So you've decided on getting a slightly larger bottom panel, from what i remember the bottom panel was originally inside the 4 walls correct? i see now that you have decided to just have the 4 walls sit atop the bottom panel. will this be fine? will you still need to add the trim or is the trim just for asthetics anyways? i only ask because i too am in the same prediciment as you. scored a 240 gallon tank 8 x 2 x 2 and the bottom panel has 1 large crack length wise end to end. i am hoping i will be able to repair this. too bad you arent in Vegas you could show me the light. thanks greatly for this thread it calms my nerves a bit to see that such a large tank can be repaired. good luck.
$50 craiglist 225 tank/cabinet/canopy DIY refurbish
- Thread starter CWO4GUNNER
- Start date
Again I want to thank everyone for their kind comments which have inspired me to keep going and please excuse my lack of direct response.
Well I changed my mind (not the first time) and decided that while I still have the aquarium upside-down I might as well put on the bottom trim which had arrived by UPS the day before. Sorry no pics yet, I'm working alone today and with sticky silicone fingers picking up a camera doesn't work, but the pics will keep coming as I finish a segment.
The trim is not standard aquarium which cost way too much IMHO. Rather I am using black PVC 1/8 inch thick angle iron which is much much stiffer and much more reasonably priced, a 1.5x1.5 inch right angle section 1/8 inch thick and 6 feet long cost about $7. You can buy it in different lengths, thickness up to 1 inch and angles up to 4 inches on line and shipping is very reasonable.
But after this hands on experiences I have really learned allot about the relationship between glass and silicone and why plastic trim no matter how string can never really be anything more then a decorative item, and that is becasue of its poor ability to adhere to silicone. Apply silicone to clean glass and you have to use allot of effort to get it off once cured. In fact without tools like razors and sand paper its almost impossible to get silicone off glass with your bare hands. But put some silicone on any piece or type of cleaned petroleum based plastic and after it cures (glass not involved), you merely have to peel up the leading edge with your fingers and it peels off like electricians tape. Of course with a large surface area like trim it stays put mostly becasue of the silicon sticking to the glass so well. So there is a part of me that regrets not spending $20 more and using aluminum angle which had sealing properties almost as good as glass to silicone, this would have provided a structural double seal. Live and learn.
iap- All I can say is that replacing a panel is relatively cheap especially on a large aquarium. You have a choice, you can trash the 240 gallon and buy a new one for $800 or find another used one for $250-$400 after waiting 6 month to a year and a possible hidden crack, or you can order your own glass for about $120 plus incidentals like silicone and razorblades ($30) and do it yourself. But unless your willing to be extremely persistent, yet patient and self motivated about the opportunity learn and experience something new and the conquest involved, otherwise it may not be worth it. Your biggest enemy will be your confidence and having to learn new skills in what seems like an impossible task, turns out to be very rewarding just like learning to drive a car or swim.
Now that I know how to do it, I would definitely do it again. In fact if I am ever in the market for a very large glass aquarium, I will definitely be looking for one with 1 busted panel which should make it a super bargain maybe even free LOL
Well I changed my mind (not the first time) and decided that while I still have the aquarium upside-down I might as well put on the bottom trim which had arrived by UPS the day before. Sorry no pics yet, I'm working alone today and with sticky silicone fingers picking up a camera doesn't work, but the pics will keep coming as I finish a segment.
The trim is not standard aquarium which cost way too much IMHO. Rather I am using black PVC 1/8 inch thick angle iron which is much much stiffer and much more reasonably priced, a 1.5x1.5 inch right angle section 1/8 inch thick and 6 feet long cost about $7. You can buy it in different lengths, thickness up to 1 inch and angles up to 4 inches on line and shipping is very reasonable.
But after this hands on experiences I have really learned allot about the relationship between glass and silicone and why plastic trim no matter how string can never really be anything more then a decorative item, and that is becasue of its poor ability to adhere to silicone. Apply silicone to clean glass and you have to use allot of effort to get it off once cured. In fact without tools like razors and sand paper its almost impossible to get silicone off glass with your bare hands. But put some silicone on any piece or type of cleaned petroleum based plastic and after it cures (glass not involved), you merely have to peel up the leading edge with your fingers and it peels off like electricians tape. Of course with a large surface area like trim it stays put mostly becasue of the silicon sticking to the glass so well. So there is a part of me that regrets not spending $20 more and using aluminum angle which had sealing properties almost as good as glass to silicone, this would have provided a structural double seal. Live and learn.
iap- All I can say is that replacing a panel is relatively cheap especially on a large aquarium. You have a choice, you can trash the 240 gallon and buy a new one for $800 or find another used one for $250-$400 after waiting 6 month to a year and a possible hidden crack, or you can order your own glass for about $120 plus incidentals like silicone and razorblades ($30) and do it yourself. But unless your willing to be extremely persistent, yet patient and self motivated about the opportunity learn and experience something new and the conquest involved, otherwise it may not be worth it. Your biggest enemy will be your confidence and having to learn new skills in what seems like an impossible task, turns out to be very rewarding just like learning to drive a car or swim.
Now that I know how to do it, I would definitely do it again. In fact if I am ever in the market for a very large glass aquarium, I will definitely be looking for one with 1 busted panel which should make it a super bargain maybe even free LOL
Last edited:
Wasn't planning on commenting today but had a minor brake through. As you know I have been cutting and fitting PVC trim and along with the 3 panels I removed and replaced there was quite a bit of excess silicone to remove on both side of the glass.
First off let me say that if you ever replace or reinstall a panel don't be afraid to use a fat bead of silicone on both the panel edges as it will ensure a good seal with no bubbles or very few, and never wipe off any of the excess while still wet as some suggest as it will only smear making for a much harder cleaning later. Fat excess blobs are much easy to get off with a razor then wade smears with a razor blade.
While my trim has been setting up with silicone I was spending time tediously removing silicone from those places I had smeared, and if you have good silicone the residue is almost impossible to get off without using sand paper as the razor cant even get it all off.
This is where the brake through comes in, as I was reading that silicone will come off easily if first wipes with a damp cloth of paint thinner, just enough to cause the smudged excess silicon to expand and soften but not enough to actually make wet or run with liquid thinner. Well I had to give it a try and man what an incredible difference as the targeted silicone came off with a razor all at once like jelly. Then another damp wipe and the glass was spotless.
To detox you have to follow up cleaning the affected area with denatured alcohol or rubbing alcohol, and after that dries with distilled white vinegar. Seems a bit more tasking but is 20 times faster then using a razor blade and sand paper along, way faster.
Well that's it tomorrow before turning the aquarium right-side up for inside cleaning Ill post a pic of the new trim.
First off let me say that if you ever replace or reinstall a panel don't be afraid to use a fat bead of silicone on both the panel edges as it will ensure a good seal with no bubbles or very few, and never wipe off any of the excess while still wet as some suggest as it will only smear making for a much harder cleaning later. Fat excess blobs are much easy to get off with a razor then wade smears with a razor blade.
While my trim has been setting up with silicone I was spending time tediously removing silicone from those places I had smeared, and if you have good silicone the residue is almost impossible to get off without using sand paper as the razor cant even get it all off.
This is where the brake through comes in, as I was reading that silicone will come off easily if first wipes with a damp cloth of paint thinner, just enough to cause the smudged excess silicon to expand and soften but not enough to actually make wet or run with liquid thinner. Well I had to give it a try and man what an incredible difference as the targeted silicone came off with a razor all at once like jelly. Then another damp wipe and the glass was spotless.
To detox you have to follow up cleaning the affected area with denatured alcohol or rubbing alcohol, and after that dries with distilled white vinegar. Seems a bit more tasking but is 20 times faster then using a razor blade and sand paper along, way faster.
Well that's it tomorrow before turning the aquarium right-side up for inside cleaning Ill post a pic of the new trim.
This morning we turned the aquarium right side up inside the truck but using cushions to slowly lay the aquarium on it's side and then right-side up. But before we did I took this photo of the PVC angle iron bottom trim installed to protect the glass edges. The old bottom glass had no protective trim on the bottom, just side veneer and why the bottom took so many direct blows each time the privious owner moved it finally cracking. Some people don't realize that glass coming in contact (tap) with other hard materials like stone flooring or door jams can chip especially on the edges where the glass is most vulnerable and why its a good idea to install right angle trim IMHO.
