Have you ever wanted, or needed to reseal your aquarium for any reason? It leaks, or perhaps you are sick of looking at the blue quick cured silicone.
Well, I resealed a 40 gallon last week, and took step by step photos. It wasn't that hard to do really. As for which silicone to use, any clear silicone that does not say "kitchen or bath". I used GE All Purpose Silicone I.
Some might say "not for use on aquariums". I believe this is just the manufacturer's way of disclaiming lawsuits *if* the silicone doesn't hold.
Step 1.
Use a sharp knife and remove the existing seam. Do this my inserting between the glass and pushing down. Use a razor blade and make sure all of the old silicone is removed. Vaccum off any dust. Clean, with vinegar and water, and let dry. It is very important that the two contact surfaces are extremely clean, dry, and clear of dust.
Step 2.
Apply a liberal amount of silicone on the glass.
Step 3.
Push the pieces of glass together gently, and once it is in the correct place, apply weight on top to hold it in place.
Run a bead of silicone along the inside to make the seam watertight.
Step 4.
After that is done, apply a large amount of weight. I estimate there is probably 150-200 pounds of rocks on that glass.
Step 5.
Wait a few days for the seam to dry. (I waited a week). Gently move the tank outside and fill it up. 2 days later there has not been a leak.
There you have it. 5 steps to resealing a tank.
I have not yet attempted to remove and replace a bottm panel, or have not attempted to build a tank from scratch.
Well, I resealed a 40 gallon last week, and took step by step photos. It wasn't that hard to do really. As for which silicone to use, any clear silicone that does not say "kitchen or bath". I used GE All Purpose Silicone I.
Some might say "not for use on aquariums". I believe this is just the manufacturer's way of disclaiming lawsuits *if* the silicone doesn't hold.
Step 1.
Use a sharp knife and remove the existing seam. Do this my inserting between the glass and pushing down. Use a razor blade and make sure all of the old silicone is removed. Vaccum off any dust. Clean, with vinegar and water, and let dry. It is very important that the two contact surfaces are extremely clean, dry, and clear of dust.
Step 2.
Apply a liberal amount of silicone on the glass.
Step 3.
Push the pieces of glass together gently, and once it is in the correct place, apply weight on top to hold it in place.
Run a bead of silicone along the inside to make the seam watertight.
Step 4.
After that is done, apply a large amount of weight. I estimate there is probably 150-200 pounds of rocks on that glass.
Step 5.
Wait a few days for the seam to dry. (I waited a week). Gently move the tank outside and fill it up. 2 days later there has not been a leak.
There you have it. 5 steps to resealing a tank.
I have not yet attempted to remove and replace a bottm panel, or have not attempted to build a tank from scratch.