BS. This is an easy fix. Just make sure you clean out all the old silicone from the glass. Then just silicone in the new piece, and make sure that you use plenty of silicone (a messy job that works is better than a clean job that doesn't, IMO). Tape off on the glass for clean lines.
I completely re-siliconed a 125g tank with overflows because of a leak between panels. I didn't have to replace a glass panel, but its about the same procedure. It's been running fine for about 10 months now.
where the verticle seam for the front panel and the bottom panel silicone runs all the way to the side panel (where it is broke). WHen i silicone on the new side panel (horizontal) seam near the bottom the silicone will be touching the verticle seam for the front and bottom panel???
If you look at the DIY compiliation thread under glass aquariums it has an article about fixing a pane of glass. Also there is several threads about building glass tanks. You can look at those for instruction on how to put in the new pane of glass. Once you get it all cleaned up and ready to roll it's the same process as building one from scratch.
I'm about to do the same thing to a bottom piece of glass on a 125gal I picked up. It's going to take me Forever to get passed the cleaning stage though cause it's a real mess after sitting in a basement for years and getting a crappy patch job on the crack.
I've heard of people cleaning the seams with acetone after scrapping off all the old slicone. Has anyone ever done this? I'm assuming you would have to be super careful not to get it everywhere and that if it gets inside the tank it could be harmful right? Any thoughts or tips on this particular step?
I've heard of people cleaning the seams with acetone after scrapping off all the old slicone. Has anyone ever done this? I'm assuming you would have to be super careful not to get it everywhere and that if it gets inside the tank it could be harmful right? Any thoughts or tips on this particular step?
Acetone should just evaporate off of the glass, and shouldn't leave any harmful residue behind (at least IMO). You'll want to rinse with clean water and a towel afterward to be sure, though. Now if you dump it into a tank full of water and fish, that would be another story altogether...
