Old tanks???

[Magnum Man]

I think I’ve read about people resiliconing used tanks…

Anyone have one that’s actually old???

I have one that’s a standard 55 gallon, that has a history before I owned it… it used to be in a stripper bar called the Tiki, in a near by town and had Piranhas in it back in the late 60,s… the bar caught fire and was destroyed, but the tank was salvaged by my father in law, so it came with the farm, when we moved here… it’s 1/2 inch thick plate glass with 1/4 inch thick ( now broken, and pieces missing, plastic around the top and bottom… has never been resilliconed, and still holds water… the glass has quite a few scratches, but it currently holds my rainbows…

I would think by the nature of fish keeping, there could still be some old / antique aquariums out there… mine could be 70 year’s old… and has not been treated well… anyone have anything similar or older that is still in use??

 

[sonofagun]

I have a 3foot from the 70s and an angle iron framed tank from god knows when. It was given to me in the mid 70s I never used it far too ugly but it did hold water.
In the mid sixties I had two acrylic type tanks. they were bow fronted tanks but now long gone.
As for resiliconing my used tanks I have the 3ft and a juwel rekord that need doing but my multi tank days are over now and we will make do with just the one.
Just as well because I think if I did repair a tank I would make a hash of it and flood our back room.

 

[GaryE]

I used to have a metal frame, slate bottomed 2 gallon. I still kick myself for losing it along the way.
\The slate bottom was so you could light a candle or put a lamp under it at night to keep it warm, circa 1930s. I resealed it, and it worked.
I have a 1960s ten gallon I resiliconed, and it is fine.
Big tank resiliconing frightens me.

 

[MuddyWaters]

I used to have a metal frame, slate bottomed 2 gallon. I still kick myself for losing it along the way.
\The slate bottom was so you could light a candle or put a lamp under it at night to keep it warm, circa 1930s. I resealed it, and it worked.
I have a 1960s ten gallon I resiliconed, and it is fine.
Big tank resiliconing frightens me.

OMG that is awesome! what a pain in the butt, though, to keep a candle under the tank to warm it- I can't imagine that was very stable. Dedication...

 

[Magnum Man]

I remember having a silver framed ( stainless??? ) slate bottomed 10 gallon when I as young teen… guessing that 1957 10 gallon will never be worth what the Chevy’s are…

 

[GaryE]

I remember having a silver framed ( stainless??? ) slate bottomed 10 gallon when I as young teen… guessing that 1957 10 gallon will never be worth what the Chevy’s are…

But one would probably run better.

 

[Uberhoust]

The oldest tank I re-siliconed was the tank my father had from the late 60s when we moved to Canada. The tank had been stored for years outside in a cold climate and most of the original plastic top and base was very brittle, and the silicone was definitely questionable. I resealed in two phases: 1st I found some 3/4 inch vinyl corner molding and used that in place of the plastic molding it originally used. The molding was applied with silicone to the outside of the tank. 2nd Phase was removing all the internal silicone, cleaning the internal surfaces applying new silicone to the internal edges. The tank lasted 5 years with the new silicone before I gave it away before a big house move.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I've resealed a couple of 55 gallon tanks, and built a 12 gallon long from scratch. It really isn't that hard. Resealing is a lot easier than building one. Here's how you do it. Work in a ventilated area, as silicone glue gives off a strong smell of vinegar, and I hear it can really torch your nasal passages if you aren't careful.

1. Using a razor blade, scrape off the exposed silicone from the inside of the tank. Take your time and be thorough, because the new silicone won't adhere to the old stuff. It takes some time. Only cut off the exposed silicone. You don't want to insert the blade between the panes, because the glue in there will hold the tank together while you reseal it.

This would be a good time to remove any mineral buildup with vinegar and your now slightly dulled razor blade. Go easy with the razor blade though; it's easy to scratch the glass. Let the vinegar do the real work.

2. Clean all the joints thoroughly with rubbing alcohol. Rescrape any old glue you missed (there will probably be some), and clean with alcohol again. Let dry.

3. Mask off all your joints with no-mar tape. I like to make my glue beads around 1/2 inch wide. The masking isn't strictly necessary, but it gives you much nicer looking glue lines.

4. Apply your silicone glue. Be aware that you're committed once you start: You only have around half an hour or so (read your glue instructions) before it starts to skin, and you have to have it all done before then. So make sure the phone is turned off and all loved ones know not to bug you for a while. I find a calk gun a whole lot easier and faster than a squeeze tube.

5. Run your finger over all the glue joints so the glue sort of squishes down into the joint. If you used masking tape, be sure to remove it before the glue sets up.

Let it dry for at least 48 hours, until you can't smell vinegar anymore. Fill it up for a test run, scrape off any glue spills with a fresh razor blade, and you're good to go!

If any of that doesn't make sense, there are lots of good videos on youtube about how to do it. Hope that helps.

 

[Colin_T]

I've resealed a couple of 55 gallon tanks, and built a 12 gallon long from scratch. It really isn't that hard. Resealing is a lot easier than building one. Here's how you do it. Work in a ventilated area, as silicone glue gives off a strong smell of vinegar, and I hear it can really torch your nasal passages if you aren't careful.

This point needs to be emphasized. Silicon has an unpleasant odour and the fumes contain acetone. If you inhale the fumes, you can pass out and die.

Never inhale the fumes.

Do not stick your head in a freshly siliconed tank and take a breath.

Avoid inhaling the fumes and keep lots of air flow around you at all times.

Apart from that, it's perfectly safe to handle and use.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

This point needs to be emphasized. Silicon has an unpleasant odour and the fumes contain acetone. If you inhale the fumes, you can pass out and die.

Never inhale the fumes.

Do not stick your head in a freshly siliconed tank and take a breath.

Avoid inhaling the fumes and keep lots of air flow around you at all times.

Apart from that, it's perfectly safe to handle and use.

Hey, Colin, do you have any documentation for the acetone claim? In my reading, aquarium-safe glue doesn't contain acetone, and only causes mild to moderate nasal irritation if inhaled. If I'm wrong about that, I'd like to know.

 

[Colin_T]

We used Selleys Silicon to make tanks and they sent out a warning years ago saying fumes should not be inhaled because it can make you pass out. And if you pass out with your head in the tank, you can suffocate due to the fumes stopping you getting enough oxygen. They might have changed things since then but the stuff still smells the same as it did back then.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

We used Selleys Silicon to make tanks and they sent out a warning years ago saying fumes should not be inhaled because it can make you pass out. And if you pass out with your head in the tank, you can suffocate due to the fumes stopping you getting enough oxygen. They might have changed things since then but the stuff still smells the same as it did back then.

I wonder if they've changed the formula since then, or if the USA has different regulations. You can check the safety data sheet on glues like this, and I believe they're required to tell you if there's acetone. None of the ones I've looked at say that they do.

That said, I would still strongly advise against sticking one's head inside a freshly glued tank. Yuck. And use it in a well ventilated area.

 

[Uberhoust]

https://www.jointas-chemical.com/article/acetic-cure-silicone-vs-neutral-cure-silicone.html.

https://content.interlinebrands.com/product/document/53/317805100_SDS_E.pdf

Anything that produces vapours of some sort and make you dizzy will be inhaled by someone looking for a high somewhere, hence the warning. No acetone in silicone and even if there is it is a more innocuous chemical. You still have the issue of the silicone offgassing and displacing air within the tank.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Safety info is further complicated by the different kinds of silicone. Some are fish-safe, but many household sealants have added chemicals to prevent mildew and such. None of those are going to do you any good inhaling either, and they'll probably be toxic to your fish.

 

[Essjay]

A popular aquarium sealant sold in the UK is this one

Geocel Aquaria Silicone Sealant

Geocel Aquaria Silicone Sealant | Geocel

www.geocel.co.uk

The documentation comments only on acetic acid (properly called ethanoic acid but the old name still sticks). That's why it smells of vinegar.