Glass tank re silicone?

[Aliie]

I have a glass hex tank. It's had FW for 3 yrs and then at present salt for almost 4 yrs. I have noticed that some of the silicone has been damaged over the years from using the magnet cleaner.
The actual seal doesn't appear to be damaged but the thin outter edges are breaking up and peeling away.

Is this something to be worried about?
Should I drain and dry the tank and reseal all the seams?


Thanks for any input you have to offer.

 

[WaterKeeper]

Aliie,

Resealing a tank is not as easy as it appears. The problem is that silicone sealant will not adhere to old dry sealant. You must remove all the old silicone first and then apply a new bead. It isn't hard to do but care must be taken to insure that the bonded surfaces are clean and free of any old adhesive.

Unless the tank leaks, it may be smarter to just leave things be as the bond between the glass panes will usually hold tight even when the the overlap is scraped off over time.

 

[Aliie]

I can accept that, wasn't looking forward to the drain and dry thing really. I didn't think it would be a good idea to apply silicone while it was running though.

It doesn't leak at all, so I'll just leave it be as you suggested. One of those ....."if it aint't broke things".

What are the chances of it becoming a problem in your opinion?

 

[WaterKeeper]

If The tank stays full, and is not moved, it should hold up forever. Usually leaks develop in older tanks when they are repeatedly drained or moved to another location causing stress on the seams.

 

[dkh0331]

Of course it's a very good reason/excuse to upgrade to a larger tank.

 

[darkwolf29a]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9549919#post9549919 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dkh0331
Of course it's a very good reason/excuse to upgrade to a larger tank.

Wait!!! You need a reason for that? LOL i thought the ony reason necessary was...Honey, we can't put anymore fish in here. LOL

 

[Aliie]

Hummm, that poses a bit of a quandry for me. I plan on giving it a bath. It'll be moved to the tub and then immediately refilled. I'll just be really carefull in the moving of it and the amount of banging around it goes thru during the bath.

I for some crazy reason fell in love with this silly little tank and it's my kitchen tank. It works perfectly for the space I wanted to fill.

 

[rooroo]

Theres this 65 gallon that has moved around my family a bit...

I think it originally was purchased in the mid 90s, making it around 15 years old. It was used for a freshwater tank for a few years, then saltwater for a few, then stored dry for two years. Then I took it and resealed it (no leaks, just did the overlap on the inside) and used it for a reef for 2 years. Moved it once during that 2 years. Its now back with its original owner and has been drilled to be a frag tank. I assume this will be the tanks final resting place... but you never know.

In any case its still holds water just fine, and my resealing stuck in some spots but not in others. Its been moved, banged, scrubbed, bleached, razor bladed, anything you can think of. And it still holds water. I think that most tanks can take a decent beating before the seams give out.

 

[2fishy]

Bigger tank!!! :thumbsup:

Time to add on to fit the new tank in the kitchen!

Is someone holding your hand while your wandering around out here all by yourself?

 

[Misled]

After you clean it, fill it and let it sit for a couple days before you put anything in it. The silicone on the outer edges of the tank aren't what seals it. That comes from when the tank is being put together. The seal comes from where glass touches glass and the bead on the inside of the tank. Hope this helps!

 

[Aliie]

I'm out here by myself but I have DHK watching my back while I'm here.

RooRoo: That is what I was thinking I should do, the over lap.

I'll add the water for a few days first most definitely Misled.

 

[Misled]

Hey Allie, I didn't mean to re-silicone the tank. What I ment was leave it as is. The silicone on the outside tends to dry out with age,( like me ). Just clean it up , then fill it and check for leaks.