TILED TANK BOTTOMS

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Well, I got the q-tank insulated today with the foam board, only the back and sides though. Hopefully it saves me a couple bucks. Next up is the tiles, I'm still looking for some cheap and simple tiles, but it seems the simpler you want them, the more they cost...
 
you need to grout the tiles down or use silicone or caulking of any sort.
1.Silicone the tiles down
2.let them dry for a week with a fan or small heater inside the tank "it can take a while to dry all the way make sure the silicon is fully cured before you do the next step or you will seal the fresh silicone under the tiles and it will stay wet forever like inside the tube"
3.than grout the gaps its very easy and will look very sharp
"if you need to know how to grout tiles i can help you with that aswell"

Gshock i work construction and have major experience in this ,you will have a very sharp looking tank but the tiles will be in their forever and they weight a bit too.what size is it.homedepot is good for cheaper tiles just make sure what ever you use is cured before you put water in the tank.Their is a custom aquarium place here in calgary they will not warranty any tank unless it has cured for 21 days.I voided my warranty with them but i put a fan and a space heater inside the tank for a week
 
Silicone takes a while to cure use something else but i dont know what would hold tiles to glass and be fish safe.liquid apoxy but very expensive and very messy.it doesnt react with air but is a 2 component mix.it sets up within 15 minutes of mixing up.when its dry its not harmfull but when not mixed its very dangerous
 
You don't want to grout, because one it makes it permanent and two chemicals from the
grout can then leach into water. Also can affect the PH of the system.
Also, if you just use a matching silicone between the tiles you don't have to adhere to the bottom
of tank thus allowing them to be cut and removed later if desired.
 
grout has no chemicals init.cement and sand grout will not stick to glass.I see many breeding tanks in asia with all tiles and they are grouted like a bathroom without problems.Plus you dont know what you are talking about grout dries like a concrete people make concrete ponds all the time with tiles grouted in them.grout is fine
 
calgaryflames;3704083; said:
grout has no chemicals init.cement and sand grout will not stick to glass.I see many breeding tanks in asia with all tiles and they are grouted like a bathroom without problems.Plus you dont know what you are talking about grout dries like a concrete people make concrete ponds all the time with tiles grouted in them.grout is fine
Click to expand...

Before you start accusing someone of not knowing what they are talking about
you better know a liitle about them first. I have done extensive tile and
grouting. There are three basic types of grouts

Concrete based grout: Main Ingredient - Portland Cement which is predominantly made from Calcium Sulfate. Cement can affect the PH. Usually increases.

Furan Resin grout: All possible ingredients - phenol, formaldehyde, urea-formaldehyde resins, furan, furfuryl alcohol, furanic-based composite

Epoxy Grouts: Main ingredient - polyepoxide is bisphenol-A

Personally I wouldn't grout them but it isn't my system. ;)
 
I dont want grout in my tank...you know how rough it is?...Neither do I want to make the tiling permanent, it'll be a complete PITA if I need to sell the tank in the future. Even if I didnt mind the 2 factors, theres no way I would drain the tank just to tile it, takes way too much work, not to mention I'd have to risk putting a half quarantined ray into an established tank. Im just going to lay the tiles out.
 
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