Given 2nd hand tank - Its a mess

[TonyB]

Just been given a 2nd hand tank, its 3ft by 1ft, no hood and the end glass panel needs replacing (its cracked)! Oh, its also been in a garden for 3 years!

However, i'm confident it will look great when its tidied up but my question is, where do i start??

Is it easy to replace the end glass?

I'm gonna put a hose on it first to get rid of the surface dirt but it will need a deeper clean than that. Also, it had polysterene at the bottom which has rotted away but i was told that polysterene at the bottom wasnt a good idea anyway ???

any ideas where to start?

thanks

 

[Gunnie]

I bought a 110 high with a known leak, and read up on what to do. You probably should clean it first. Then you are going to have to take a razor blade or scraping tool and remove all the silicone sealant on the inside of the tank. The sides will still be stuck together, and you will then need to remove the broken side by working away at the seal holding it to the sides. After it comes off, you should clean the old silicon off the remaining sides so you will have clean smooth surfaces to attach the new piece of glass with. I forgot to also mention that once you think you've scraped off all the silicone, use isopropyl alcohol rubbed all over these sides to remove any more residue. You can then re-silicone the sides the new piece will attach to, and hold the sides with some masking tape until they are dry. Once the side is in place, continue to re-silicone the inside seams, and push the silicone into the seams with a finger or knuckle. All the seams need to be done at the same time while the silicone is wet. I have read you can't add new silicone to silicone that is already dry. Let it dry for at least a week, and put it somewhere where you can test it for leaks where it won't damage anything if it does. It's a tough job, but will be very rewarding once you've got your tank set up. Out first attempt with the 110 didn't work, and my husband had to start over. I am filling it again today to see how we did. When you clean the tank before removing the silicone, use oxy clean. I had to re-start a tank that went bad and killed almost all the fish in it. The oxy-clean really made the tank clean!

 

[TKOS]

I agree that you definatley have to resilicon this tank. Make sure to get silicone that is pure and does not contain any additives.

I would take the glass end out as careful as possible and take it in with you to a glass cutting shop. That way they will get it exact.

Oxyclean is great for cleaning tanks as it doesn't use soap. Also a vinegar solution is great at water stain removal.

The polystyrene is often used to level a tank. Some people like it others don't, though unless it is really high and makes the tank unstable it won't hurt.

 

[jeffro426]

Replacing a panel isnt all that hard, its just time consumung. Took me the better part of a day to place an end panel on my 100 gallon...most of the time was spent removing the old silicone and getting the top peice of trim off. Have it (the glass)professionally cut so you dont have to mess with it...i took my broken peice in and they matched it perfectly. Then after you have the trim off, CAREFULLY silicone everything back in place where it went using plenty of masking tape anywhere you dont want silicone and to get nice clean silicone lines(make sure you remove it before it cures or youll have a huge mess). I use GE Silicone I...havent had a problem with it yet. Let it dry for a few days in a room thats around 70-80 degrees till there is absolutly no more vinager smell. Then fill it full of water and make sure you dont have any leaks and you should be set!

 

[Glenstorm]

I refurbed a 20L tank that had a broken pane at one end. The hardest part for me was getting the plastic molding at the top and bottome off. I ended up breaking one piece of the molding. Not sure how to do it differently next time though. Maybe just go slower. Good luck with your project though.

 

[TonyB]

ok, thanks for your advice

unfortunately, taking the broken piece to get an exact fix wont be an option and there was no way of removing it without it falling apart.

I've taken the measurements and i know someone who can get me some glass for nothing

I've started to clean all the surface dirt off using my shower (!) and a brillo pad and its looking better already (albeit only 3 sides!). Only using hot water though.

Being UK based i'm not sure what OXYclean is? Could you advise.

I've got vinegar based window cleaner.

Oh by the way, i cant believe how addictive Aquarium keeping is! I had to be dragged out of my local pet place as i was about to buy a 50 gallon tank!

 

[daveedka]

Not sure who dragged you out of the pet store, but you might want to avoid taking them along next time. The big trick is to get it full of water before your spouse/partner sees it. Then it is harder to return.