A tank repair question....

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
F

fook

Candiru
MFK Member
Mar 1, 2010
321
0
46
us
I guess it might be more than a repair but a repair is the minimum I have to do.

I made a deal for a big tank today. It's 360g (8x2x3) and has panes of glass. One of them is cracked and needs replaced. It looks like it should be fairly uncomplicated but I'm sure there is a proper procedure. The thing is...my tank room is in my basement. There is no way this tank can be taken down there whole. It just can't happen. It took 3 hours to get my 180g down there. I can get the stand and the empty frame down there but the tank is way to heavy. So I'm wondering if it would be a good idea to take all the glass out, clean it all, have any scratches repaired and reassemble it in the basement. It would obviously have all new seals and who knows if it leaks right now? Does anyone see a problem with this idea? I've never had to do something like this with a tank before. But I figure...I'm getting the tank and the stand for $100 so it's worth putting a little money into to fix up. How hard is it going to be to make sure this thing is sealed up properly if I do this?

Thanks in advance for any advice.
 
When I have repaired tanks in the past, I put replacement glass inside and over the crack, also put sealer on the crack. I put the cracked side in the back of course .
 
duanes said:
When I have repaired tanks in the past, I put replacement glass inside and over the crack, also put sealer on the crack. I put the cracked side in the back of course .
Click to expand...

Wouldn't you just want to remove the cracked piece and put in a new piece? I was told a new piece of glass would run about $180 but I haven't verified that myself.
 
snowhnter said:
Personally I find it harder to tear down than to reseal. If you have ever done any siliconing before, no problem. GL
Click to expand...

Cool. I've used silicone plenty in the past but just not for repairing a tank. Is there any advantage to possibly trying to heat the silicone to make it come apart easier?
 
Not really, the best way that i have found to remove the old silicone is to go buy a glass cleaner, they are sold and home depot and maybe even walmart, cost a couple of bucks. It is a metal holder that uses single blade razors. The handle holds the razor in place and simply cut away the old silicone like butter. http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...langId=-1&keyword=razor+scraper&storeId=10051
here's a pic.
 
If this was a normal tank I think that method would be perfect. I went and looked at the tank again today. Someone definitely built this thing. It looks like they took a huge angle iron frame and put glass in it. So the front is 2 4x3 panes. All the glass looks like it is sealed on the front under the overlapping angle iron. So instead of just pulling the silicone away from the corners I am going to have to use something like a paint scraper and carefully push it under the frame to cut through the silicone that way. I would guess that it is also sealed on the other face of the angle iron too....like they put silicone on both inside faces of the iron and set the glass in.
 
Man that sucks, in that case you can use some wire and works it side to side and saw you way through the silicone. I have used this method to remove large mirrors from walls, thats assuming that there is room to get it started. If possible you might try starting in a corner. Sounds like you got a lot of work. The heat will not work b/c once the silicone is cured you have to get it above 1000 degrees then it doesn't melt but burn. If you should get the glass that hot and even bead of sweat should hit it, it could shatter. Find some stranded wire and attach two key rings that are large enough to be used as handles.
 
Thanks. I'll definitely give that a try. I'm glad you posted the point about the glass shattering because I did wonder if I could use a torch and burn the silicone out. Or maybe get the frame hot enough to loosen the silicone without heating the glass much but that would probably depend on how much of a heat insulator the silicone would be. I could even get that frame red-hot and I'm sure it would burn the silicone but I'd hate to break the glass. I better just forget about the torch and try the wire idea.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom