silicone seals

[Rinzy]

I just picked up a 135 gallon tank off CL (yay excited!) it was pretty dirty when I picked it up but I cleaned it out with vinegar/water mixture and it looks way better. But I noticed two of the inner wall seals are flapping on the edge. All the other seals look fine and it holds water - I'm thinking I should replace them just to start off fresh and I don't want to have to drain it and do this once I have fish and all. My question is can I just replace the wall seals or do I have to reseal the whole tank?

 

[xxwolfpackof1xx]

to be safe id say reseal everything if some seals are already faleing what's to stop the others down the line? id do em all for peace of mind

 

[tarpon]

The new silicone wont bond to the old silicone. So yeah

 

[Grizz]

I agree if it's worth doin it's worth doin right peace of mind is a wonderfull thing besides once you start pulling the old stuff it all may let go

 

[Rinzy]

True. Good point. How many tubes of silicone do you think I would need for this beast? I'm going to get it from the hardware store if I can find the right one. 135 gallon

 

[xxwolfpackof1xx]

ive heard GE 1 is good and safe make sure there's no additives anti mildew etc id guesstimate 3 tubes maybe but ive never had to re seal so i wouldn't know

 

[Grizz]

1st thing id do is turn those boards so they support the long sides of your tank when you get the silicone make sure to get more than you think you need as you want to work a wet edge as for how much, the tubes have a guide line like 4 oz doz 6ft at a 3/8 in bead err towards to much you can return the unopened tubes try to get the calk gun size as it will be easyer to apply

 

[Mogurako]

2 tubes should be enough but I would get 3 just in case. Make sure to spend the extra money on the "no drip" caulking gun otherwise your in for a bit of a mess.

 

[Mogurako]

Oh and wear gloves!

 

[Grizz]

You havent lived untill you've spent 3-4 hrs picking that stuff off your hands
Use the tip of a plastic spoon to smooth it just keep wiping the spoon clean with a paper towel i use wendys spoons it makes a nice even line

 

[BillD]

you can wear tight fitting nitrile gloves to help avoid the mess. Try not t put too much silicone on or you won't be able to give it a nice finish. This is a case where more is not necessarily better. If you gun in too big of a bead you will end up with a bulky edge rather than one that is feathered/blended in. I sort of made this mistake with a 90. I used less than one tube on it even with a huge bead so 2 tubes should be sufficient. If you aren't comfortable with caulking, buy some cheap caulk and practice on a cardboard box.
the most important step is the stripping out. You need to assure you have removed all the old silicone. Once you are sure you have gotten it all, get a new blade and go over it all again. On a tank that size I would have a helper to assist in rolling the tank to make it easier to apply the silicone.

 

[Rinzy]

Ok. I started cutting all the seams out - I got most of it out but now there's all these little pieces stuck everywhere - they don't really wipe out easily. What's the best way to get all that out?

 

[Mogurako]

Ok. I started cutting all the seams out - I got most of it out but now there's all these little pieces stuck everywhere - they don't really wipe out easily. What's the best way to get all that out?

Rubbing alcohol and sharp razorblades.

 

[BillD]

The rubbing alcohol will do nothing to aid in the removal of the silicone, but is used to clean the joint prior to applying the new silicone. Keep at it with the razor blades. If you are referring to little bits stuck to the glass after removal, try a vacuum to get them out of the tank.

 

[Mogurako]

The rubbing alcohol will do nothing to aid in the removal of the silicone, but is used to clean the joint prior to applying the new silicone. Keep at it with the razor blades. If you are referring to little bits stuck to the glass after removal, try a vacuum to get them out of the tank.

Yea I forgot to add the rubbing alcohol was for the residue left behind. Shot vac an razor blades are best for those little pieces.

 

[Rinzy]

Is this the right stuff?

 

[pistolero]

Yes, that's it, and two tubes should be plenty. I just redid a 50 long and I used almost one whole tube but I put it on too thick. Getting all the old stuff out with all the cleaning and scraping is the most work. It's all in the prep.
Don't scrimp on the elbow grease.

 

[Rinzy]

Yes, that's it, and two tubes should be plenty. I just redid a 50 long and I used almost one whole tube but I put it on too thick. Getting all the old stuff out with all the cleaning and scraping is the most work. It's all in the prep.
Don't scrimp on the elbow grease.

Yeah, tell me about it