Advice on changing aquarium glass

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s4m

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 22, 2017
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Hi all,

My first post!

So i picked up a used 7 x 2.5 x 2.5 tank last weekend, after giving it a good clean up i decided i wanted to replace one of the end pieces of glass. After cutting the old piece away i now have replacement on order. Has anyone changed an end before or got any advice on how to install the new bit? Im thinking if i put the bottom in first all of the silicone will push out of the sides when i push the top in? If that makes sense?
 
s4m said:
Hi all,

My first post!

So i picked up a used 7 x 2.5 x 2.5 tank last weekend, after giving it a good clean up i decided i wanted to replace one of the end pieces of glass. After cutting the old piece away i now have replacement on order. Has anyone changed an end before or got any advice on how to install the new bit? Im thinking if i put the bottom in first all of the silicone will push out of the sides when i push the top in? If that makes sense?
Click to expand...

Bump :)
 
not sure if you are saying that the new piece is to fit inside the u shape of the front bottom and back and you want to know how to silicone it in place? How I have done mine was that I laid the silicone on the bottom only at first and positioned it center then ran a bead through the gap on each side and then did a complete new interior seal to avoid any gaps or trying to get the old and new to seal properly.
 
Royally Digital said:
not sure if you are saying that the new piece is to fit inside the u shape of the front bottom and back and you want to know how to silicone it in place? How I have done mine was that I laid the silicone on the bottom only at first and positioned it center then ran a bead through the gap on each side and then did a complete new interior seal to avoid any gaps or trying to get the old and new to seal properly.
Click to expand...
Old and new silicone don't bond together.. For sure needs a entire re seal
 
M@T!@$ said:
Old and new silicone don't bond together.. For sure needs a entire re seal
Click to expand...
Really... guess that puts the entire Silicone Adhesive business on notice then huh... it will bond with silicone HOWEVER you will be hard pressed to ensure as strong of a bond as new... Todays silicone is not your grandpas Caulk anymore, that is a business that has changed A LOT over the years and can do some incredible things that people believed impossible before.
 
Just my personal opinion here, but I agree about not putting new & old silicone together. While it might work for some smaller tanks IMO it's a recipe for disaster when you are trying to seal a panel in a glass tank that is 30" deep with that sort of pressure on the seals. I tried it myself with my old 265g 7ft tank and it did not end too well.

Not trying to get into a big discussion or anything on it so don't take it that way ;) but with a glass tank that size I would not try to get by with a "fix" like that. I'd try to take it all apart and reseal it properly.

Just my .02 on the subject for what its worth.
 
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I agree, however the "best practice" wasn't the OP question. I have done this same type of "repair" and had success, but as the professionals say... your mileage may vary!
 
Yeah i am only replacing one end of the tank, but i have stripped and cleaned the entire inside seals so once the new end is in i will re seal the insides all round. Thanks for the advice Royally digital, seems like a plan
 
I would, razor clean all silicon off, then alcohol scrub with newspaper. Squeaky clean. Then masking tap the corners. And have newspaper on the bottom so don't smear silicone around.
Pull the tape before it currs. Have a old socket for a radius tool.
 
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