resealing tanks!

[SilkyPimP]

my friend can get me 6 tanks for cheap but they have been outside for a while and he said he doesnt know if they hold water. iv heard alot of you resealing the tanks if they leak etc.

either way i feel i should get them and try to reseal them and see if i can do it iv never tried before.
me and my girlfriend would love to get some hands on exp in this.

one of them im sure is shot he said the"center brace was broken and it was leaking" its like a 120gal or somthing so i dunno if theres saving him

 

[SilkyPimP]

ok then =(

 

[wckdkl0wn]

I have just resealed my 125 gallon just a few days ago and have water tested it already. It holds. I scraped off all the old silicon from inside the tank and cleaned it all really well. Then used GE silicon I. smoothed it all out with my finger. I made a mess with it but it holds. Atleast my upright seams are perfect. Just the bottom looks terrible but thats ok because it will be covered with sand anyway.

I'm sure someone here could probably explain it a little bit better on the how-to part.

 

[SilkyPimP]

what do i clean the old stuff off with, yea i was looking for some pics of how to lay it.....so nervous of messing up!

how long did you let dry/how many coats

 

[Fishermoe14]

what do i clean the old stuff off with, yea i was looking for some pics of how to lay it.....so nervous of messing up!

how long did you let dry/how many coats

silicon is only 1 coat.. i think they want 24 hours to fully cure.. its that or 48

 

[Ironmahn]

Have a read here

 

[jcardona1]

i resealed the inside of my 210g cause the old silicon was looking kinda crappy already. i scraped off the old silicon w/ a razor blade, cleaned the area with rubbing alcohol, taped off the area where i didnt want silicone, ran a bead of silicone, smoothed it out w/ my finger and that was it!

I used black silicone so the tank looks way better and has been running for a while w/o leaks...

 

[flaringshutter]

I resealed a 60 gallon. I put up a detailed step by step how-to with photos here:

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98688

I would recommend getting a stronger grade of silicone from the hardware store rather than using the silicone labeled specially for aquariums. They are all made by the same company, the "aquarium" stuff is just repackaged since no silicone manufacturer will guarantee their product for underwater use. Hardware stores will sell better grade silicone.

 

[Dan F]

I have resealed lots of glass tanks. My advice:

Clean the tank thoroughly BEFORE stripping. Use vinegar if there is hard water deposits. If you don't clean it well first the grit can scratch the glass.

Use fresh blades! I will go through 3 or 4 razor blades stripping a big tank.

Clean with alcohol before resealing.

Wet your finger to keep silicone from sticking.

Good luck!

 

[jcardona1]

I have resealed lots of glass tanks. My advice:

Clean the tank thoroughly BEFORE stripping. Use vinegar if there is hard water deposits. If you don't clean it well first the grit can scratch the glass.

Use fresh blades! I will go through 3 or 4 razor blades stripping a big tank.

Clean with alcohol before resealing.

Wet your finger to keep silicone from sticking.

Good luck!

really? this works? dammit i wish i would have known, i was making a mess!!! good thing i used the masking tape