gap in silicone

AudraM

AudraM

AC Members
Jan 2, 2008
65
0
0
Queen Creek, AZ
I resealed my aquarium this week and for the most part I think I did a good job. It's prettier than the old silicone at least (a girl has to have priorities, right? :)), but there is a half inch or so about 4 inches up in one vertical corner where the silicone gaps. It almost looks like there was a bubble and before the silicone dried the bubble burst leaving a very thin area. I checked for leaks and their aren't any, but I'm sure this will be a weak point and it's pretty close to the bottom of the tank. How do I deal with this? I assume I can't just dab some silicone on the gap.
 
Silicone can be pretty deceiving and is much tougher sealed to glass then most other surfaces I have use silicone on. I would just take a close look at it, pull and poke at it just a little to get a feel of its surface strength and how well its sealed in that thin spot. If it seems resilient and tough and doesn't leak, Id leave it alone.
 
I'd re-seal it....
 
yep..one of two choices. leave it alone and take the chance i will eventualy.(its a pretty good one imho, lol) OR tear it down n cut it all back out clean with vinegar n reseal completely. new silicone wont stick to old. good luck with whatever ya decide :-)
 
Since this is a no leak yet situation its a no call for me becasue although I'm a bit of a perfectionist I'm also a minimalist. If it not leaking then just monitor it at worst you will have a dip-drip warning, but if it doesn't leak in a week it probubly wont for 5 years. I have one 80 tank that has a silicon leak at the very top and until I have time to get to it I just keep the water level an inch lower then usual. But you can bet Ill be doing a successful 5 minute patch job first, no way I'm striping the entire 3 hour tank reseal for a spot leak, at least not before trying the spot repair. But If I had a thin spot in one of my tanks with no leaks, no way Id tackle it until it leaked. So its all a matter of time and ambition. If your a perfectionist ant your going to lose sleep over it and enjoy the resealing practice and don't have fish that need their home then absolutely do a complete reseal.
 
Last edited:
The problem with that theory, especially low in the tank, four inches in a vertical direction, is your first "leak" is apt to be a tank burst. Not worth the risk IMO, especially as easy as a re-seal is to do.
 
With all respect Rbishop, a tank burst from a progressive crack or chip is one thing, but a tank burst as a result of a faulty "inside seal" spot, not even considering the seal between the panels which is designed to hold the aquarium together, an inside spot seal leak resulting in a tank burst is extremely improbable. I mean if your that serious then all 4 panels should be separated cleaned of old silicone and rebuilt, after all that's laying new silicone over old right.
 
I think as long as I've got the tank broken down, I'll do this right and fix it. Do I reseal all the corners, or just the one with the spot? And if I just do the corner with the spot, do I do entire corner or a few inches?
 
CWO4GUNNER said:
With all respect Rbishop, a tank burst from a progressive crack or chip is one thing, but a tank burst as a result of a faulty "inside seal" spot, not even considering the seal between the panels which is designed to hold the aquarium together, an inside spot seal leak resulting in a tank burst is extremely improbable. I mean if your that serious then all 4 panels should be separated cleaned of old silicone and rebuilt, after all that's laying new silicone over old right.
Click to expand...


Not improbable at all if you have been reading the forums as long as I have.....it is the tanks that get this save that usually burst IME...to each his own...not my floor or fish.....

No need to split the tank apart...just a clean of all interior and re-seal....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom