too much pressure? Will the seal bust out completely!?

[808felicity]

long story short...
200 gal tank. Small leak in bottom joint.
If you push on the joint (front glass pane to side)
you can SEE water squish around in between the joint with the silicone.

sO - Can I strip the old INSIDE seal and reseal the crap out of it...or will the pressure eventually just blow out the entire seal! ?

My options:

Reseal joint/seal. make a (nice) 2x4 literal brace around the entire tank joints reenforcing it and making it look like a custom made set up `enclosure`.

Keep it half full ( it dose not leak @ half full ) and build a custom made two level tank with a lizard on top or something neat with an enclosed top extended up a few feet screened in top `dome`.

Sure, sounds like a lot of work...but I stay at home with the kids, have lots of time..little help (I can't budge the tank myself) and I enjoy creating stuff. I change up the tanks a lot so Im not worried about leaving it half full...but IF I filled it ..would I be a complete moron to even think about it with the seal like that. It only that I can tell is weakened at the lower 6 inches. ...
I appreciate any input...
THANKS!

 

[Tomchong22]

My recommendation do all three. You do not want to leave it to chance and come home to 200 gallons of water on the floor. Its a small task for a Lot at stake.

 

[Retired_AF]

You definately should reseal it.

When you do, make sure you take out ALL of the old sealant. Use a razor blade and clean off every bit of the silicone and the residue. Clean the glass with ammonia and make sure it is very clean. Tape off the edges and reseal using pure silicone (like GE Type I) without any mildew inhibitors or anything like that.

When you put the silicone in, use a tongue depressor to push as much as you can into the joint and taper the seal to a rounded form like when it came from the factory.

Be sure to pull off the tape before the silicone starts to set (Mine started setting in about 15 minutes). You will have to work fast so it may help to have someone there to help. One could work the sealant and the other pull the tape.

Let the tank sit for 2 days before putting water in it to make sure the sealant cures. Fill the tank and let it sit for a few days (preferrably in a garage or outside) to make sure it doesnt leak. If it does, you have to start over and clean it all out.

Good luck!

 

[808felicity]

Well thank you! I think I am going to do that. this tank is more tall then deep and for some reason I have a thing for long shallow tanks vs tall and narrow..I believe I will take your advise however reassemble in a different fashion. I will take the bad sealed off and lay the tank on its side. Then I will make the side plate and reseal it as the 'other' side - which should be the top. making the tank much,much longer in with. Yes, it will have a taller back (or front) none of which bothers me however I've never done anything like this of a sort. I do melt plexiglass and reform it to look like frosted glass or just clear and make bits of art. It is amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it. Usually I play with copper tubing and en circle them in a colored or spray painted wine or beer bottle giving the shape of a bird..or something..(gotta have something to do!) And have recently applied this to plexiglass. much harder as it is not easy to handle it heated and dah,dah,dah. Ill try to stick on a pic of one of my first prototypes..fun, but anywhoo...I di thank you again. It will be awhile as I tend to jump projects. I'm glad the tank was more a beginning planted-that I get from local lakes & rivers(no seed awaiting)-and not full of fish. which I tend to have a soft spot for my plants over a plain-jane fish. Sound awful, I can't really explain it...I guess I,personally,can replicate or produce a plant-which I cannot a fish :}
:8}

 

[808felicity]

Im so sorry, as Im new, I cannot find a direct "browse"link to get a pic up...I'm not sure if it has it own URL :?

 

[Homer8]

turn it into a brackish tank with mudskippers and archers