kd123 Posted November 17, 2007 Report Share Posted November 17, 2007 I just brought a second hand tank home to find that it leaks in one of the bottom corners. Should i get it resealed professionally or is it simple enough to seal it myself? If I am able to do it myself do I need to take the old sealer out before resealing? It is about 100lts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OscarBoy Posted November 17, 2007 Report Share Posted November 17, 2007 if you know what your doing do t ur self Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 17, 2007 Report Share Posted November 17, 2007 If it is pretty old the sealer may have deteriorated and if so I would pull it apart and rebuild it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Posted November 18, 2007 Report Share Posted November 18, 2007 ASgreed Alan The Silicone is probably breaking down and its time for a total rebuild... for piece of mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kd123 Posted November 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 Thanks for the advice. I had gone out and bought the silicone etc so have done the resealing....and will check it over 48 hours ...otherwise it may just go off to the dump... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 Resealing is not the same as pulling apart and rebuilding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kd123 Posted November 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 I'm aware of that.... sorry dont have the tools or time to pull it apart and rebuild. If the resealing doesn't work i will probably scrape it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 The problem is that if the Rtv has deteriorated you will not know it has failed until it falls apart in your lounge resealed or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kd123 Posted November 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 Does it cost much to have them broken down and rebuilt....in comparison to just buying a new one that is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 Its really easy to remake, it just takes time So, yes if you are to get someone to do it, it will be dearer than buying a new one. If you would like to "have a go"then feel free to ask and I (and others Im sure) will try to help. You dont need much in the way of tools, a blade (the snap off type are probably the best) a rasor blade (the stiff back ones from hobby shops or glass merchants) and a glue gun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kd123 Posted November 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 What stopped me from going the extra step was talk (on internet sites) about needing to 'grind the edges of the glass once it was taken apart and also the difficulty in reassembling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 I just read the info properly and realised you are in Christchurch. What area are you in? If you are not too far away I can show you what to do. PM me if yore interested. It is always handy in this hobby to know how to build fish tanks. Mrs Google is not realy God's Mother in Law and you don't need to grind the edges,just take the sharp edges off for safety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kd123 Posted November 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2007 Thanks for the offer....want to see whether the resealing I have done has worked :oops: just waiting for it to cure. Then i will make a decision on whether I take it all apart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted November 20, 2007 Report Share Posted November 20, 2007 you wont know until it breaks and creates a huge mess, and who knows when that will be. Rebuild it.... Its not too hard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kd123 Posted November 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2007 Yes rebuilding sounds right but i am just interested to see whether what i have done was any good... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 22, 2007 Report Share Posted November 22, 2007 Chances are it will stop the leak but will not help much structurally. A well built tank should not leak even without a fillet round the joints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kd123 Posted November 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2007 once i have taken out the new silicone replacement seal, do i begin with the filler seal around the bottom or do i take the front or back side off first....does it matter? I gather i may need corner clamps to hold the sides together when I am rebuilding it? Do I rebuild it by putting front and side and the back and other side together and then connecting them all together and then placing the bottom on last? Alan I may take you up on your offer of advice. Just trying to see what time I am going to have over the coming weeks. I am in spreydon. But i do need to upgrade one of my tanks very soon. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 22, 2007 Report Share Posted November 22, 2007 I lived in Spreydon for many years. It doesn't matter how you pull it apart. I use one sided razor blades because they are thinner than a Stanley knife. Start where the knife will most easily fit between the joints. I don't use clamps, I use pvc insulation tape and Selleys RTV for aquariums (because it is the cheapest acid cure at Bunnings). Cut all the old RTV off the glass when dis assembled and wipe the joints with meths before re doing. It is easiest if you lay the glass out on a flat surface like an exploded drawing, put glue on all the joints then put together again. Once you have done one you will want to make the rest yourself, and wonder why you didn't in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kd123 Posted November 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2007 Well it has broken down ok. Much easier than I was expecting. Kinda scary having a tank full of water and then half an hour later just 5 flat seperate pieces. I will clean it up today. Question.... When reassembling the tank, is there a right way to go about it? I know what I would do if I were building something out of wood but something tells me that I would do this differently. I am assuming that it needs to be done with no interruptions and quite quickly.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Posted November 23, 2007 Report Share Posted November 23, 2007 no interuptions.... yes quickly, within reason. Dont hurry as the silicone will be going off slowly but you also dont want to muck arround Most tanks are built from the base up. bback goes on base, both sides next then the front. Put a strip of masking tape around the ends to holh it all together. Make sure that you feel the base on the outsides to make sure that the sides are lining up (dont just rely on looking as the silicone will be a bit deciving) Silicon takes 1 day per mm of thicknes to cure so if you put the tank together today, dont think about filling it for a week. This also allows the fumes to come out. After 24 hours, look through the glass at your joins for air bubbles and see if the air bubbles all join up which will allow a possible leak, these may need touching up. Dont put the bits together then pull apart and back together as this will create air bubbles and therefore leaks Make sure that you clean the glass as much as possible before reconstructing as cleaning now is easier than later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 23, 2007 Report Share Posted November 23, 2007 Everyone has their own way to make tanks. I agree with Barrie. After cleaning I lay the bits out like an exploded drawing on a flat surface and then put all the glue on. Go right around the top edge of the base and on the edge of the front and back (where the pieces will come together). Then as Barrie said, back, end, end and front. You can use masking tape but sometimes it is hard to clean off after a weak so I prefer PVC insulation tape. After you have made a few hundred you will develop your own preferences. Squeeze the joints tight to exclude air bubbles as you tape,then run a fillet round all the inside angles and smooth off. The temptation is to use a lot of glue on the first one. You don't need much and it looks better as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kd123 Posted November 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2007 Thanks ...this is the image that i had come to.... but what is a fillet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 23, 2007 Report Share Posted November 23, 2007 That is the glue that rounds off the internal corners---the bit you repaired I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Posted November 23, 2007 Report Share Posted November 23, 2007 good point Alan I remove the tape normall after 6 hours or so as the Silicone has "gone off" enough to allow this to be done carefully Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kd123 Posted November 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2007 Is it normal for the bottom edge of one of the sides to be very rough? All the other edges are relatively smooth. It is pretty near impossible to remove all the little bits of silicone. I wonder if this is the side which had the leaks. Do I need to do anything about this? Would it be worth getting another piece cut to replace this side? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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