RTV108 http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/GE-Clear-Silicone-4UH12
This silicone is very strong. It is all I use for larger tanks.
This silicone is very strong. It is all I use for larger tanks.
Resealing Tanks?
- Thread starter Bktgifridays
- Start date
Thanks BIG-G! Will this product seal over old silicone residue or film?
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RTV 108 is the way to go - I just bought some for the first time (I had always used GE1 or DAP previously) and it is great stuff. It cures harder and clearer and is much, much stronger than any of the hardware store brands. However, no silicone will bond to cured silicone. It is absolutely necessary to remove all silicone residue from the glass surface. Get a box of razor blades and use a new one frequently. Clean seams are the #1 requirement for a successful reseal!
RTV 108 is the way to go - I just bought some for the first time (I had always used GE1 or DAP previously) and it is great stuff. It cures harder and clearer and is much, much stronger than any of the hardware store brands. However, no silicone will bond to cured silicone. It is absolutely necessary to remove all silicone residue from the glass surface. Get a box of razor blades and use a new one frequently. Clean seams are the #1 requirement for a successful reseal!
Be cautious when considering using anything other than 100% silicone to reseal a tank. The tension bond is what holds the tank together and is the primary seal. Any product that cures harder than 100% silicone could compromise the integrity of the tension bond and cause the glass to fracture due to lack of flexibility.
Not all "100% Silicone" is created equal.
RTV 108 is widely used by professional tank builders - I did a lot of reading both on MFK and Reef Central prior to deciding on this product. Besides being stronger it is also more flexible and will stretch a lot further before breaking (compared to GE1). It feels "harder" to the touch, but it is not actually less flexible.
Hi All: So I'm new to this forum. Here's my problem. I've a 220 that leaked from the bottom, a lot. Am I going to have to remove the bottom panel and reseal and replace the bottom then reseal the whole inside of the tank. This is the way I just did a 120. I dread having to try to find enough people to pull this job off if I must remove the bottom glass. I really don't want to do that.
Common saying is once a leaker always a leaker. I’m sure most people here will say you have to dissemble the whole tank, remove all silicone, clean up the edge with acetone, wipe with rubbing alcohol, then glue the entire tank back together. Even after doing that, the tank may still leak.
Personally I wouldnt waste time dissembling the whole tank. Just take all of the silicone off the inside of the tank with a razor blade. Feel with your finger, should feel smooth like glass in every spot, if not, keep going with the razor. Then reseal the tank with SCS1200 as that’s easily accessible to us in Canada. The repair may last a month or 10 years this way. I personally don’t trust large leaking glass tanks. I have done repairs on 300 gallon+ glass aquariums that lasted years, but after seeing members on multiple forums losing 10g in their reef livestock due to a failed repair job, I avoid them. The simplest solution would be pm me for a custom acrylic aquarium
