Tank Silicone Gone Bad

[Fish_Fin-atic]

I used to have one of my tanks as a planted show tank complete with driftwood. I eventually dismantled it to use as a BB for Discus. When I dismantled it, I found that some of the silicone (black silicone) had turned a bright orange colour around the areas where the wood had been. No amount of scrubbing was able to remove this staining, and I didn't think much of it, and went ahead and used the tank anyways. But recently, I've noticed that the orange areas of silicone, apear to be lifting away from the glass, and I'm worried about a possible leak.

Has anybody ever experienced this? What is the stain, and can I get rid of it, or should I take the tank down, and re-seal it?

Good News and Bad News,
The Good News is that when you are all done resealing the tank it will be good as new.
The Bad News yeppers you got to strip it.
By the way it is a good policy to reseal your tanks after 5-7 years.

Miles

[Fish_Fin-atic]

Darn it! Oh well, that's what I was afraid of. Every time I attemp this, the tank eventually ends up leaking : Well, thanks for the "good" news.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

[brewmaster15]

Hi,
the brown areas is probably stained by tanic acid, it leaches out of driftwood. I hadn't thought is was strong enough to destroy silicon seals though?
Its possible that the weight of the driftwood on the seal has caused the silicon to peal off there? if so the real seal...that between the two peices of glass may not be damaged. which is good. because if you are going to reseal that tank. you really should strip the silicone from between the glass as well if there is any question of the integrity being weakened.

hth,
al

[Jason]

hi finatic

Is it made by Hagen?
I called them awile back and the tech guys are real good they were able to tell me wich of my tanks were tempered and wich were not, and I've got some real old tanks!

I lost the number but an lfs should have it.