Integrity of old aquarium

Jan 19, 2006
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I have a 20L tank which I had been using for the past 4 months to hold fish. The tank itself is an All-Glass, about 13 years old ( I bought it new). For a few years after I bought it, I kept hamsters in there. They did gnaw at the corners and edges. It wasn't until Sep 2005 that I put water in it. It went 4 months without leaking and I finally got too paranoid and drained it. I upgraded to a new 30 gallon.
But I still have a hood for the 20L and would like to use it (the tank) if I could be sure of its integrity. Is there any way to know if it will hold up? The silicone is not yet yellowed, cracked, or stiff. Would a re-siliconing be the only safe route?
 
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No. It held water (and 40 lbs sand, 40 lbs rock) for four months. I took it down because it was worrying me - it hadn't yet had any problems.
 
If it holds water, it holds water. Chances are, it'll be o.k., but you'll worry about it none-the-less. If you're up to the task, resilicone it.
 
Well this thread can die. I threw out the tank. I figured $35 is a small price for peace of mind. I live in a second floor apartment and a tank failure could end up costing me far more than the price of a new tank.
Plus, I did some stupid stuff with the tank before I knew any better. When I first tested to see if it held water, I filled it halfway and left it outside for a couple days. When I was satisfied with its performance, I lifted it up and poured the water out like I was emptying a bucket. I was pretty shocked at how heavy it was (I'm an idiot). We also moved the tank around alot with sand, water, and rocks still in there. I can't believe that thing held up - especially with hamsters gnawing at the silicone for years!
 
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