steikheigel Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 I've finally got time to have a go at putting my tank together, i spent the last few hours scraping and scrubbing off the old silicone and i realize, i don't actually know how to silicone a tank together Have had a look at previous posts but still a little lost Do i put a line on silicone along an edge i want to join , then squish it into place? or do i tape the tank together (on the outside) and lay a bead of silicone along each edge on the inside, pushing it into the corner and smoothing it out as I go?? And how much silicone will i need? is one tube enough, or are more likely to be required?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flosty Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 Yes put the silicone along the edge and push together, you want to see a nice consistent bead along the edge with no air bubbles. You definately need the silicon in the join area I Let it squeeze out the side and then once dry slice the excess off with a razor blade. I also put tape along the joins on the inside and bottom before joining so I get a nice straight line I try for about a 10mm bead inside the glass thickness, you could get away with thinner but only on the smaller tanks I put tape around the outside as I build to help hold it together Once I am happy with the joins and they are all even I then go around the inside with more silicone I always put a real thick bead and then smooth it out with my finger The important thing to remember is to remove the tape on the inside as soon as you have finished and while the silicon is still wet or you will get a nasty lip of silicon if its too dry. One tube should be heaps unless the tank is big! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 The biggest mistake people make is using too much RTV so it ends up looking ugly as. If you glue the tank together properly it should not leak and the fillet on the inside just makes it easier to clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steikheigel Posted March 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 cool thanks! Will attempt to assemble it this weekend, wish me luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bishop Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 I think it is one of those things that you have to do once before you can understand it better. I would practice with some scraps of glass if you care about appearance ect. Not a lot of info in the net about building but there is a good video on you tube. Check out rickets reef on YT There are a few ways to do it, I take 3 days to build a tank, not because it is better but because it is more comfortable for me. Good luck I am sure you will be fine. Make sure the old silicone is clean and no residue left. A good blade and turps will be good fro that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mad-n-angry Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 the easiest way i have found to make a tank it get all the glass cleaned up and ready to go have about 10 cable ties or matches handy have these items handy bottle of meths 10 or so cable ties/matches a lint free rag thats clean bottle of glass cleaner and some news paper and a roll of duct tape and some parcel tape run tape on the surface of the table/bench u intend using marking out the edges of the galss so it does not stick to the table lay the base over the taped area out wipe it down with meths then get and end and a side piece do the same again put a match stick along the base as the ends to leave a small gap place the end on and " gap it again with the match stick line up the side and then tape it together to hold it in place put match sticks top and bottom and keep adding the sides and ends repeating the match sticks and tape method until you have a "boxed tank" you have 2 options now 1 grab ya silicone caulking gun and run silicone down all the gaps removing all the match sticks as you go until its totally sealed up 2 tack method from the outside of your assembled tank squeeze a small amount of silicone into the gaps about 1 inch long but dont force it through the gap/join so its coming all the way through do this on each gap/join top and bottom near where the match sticks are, leave this to cure for a day then come back and remove all matches and tape carefully not to pull your tacks from the glass, now apply silicone into all the gaps from the inside of the tank no matter how you do this be as quick as possible as you dont want silicone to start to skin before you finished as silcone wont stick to dry silicone very well lastly what i like to do for a nice clean edge on the silicone is to grab that window/glass cleaner and spray all the silicone you have put on and then using a ruler or any thing thats square and solid run it along the beads of silicone to tidy it up wiping the excess off onto the news paper as you go but before it falls off your wiping tool if you find any smears on the glass once you have completed doing this use a razor blade to remove them once the tank has had time to cure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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