Re sealing a tank

[Jamie S]

Hello all, recently I bought a used 125 gallon tank with dual corner overflows and while filling it with water I noticed that there there was a leak halfway up one of the overflows. Now I realize that it’s really no big deal having the water leak into the overflow but after taking a look at the silicone on the rest of the tank I see it has a lot of jagged edges from years of glass scraping from the previous owner(s). I’m not sure how old the tank is but before I go putting that much water into my living room I’d like to make sure as best as I can that it doesn’t leak. Can anyone share any experiences they’ve had in scraping and resealing a tank? I’ve done plenty of handyman projects and have definitely used silicone in the past but using it around a tub is much different than in an aquarium. Any advise from experience is much appreciated.

 

[diana a]

This covers what, how and why:

 

[MadReefer]

Where is Sponge? Thought he was a pro at this.

 

[Romanhawk]

I’m very interested in this as well. Coincidentally, I have a 125 that has the exact same situation going.

 

[Jamie S]

This covers what, how and why:

Thanks for the video Diana! I did watch a couple of videos and will watch this one also, I was just wondering if people had experience in this. I mostly would like to know if anybody had failed to completely seal it and why did it fail to seal.

 

[MadReefer]

I have never done it but have read the glass must be free of old silicon, cleaned and dry before putting new silicone on. Need to ensure the silicone is pressed firmly against the glass and in the seam. They sell a tool to make this easier to perform. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Wilson]

Spend the extra time to tape the edges to define where you want the silicone to end. May take a few to get it in, but the clean edge you get afterwards is worth it.

 

[Jamie S]

Spend the extra time to tape the edges to define where you want the silicone to end. May take a few to get it in, but the clean edge you get afterwards is worth it.

I have never done it but have read the glass must be free of old silicon, cleaned and dry before putting new silicone on. Need to ensure the silicone is pressed firmly against the glass and in the seam. They sell a tool to make this easier to perform. Good luck and keep us posted.

Yeah I’ve seen the tool. I’ve always used my finger (tip-dip your finger in dish soap before spreading it and the silicone won’t stick to your finger) or used a sponge to smooth it out.

 

[Jamie S]

Spend the extra time to tape the edges to define where you want the silicone to end. May take a few to get it in, but the clean edge you get afterwards is worth it.

Yes definitely going to spend the time and tape for clean edges.

 

[Wilson]

Yes definitely going to spend the time and tape for clean edges.

I made a DIY nano tank, didn't tape, and used black silicone for that "clean sleek look".. well it wasn't

 

[Jamie S]

I made a DIY nano tank, didn't tape, and used black silicone for that "clean sleek look".. well it wasn't

Lol sorry to hear it didn’t work out. Did you get the nano tank up and running?

 

[Jamie S]

You can see how much crud is underneath the silicone. It’s definitely best I reseal it. Will be working on cleaning it up this week.

 

[Wilson]

I made a DIY nano tank, didn't tape, and used black silicone for that "clean sleek look".. well it wasn't

Yep, ran it for a few months as a freshwater shrimp tank. It's maybe a 6x6 inch cube tank

 

[Sponge]

I have done this several times. It really isn't that hard. I see people have given you solid advice including a video. So I would imagine your fine. However if you would like to talk about any questions you may have. Feel free to PM me and I’ll send you my cell number.

 

[Sponge]

And I have never had a seam fail. I am presently running a 400 gallon system utilizing six tanks plumbed together all resealed. I have never had a leak. And a couple of the tanks are at least 30 years old