Tips on stripping paint from tanks?

[Sati]

I bought a 10g and started spray painting the back and bottom with Rust-olem enamel. The problem is I painted outside on my patio, but had the paint can inside. I think this caused the paint to shrink up once applied outside and cause some crackling... The crackle shows all the way to the inside which I know is really going to show once I fill the tank with water and get some good lights in there. So, I'm going to do it all over.

My question is, will paint thinner or paint remover disolve or otherwise mess with the silicone seal? It's a brand new all-glass tank so I'd rather not ruin it even though it's only a 10g, lol. I also don't want to scratch it so I'm a little hesitant about using razor blades to take the paint off. But is a razor my best option? Thanks!

Start
First Coat
Inside (but noticed crackle outside)


Close-up of crackles

Here they are from the inside of the tank
Crackles from the inside

Edit: I also bought flat paint thinking that the fish might not see their relection as well and would be more at ease. But the shiny glass is over it so that makes no sense. Where was my head? lol

 

[Thaiboxer]

It is regular glass, right?

I would use the razor... any paint removing chemical is, by definition, pretty caustic. It should come off pretty easily with a razor. (That's an educated guess, please don't blame me if it takes a lot of elbow grease!)

I'd get one of those aluminum razor-holders that make it easier to wield, and a box of blades, and go to town!

Let us know how it goes! I'm helping a buddy do the same thing with 3 sides of a 220 gallon tank in a few months.

Good luck!

 

[Sati]

Well now I'm wondering if I'm being too freaking anal. I mean if it's bare bottom and pretty sparse it will probably show enough to bug me. Otherwise It's going to have plants, fish, algae, currents all distracting me from it.

I'll probably still redo it tomorrow. I just made myself think about it to see if I'm being a perfectionist a little too much