used 125g, silicone separating, missing bottom plastic trim..how to use?

[Greg5OH]

Picked up a used aquarium...learnt there's a reason people sell tanks..
I notice right at the top, the silicone right between the two panes of glass is separating, you can see when you push on the glass the void closes up. I assume the void goes all the way to the top. I dont see the glass move. I was planning on redoing in inner seal any how.

Further, the bottom plastic trim ring is broken and missing the 18" long side. I always heard the plastic rings are just to prevent chipping of the corners, or does it actually help to brace the tank? I was planning on taking off the whole bottom plastic trim and just nestling the tank into my custom wood stand I am making for it that would hug it around all ends.

Other than getting a new tank, what do you guys recommend I do?

further thought, what about no trim on the bottom and just placing it on a piece of 1" insulating foam laid over my stand? The foam will take up any irregularities from the wood, and support the entire underside of the tank.

 

[dylan p]

I would do exactly what you just said and redo the silicone inside the tank as for the frame if it isn't totally busted off I would leave it or buy a new one. The bottom frame helps prevent pressure points on the glass that could cause it to crack


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[Greg5OH]

so your not too concerned about that void right there?

How about removing the bottom frame and just placing the whole deal on a piece of 1" thick home insulation foam? My frame is basicaly a large rectangular frame with two braces in between.

 

[dylan p]

I would just cut off the access silicone in the tank and re silicone it and buy a new bottom frame because there cheap. You just don't want the glass against the stand is all


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[Greg5OH]

i called two LFS, they said they COULD get it but woudl take 6+ week! 0.o

 

[dylan p]

I would just cut off the access silicone in the tank and re silicone it and buy a new bottom frame because there cheap. You just don't want the glass against the stand is all


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[spoonman]

www.glasscages.com sells trim and premade frames. Check them out. I wouldn't use a tank without a frame that was meant to have one. Just my $.02.

 

[dylan p]

Sorry phone said it couldn't send


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[Greg5OH]

glass cages max size they have is 48x12.
As an engineer, I am looking at this plastic trim. I don't see any wya this can support the tank, in any way other than a beauty piece, and to protect the edge of the glass while handling. Not to mentioned its barely held together at the edges, where its weakest point would be. If the tank starts pushing out, that corner will split whether you want it to or not.
Now I do have a center glass brace on top. my tank is .5" thick glass. Could it survive without it? probably, Id have to calculate it, but I like to overbuild things myself, don't like to leave stuff to "ehh..seems good enough"

Going back to the plastic trim, my two options are:
one way or another I will be placing this on inch thick house insulating foam, to alleviate any hi spots in the stand and let the tank sit as flat as possible.

1) I build my own trim out of MDF 3/4" 90 degree trimming, or oak. Its going to be stronger than the dinky plastic any way, but-again not necessary I think. The tank will basically be only supported around the outer perimiter of the tank, which I believe is how most are held.
2) take the plastic bottom trim off, and just place the whole thing flat on my 1" foam. Make the edging on my stand sit nice and tight against the glass, creating a much stronger edging than the stock plastic, or even my oak trim could provide.

I just am still scared of that void in the silicone there. I ordered some GE SC1200 in clear, I will reseal it, then place the tank outside on my concrete patio on a scrap piece of foam over some 2x4, fill it to the top..and keep an eye on it for a week..

 

[dylan p]

www.glasscages.com sells trim and premade frames. Check them out. I wouldn't use a tank without a frame that was meant to have one. Just my $.02.

I also recommend this site I've bought from them with no problems they also sell replacement glass. Beware of buying a frame from a lfs because unless they have suppliers that sell them they will just be ordering online probably off this site or a similar site and they will just add on to the price to make profit. So instead of paying for the glass and shipping you will be paying glass, shipping, and whatever additional money the lfs wants to charge


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[dylan p]

glass cages max size they have is 48x12.

As an engineer, I am looking at this plastic trim. I don't see any wya this can support the tank, in any way other than a beauty piece, and to protect the edge of the glass while handling. Not to mentioned its barely held together at the edges, where its weakest point would be. If the tank starts pushing out, that corner will split whether you want it to or not.

Now I do have a center glass brace on top. my tank is .5" thick glass. Could it survive without it? probably, Id have to calculate it, but I like to overbuild things myself, don't like to leave stuff to "ehh..seems good enough"



Going back to the plastic trim, my two options are:

one way or another I will be placing this on inch thick house insulating foam, to alleviate any hi spots in the stand and let the tank sit as flat as possible.



1) I build my own trim out of MDF 3/4" 90 degree trimming, or oak. Its going to be stronger than the dinky plastic any way, but-again not necessary I think. The tank will basically be only supported around the outer perimiter of the tank, which I believe is how most are held.

2) take the plastic bottom trim off, and just place the whole thing flat on my 1" foam. Make the edging on my stand sit nice and tight against the glass, creating a much stronger edging than the stock plastic, or even my oak trim could provide.



I just am still scared of that void in the silicone there. I ordered some GE SC1200 in clear, I will reseal it, then place the tank outside on my concrete patio on a scrap piece of foam over some 2x4, fill it to the top..and keep an eye on it for a week..

those all sound like good ideas the main thing is keeping the glass from sitting flat on the stand so the foam should work you just don't want any pressure points on the bottom sheet of glass. All it takes is a larger grain of sand or the corner of a screw to crack the glass once the tank is filled. As for the top braces I believe they help keep the glass from bowing and I wouldn't mess with it unless you plan to replace it with a stronger material


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[Greg5OH]

That void will always be on the back of my mind as a "what if.."
Can i take apart JUSt the front glass where this is and leave the bottom and 3 remaining sides undisturbed? I dont mind resealing one pane, Not looking forward to breaking down the tank completely..

I will be using GE SCS1200 clear silicone

 

[dylan p]

The glass isn't separating is it? If not all you have to do is scrape the silicone on the inside of the tank and it should hold together then you just re silicone the inside. You shouldn't have to take the tank apart


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[Greg5OH]

correct, the glass isnt separating, or at least not completel. When I have my wife watch the side panel glass as i push on it, she doesnt see any movement on the glass, can just see the void in the silicone as i pictured close up (goes see thru not opaque as in the pic).

If you see the picture on the first page you can see the void in the silicone there. it seems to be an air pocket that closes up when you push on the side glass

 

[Greg5OH]

guys some more questions.

I had the tank lying on its side, and when i go to put it right side up., i notice at the top betwqeeen the two panes (different pane than the original void) you can see air pockets being created when i lift up on the front 6' piece of glass, as though its trying to separate.

Should i quit screwing around and just break the tank down completely and resilicone the whole dang thing? I got 2 tubes of GE SCS1200 silicone here. The tank was built pretty crappy, the one small side pane sits lower than all the others, and the bottom is only supported via the silicone in shear. No part of the bottom pane would ever even touch the black plastic trim. This is where most tanks fail frpom what I have seen, the bottom "drops out".

So should i cut ALL the glass apart, or only the front pane which seems to be the most troublesome? I dont want to be breaking down the tank again in 2 years.

If i cut it apart. Do i place it on its side and put on the side panel, then bottom, then other side panel, and finally the rear panel?
Best wya to hold it all together?

 

[mr_X]

Are you building a stand for this? Why not just remove the bottom plastic, and build the stand so that it cradles the tank in wood? It will never blow out if it's sitting inside a wooden frame. I'd just re-silicone the inside of the tank at that point.
I just replaced the bottom pane of a 300 gallon with plywood, and used a steel frame to help me sleep at night, but my tank is in the wall and the steel can't be seen viewing from the front. This tank must have been pretty old, as the silicone was tattered and missing in spots. I just cleaned the inside well and added new silicone and done.

 

[Greg5OH]

Yes but what was the condition of the primary seal, the part that actually holds the glass together. any air bubbles or voids in it? Like i said i have air bubbles and some voids in the primary seal. a secondary seal inside the tank wont keep it together

 

[Clayman]

Is it the seal between the two panels or the inner seal that's separating?

 

[Greg5OH]

Primary seal-between the two panes
There is a 2" long void and when i press on it as to "pull it away" i see other small air pockets forming in between

 

[mr_X]

Then that was a manufacturers flaw, and not something that happened over time. I bet it's fine.