Barely DIY, but INDY/resealing help still Required

[Pharaoh]

Sorry.... I meant OK as in, "Holy crap that thing is WAY overbuilt and could hold up a truck!" LOL j/k

It should be more than sufficient for what you want to do, but it would be a lot cheaper to buy 1x2s to build a frame in lieu of wasting all the plywood.

 

[MaddMaxx]

Sorry.... I meant OK as in, "Holy crap that thing is WAY overbuilt and could hold up a truck!" LOL j/k

It should be more than sufficient for what you want to do, but it would be a lot cheaper to buy 1x2s to build a frame in lieu of wasting all the plywood.

Yeah, I thought about 2x4's too, but they don't really meet my aesthetics criteria... This is going to be my main "pride 'n joy" for a while, so looks do matter some. Until I find a great deal on a sweet 500 and a basement to put it in...

 

[A jar]

Good luck with the reseal. The brace will def help with the bowing. I know you already know this, but make sure the tank is level. I'm beginning to think that was the main cause to my previous leak.
Looking forward to the updates. =)

 

[MaddMaxx]

So I got some work done on the tank itself finally... I picked up razor-blade holder and a small packet of blades (they were basically out of them ), some GE I silicone (without bio-seal, I looked for RTV 108 and couldn't find it), and some acetone.

Its been too rainy on the weekends to get a leak-location test, so I moved right to resealing...

I originally decided to attempt to remove and reseal the leaking glass pane, since it had already been "fixed" and seemed a good balance between putting silicone over a twice failed joint and tearing down the whole tank... But I found this.

The end panes are inside the front and rear glass panes. I'm concerned that I can't get a good re-seal by "stuffing" the end pane back in and squeezing silicone in around it...

I'm thinking I need to tear down the whole tank at this point... Comments??

So I started by removing the leaky pane anyway and scraping the silicone off. I've already burned through 2 of my 5 razor blades, so I know I'm going to need to make a run for a real box of blades.

While cutting the seal, I found that one corner was so tight I couldn't get the blade in. I foolishly tried to force it but it chipped the corner a little (approx .5" long by .125" wide). I then used some pressure to separate the seal a little and was able to get it cut. I don't expect the chip to be an issue, but anyone think otherwise?

 

[hybridtheoryd16]

I have resealed 10-12 tanks over the years up to 220g and never torn one completely down.

I have allways just cleaned the silicone out 100% on the inside and resealed.

good luck

 

[MaddMaxx]

I have resealed 10-12 tanks over the years up to 220g and never torn one completely down.

I have allways just cleaned the silicone out 100% on the inside and resealed.

good luck

Thanks, a little late now for me though...

Question for all you glass tank builders - The tank is built Bottom-Inside, and I noticed the bottom glass pane is raised about .5"-1" off the "ground". If I build on a level surface, can I silicone the bottom pane flush with the bottom edge of the side panes? Any reasons I shouldn't?

 

[Pharaoh]

Thanks, a little late now for me though...

Question for all you glass tank builders - The tank is built Bottom-Inside, and I noticed the bottom glass pane is raised about .5"-1" off the "ground". If I build on a level surface, can I silicone the bottom pane flush with the bottom edge of the side panes? Any reasons I shouldn't?

That's exactly how you should do it IMO.

 

[hybridtheoryd16]

That's exactly how you should do it IMO.

X2

 

[MaddMaxx]

That's exactly how you should do it IMO.

X2

Thanks, that's what I thought. It threw me off seeing it was built with a raised bottom, but its a pretty old tank and I would guess they used to be built that way... Now I'll have some more water room!

A whole half inch!

 

[deeda]

I'm a bit confused here. If you are only replacing the one side panel and not disassembling the rest of the tank, you should rebuild it the way it was designed. Otherwise the replaced side panel will not be sitting 'on the ground' and won't have any bottom support at that end of the tank.