So I bought a 75 gallon tank off of craigs list for $60. Seemed too good to be true. Well it was. Got it home and like an idiot I set it up got it all ready and even put my Oscars and Jacks in it. I woke up the next morning to find that it was leaking in three areas. Two were in corner areas, and one along the front of the tank. Is it worth the time and money to re-silicone this tank? No cracks from what I can see, just seems to be the seams I guess. From what I have read it’s the inside silicone that I would remove and not touch the outside silicone right? What is the strongest and best silicone at a decent price? Do I need to remove the molding for any of this or is that only if I’m removing panels? Any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks
75 Gallon leaking.....What do I do?
- Thread starter tk21384
- Start date
It may be worth the time and money to re-seal a 75g tank IF you do it properly. Properly includes scraping out all the old silicone on the inside of the tank. That is eight seams. Silicone will not stick to old silicone. Period! You will be using up several single edge razor blades. Dull ones will not scrape well enough. If you aren't up to the effort, sell it as a reptile tank and find a new one for your self.
If you do the job yourself, Do not scrimp on silicon cost. When you go cheap you get what you pay for.
While there are cheaper materials that may work or may have worked for someone, purchase silicone labeled for aquarium use. That way you'll never have to wonder if a tank of dead fish was due to you trying to save a buck. Most fish shops stock caulking tube sizes. If not, Amazon.com using silicone aquarium will turn up lots of vendors.
For those who claim that anything labeled 100% silicone is only silicone, that's not necessarily true. Fractional percentages don't have to be listed for a great many products.
If you do the job yourself, Do not scrimp on silicon cost. When you go cheap you get what you pay for.
While there are cheaper materials that may work or may have worked for someone, purchase silicone labeled for aquarium use. That way you'll never have to wonder if a tank of dead fish was due to you trying to save a buck. Most fish shops stock caulking tube sizes. If not, Amazon.com using silicone aquarium will turn up lots of vendors.
For those who claim that anything labeled 100% silicone is only silicone, that's not necessarily true. Fractional percentages don't have to be listed for a great many products.
So is GE 1 not a good silicone? I have read a lot of threads and they recommend this silicone. Also what is the proper alcohol to clean the tank with after I have got all the old silicone off the tank.
I'm using GE 1 to install my glass in my 430 gal plywood build. I've done research on recommended silicon types, and although it might not be the best, GE 1 was the most frequently recommended product to use by both beginner and advanced hobbyist. Most recommended between all three MFKeepers network sites which includes this one.
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I did a 55g with GE I and it is fine. I used painters tape on each side of the joints to get clean lines when smoothing the caulk. Remove the tape as soon as you're done or you will peel the new caulk off the glass because it sticks to the tape after it cures as well as the glass.
Looking at JUST GE1 or GE2 (GEII), is not guaranteed in getting the correct one. There is so much confusion in different forums and back and forth arguments with some saying to get GE1 and others saying GE2 is the one with no mold inhibitors in it.
So just make sure it does NOT say for kitchen and bath. Get the one that says for window and door... which USUALLY is GE1.
They all will say not for aquarium use due to not wanting to get sued if someones tank leaks and does hundreds of dollars (or more) worth of damage.
Use isopropyl alcohol to clean the glass really good after scraping the old silicone out. For all uses for IPA, I prefer the 91% isopropyl, which I can only find at Walmart. It has a red label. It's stronger and cleans better.
So just make sure it does NOT say for kitchen and bath. Get the one that says for window and door... which USUALLY is GE1.
They all will say not for aquarium use due to not wanting to get sued if someones tank leaks and does hundreds of dollars (or more) worth of damage.
Use isopropyl alcohol to clean the glass really good after scraping the old silicone out. For all uses for IPA, I prefer the 91% isopropyl, which I can only find at Walmart. It has a red label. It's stronger and cleans better.
you can simply purchase aquarium silicone if you have doubts.
dr fosters has it in tubes http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3771+3963&pcatid=3963
or see if the hardware store can order it for you
dr fosters has it in tubes http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3771+3963&pcatid=3963
or see if the hardware store can order it for you
I used GE2 on my 110 reseal with no problems
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The difference between GE1 and GE2 (Window and Door) is the cure. GE2 is neutral and does not release acids during the cure. This reduces odor and allows a broader range of materials the silicone will adhere to. Any of these 100% silicone caulks will work, but the GE Supreme (Window and Door) has the best flexibility. I do believe the GE1, GE2, and Supreme (Kitchen and Bath) caulks are the ones to avoid.
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Yes I agree that would be best if you could wait on a shipment. I started to point out that same brand at Amazone:
http://www.amazon.com/Marineland-31...351730488&sr=8-1&keywords=marineland+silicone
And at Amazon, this item from this particular vendor is eligible for free shipping with only a $25 purchase. So find some other items you need that are eligible for the free shipping such as food, nets, filter media...
