pentair tank sanding and redoing gel coat?

[heffesuita]

Hello every one. I just received a Pentair 187 gallon tank a few days ago, is the 60L x 30W x 24H inside dimensions tank. The coating on the inside seems to be just falling off in a few different places. Wiping it with a wet paper towel to clean it is making it fall off. I have seen and read another thread on here with this problem and it seemed to go away at the end.

If I want to redo the gel coat. How far down does the inside need to be sanded down, and what grit sand paper do you need to do that. I am a capenter but fiber glass and gel coats and this is out of my norm. I have watched plenty of videos on applying gel coat. I was thinking of making a ply tank before I went this route. I am unsure of how to remove it. And how far down you need to go. I have seen in other places it seems that the hole top coat needs to be removed because of the wax in the mix. not just rough it up to h old a coat. All the info you guys have I would greatly appreciate

 

[Leebtattoos]

I’m no real help here, but it’s interesting. So you received it brand new and the gel coat is already coming off? Did you contact the company?

 

[heffesuita]

Yes brand new. I have contacted the company were i got it there supposed to give me a refund time will tell if that happens. If they dont i am planning on fixing, which leads me to this thread. I would like to keep this thread focused on how to fix this tank specifically.

 

[heffesuita]

Were are all the d.i.y. gel coat exsperts?

 

[wannadivesteve]

Were are all the d.i.y. gel coat exsperts?

Boat building forums most likely.

 

[suckerfish]

SandNukka15

I’m just about to order the 720 and hearing this again sucks!

 

[heffesuita]

don't bother p.m me I will give you my actual address and send you pics of how beet to hell the hole thing is spend your money else were

 

[heffesuita]

It looks like the front window is sandwhiched in between 2 sections with the inside being fiber glassed in the gel coated over it. but it is silicone in it is glass. So I don't want to mess up the silicone on the pane of the glass. realy only need to know what to sand it with as far as grit goes can I just 80 grit it with a electric hand sander then down to 220 and recoat it? from reading it says you need to remove the hole top coat with the wax in it not sure how far that goes down. I don't think just lightly sanding it with wet sand paper is going to do any thing except peal off. or just leave it alone some one out of all you d.i.y guys build some crazy stuff must have some input

 

[Leebtattoos]

I’m sure you read this. But I’m genuinely trying to help

“Wet-sand the cured gelcoat with 320-grit wet/dry paper on a soft sanding block. Confining work to the immediate repair area, continue wet-sanding with 600-grit paper until nearly even with surrounding gelcoat. Finish wet-sanding with 1,000-grit paper; then buff out with rubbing compound followed by a coat of wax”

https://www.boatingmag.com/how-to-repair-damaged-gelcoat

 

[heffesuita]

Thanks for the info no never saw that specificauly. I have seen a few post places, and vids on you tibe of people just taping off a certain area and finishing it and trying to blend it in. Seems to be different opinions on jt as well thats say to end with 1000 grit which is pretty high others say end with low grit like 60 for a rought surface to adhere to so not real sure. Which leads me here for more info. Thanks