Re-sealing a tank, worth it?
- Thread starter gilpi
- Start date
I would say it depends on the tank size and the quality of the rest of the tank in general. If it’s a standard tank 29 gallons or under, I would say nah.
Always worth it. Decide why it needs resealing, if there are no leaks, then leave the silicone alone. If you have a leak, you can reseal just where the leak is. If the silicone is over 10 years old, then yes, if the tank is empty but if it being used then no.
Like @OliveFish05 said, it depends on the condition its currently in. I dont see why it would have to be over 29g. In fact the smaller it is the better one for a reseal because there is less water pressure going to the crack. It would also depend on how big the crack is. Like if It is a really big crack its just not worth risking it.
I guess there are different perspectives on what he meant... I thought he meant sealing cracks but he could mean resealing the silicone around there... I wasnt thinking about that lol
Thank you for all the replies. I have 40g that is just a matter of time before it starts to leak, it's well over 10 years and the silicone is mostly gone or peeling back. Most of the videos and tutorials show the removal of only the outer silicone, what happens to the old silicone between the glass panels, the bead that actually holds the panels together?
There are two ways to deal with this
1. To strip the whole tank down and start again, rebuild it as though it is a new tank.
2. remove the inside bead and then just reseal those joins. Leaving the tank intact. The 1-2 mm piece of silicone between the glass panels should be fine.
1. To strip the whole tank down and start again, rebuild it as though it is a new tank.
2. remove the inside bead and then just reseal those joins. Leaving the tank intact. The 1-2 mm piece of silicone between the glass panels should be fine.
I did an "Ancient" 40 gallon a few weeks ago. You shouldn't have to completely remove the silicone joining the panes unless there is a crack in the glass and you are replacing a pane. The rims were in good condition still, just the silicone had pulled away. Removed all silicone, wiped residue with acetone and then sealed all the joints once again. It is a hospital tank so it was able to be dry for a bit for the silicone to cure. I think it is worth it.
A good point you make, a lot of people don't let the silicone cure long enough, the product I use says 10 days to fully cure. Always follow those instructions.
The brand I use takes 7 days to cure, I let it sit for 11 days to be safe, just in case because our weather is up and down right now. One day is bright and warm, the next cold and wet, dry, humid, ect. I am leery about the cure time on a lot of things. When I was attaching my rhizome plantlets to stone (They were going in the Geo tank, nothing rooted stays with those guys) the glue I was using said it would be cured in minutes...not so much. I did not feel comfortable putting them in the tank but they needed water, so I put tank water in a bucket and let them hang out there for 48 hrs. I am always leery, perhaps over cautious but it is better than dead fish.
Is a wider bead better? I read the silicone should spread just as wide as the thickness of the glass, I have a new 40g that the silicone spreads 2-3 times the thickness of the glass, I see some guys using masking tape to keep it narrow.
You only need a tiny bit of silicone to seal a tank. about the thickness of the glass. Run a small bead around the joins and then use your finger to flatten it out
I like a wider band that way there is a little grace. I feel more secure in the fact it won't leak with a wider band. I get that some don't want to see the silicone, especially black silicon. Wider band in my opinion is better, you know just in case you accidentally knick the silicone with an algae scraper. I have NEVER done that before.
Because at the point that you strip the tank, reseal the tank, let the tank cure, and then leak test the tank you’re better off saving the time and spending <$35 on a new tank
But what happens to the old tank
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