The silicon I use is Dow Corning RTV Sealant 732.

[tcfish]

Yea I have used the old G.E sealant for years it said aquarium safe right on the tube (good stuff) then they took it off the market and came out with the I and II series I think G.E is trying to distance its self from all possibility of liability for useing its products for aquarium repair or building

[Greg Richardson]

TC.
I think G.E is trying to distance its self from all possibility of liability for useing its products for aquarium repair or building

I agree. I see that stance taken more and more with all products.

Thanks all for your comments on this thread.

Much apreciated.

[Mr. Limpet]

The GE Silicone I uses acetic acid for the cure, This is the good stuff to use.
GE Silicone II uses ammonia for the cure, and it does work, for about 4 or 5 years and then the water starts to seep in. If you empty a tank that has been sealed with GE II, you can see little pockets under the silicone that are filled with water. Just push on one and out it squirts.
I have 2 tubes at home from different manufacturer that are Aquarium sealant, but the names escape me on this monday morning. I will post them tonight if I get the chance.
I have been meaning to post a list of manufacturers and P/N's and get it sticky'd to the top here, but have not. I will try to start that tonight and others can add. This question is one of the perenial ones that comes up over and over again.

Take care,
Paul.

[Greg Richardson]

I have been meaning to post a list of manufacturers and P/N's and get it sticky'd to the top here, but have not. I will try to start that tonight and others can add. This question is one of the perenial ones that comes up over and over again.

Great idea Paul!

[architect1]

I used this loctite to seal the tap i had in the bottom of my tank with the quork works well its LOCTITE Extreme. its cilcon but not a big bottle it comes with a cap like a toothpast tube. try it I don't know about big jobs but it workd find.