No a reseal isnt a terribly hard procedure, and should be something every experienced aquarist learns to do at some point. There are a lot of threads on this topic already on here in the diy forum.
Buying a old tank
- Thread starter Hank82
- Start date
Old Silicone, Cold Storage, and Leaks.
I used to work as an application engineer in the window business and we tested many kinds of sealant and elastomeric seals under accelerated aging conditions. Silicone is some really awesome stuff and General Electric actually issued a guarantee that it would last for 100 years without the...
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I was recently having to cut through some silicone on the edge of my siding trim, and at 30+ years old, in an area with very cold winters, it was very much intact and doing its job. With aquariums I'd be more worried about them being moved too much and stressing the joints.Apologies toJexnell but half of Silicone's greatness is that it never gets brittle in the freezing cold.
Just bought the tank, the only problem is the top trim/brace is gone. He said the center brace broke and he decided to take it all off. He kept it filled with water for a couple months, decided he was done with the hobby, then emptied the tank, and it’s been sitting empty for a couple months since. My question is how important is the top brace? If so, how do I replace it?
Glue a 1/4" thick glass brace in the middle, from front to back, with silicone.
At least 6" wide or more.
There are other ways but that's easy once you get the glass.
You can laminate glass with silicone to make the brace stronger, and get more silicone on the joints.
At least 6" wide or more.
There are other ways but that's easy once you get the glass.
You can laminate glass with silicone to make the brace stronger, and get more silicone on the joints.
If you do go with a brace over the middle, i would use at least 1/2" glass, the same thickness as the body material.
1/2" would give a much better joint., and I can't believe that long tank only had one center brace.
I would have at least two or one seriously wide brace.
The brace on my 125 is actually two glass braces, with a small plastic T.
They are each 10" wide and .224" thick (6mm glass)
I would have at least two or one seriously wide brace.
The brace on my 125 is actually two glass braces, with a small plastic T.
They are each 10" wide and .224" thick (6mm glass)
GE #1 is the standard. Other brands work if they don't have anti-bacterial additives. GE #2 does have them. #1 does not.
Microscopic cleanliness is the key to a good bond, and don't move anything until it cures up solid.
High humidity = faster cure.
Microscopic cleanliness is the key to a good bond, and don't move anything until it cures up solid.
High humidity = faster cure.
