🚀 go-pugleaf

BO.Newsgroups: rec.aquaria,sci.aquaria,alt.aquaria
  .From: bob@hubcap.clemson.edu (Bob)
  .Subject: Re: Resealing glass tank
  .Message-ID: <1992Oct3.214902.15086@hubcap.clemson.edu>
  .Keywords: tank
  .Date: Sat, 3 Oct 1992 21:49:02 GMT

BO.In article <1992Oct3.191312.7754@hubcap.clemson.edu> bob@hubcap.clemson.edu (
  .) writes:
  .>Hi all!
  .>
  .>     I just bought a 75 gallon tank from a friend and intend to set up
  .>yet another salt water tank (my third). It seems to have bubbles in the
  .>sealant on all four corners. Since all my other tanks are new and have
  .>never leaked I need some help on resealing this tank.
  .>     If anyone out there has done this before I could use some hints,
  .>tips, suggestions. Should I do it myself (I am pretty handy just never
  .>done this before) or should I take it to my local pet shop?
  .>     If I do it myself, should I take out all the sealant and redo the
  .>whole thing or can I just touch it up here and there. The tank looks
  .>like it has been resealed before and it was a lousey job. I would prefer
  .>to do the whole thing over.
BO.     I have  DOW Corning 100% Silicone Sealant. It says
  .that it is safe for food contact once cured and washed. It has a note on
  .it that says "Corrodes some metals, not recommended for underwater use.
  .I am assuming they mean that it should not be used to seal the hull of
  .your boat. Anyone know if this sealant would be ok for my tank? What
  .should I get? How is the best way to apply the sealant to get the smooth
  .and almost invisble seams that I have in my new tanks.

I just went through a similar problem.  My 90 gallon sprung a leak and I
had to take it down and repair it.  It is now sitting outside about 75%
full to see if I was successful in fixing the leak in the bottom seam.
I found out, BTW, from our local store expert (he really is!) that there
seems to be something unique about the reef tanks; that is, all three of
the reef tanks he has started up in his store over the last 4 years,
have eventually sprung leaks, but NONE of the other tanks have EVER
leaked - and that's a lot of tanks.  Hmmmmmmmm. .... Anyway, you had a
question.  I used GE Silicone Rubber, General Household Sealant, 35 year
durability, supposedly.  My local 'expert' has used it without problems,
and it does say "ideal for aquarium repair" right on the tube...."allow
48 hours to cure".  Also, I was given a very practical suggestion about
application, that you may or may not know about....use a plastic spoon
to spread the bead onto both surfaces of the tank after you lay the bead
into the corners.  It works pretty well.  Good luck!


Regards,
Todd

---
 . OLX 2.2 . Nothing is so smiple that it can't get screwed up.