Metaframe tank refurbish

Lab_Rat

Lab_Rat

Merry Christmas!
Dec 3, 2009
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Deep South
I picked this tank up a while ago and am finally getting around to working on it. Whoever owned it previously had resiliconed the tank, though not very successfully because it leaked like crazy when I tested it. It still had the original slate bottom.

I was stripping off the silicone when the bottom fell out. Literally. I had flipped the tank upside down to get the silicone off the bottom when the slate let loose. I ended up removing the piece of slate (it's in one piece, didn't break or anything. The glass is pretty scratched up and etched, so at this point I figure why not replace the glass while I'm at it.

Tank without the slate:
001.jpg


Scraping down the corners:
002.jpg


003.jpg


The bottom obviously went in last, so that was first to come out. Next are the short sides. I managed to remove one side without issue (being careful not to bend the frame).

004.jpg


The second side is being more difficult and a rain storm came up, ending my work on trying to remove it for today. Right now my plan is to get all new glass cut for the sides and replace the bottom with glass. I'll try to find black silicone and use silicone to put the tank back together. I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing, so any tips and advice is very welcomed.
 
Use painters tape on the outside to hold all the glass panes in the correct spots. You don't want a piece of glass to break if you weren't changing it.That dried up black tar stuff that spaces the glass from the frame and used to seal the glass, keep that stuff there. When you put back the sides and bottom put some warm water and gradually add warmer water to it. The black tar will redistribute to the glass. I did that to reseal a leaky one and it worked for me. I ended up siliconing it anyway just for protection. I have 10 different sizes to reseal when I get a chance. Good luck!
 
Hi
The VERY first thing to do is find out what the replacement parts are going to cost lol
I've found in repair you can spend more money than what a new tank will cost. It is possible to polish out scratches but far easier to take them to a glass co. Again be sure to compare the cost While it's not too difficult to work with glass it does take some specialized tools and of course a little knowhow never hurts any peroject?? lol
Goodluck with whatever you decide!!! gary
 
Nice job so far. Since you will be replacing the glass anyway, I would recommend using a heat gun to soften the existing tar sealant to make it easier to remove the glass. Be sure to wear heavy gloves as the glass does get quite hot to the touch.

I've also acquired a few (26) of these style tanks that need complete tear down or glass replacements. So far though, I've only disassembled one 10G slate bottom tank. The original glass was 1/16" thick and four replacement panels only cost me $10 from a local glass shop. It is still sitting on my workbench because I'm not quite sure how I want to reassemble it to maintain the old tar gap that was between the metal frame and the glass.

I'm looking forward to seeing your project finished.
 
Thanks guys! I do need to find out how much the new glass will cost. The old stuff is really scraped up and etched, but I'll see if any local glass companies can fix them. I don't have a heat gun but I do have a hair dryer, would that help? This doesn't have to be a perfect authentic metaframe restoration, I just want it to look nice and hold water.
 
Looks like a great project. The glass shouldn't cost much, but you might want to consider going with tempered for the bottom. It will cost a bit more, but will hold up to the stress of the weight of a filled tank much better.
 
I've got 2 55 gallon Metaframe tanks and love them. One I have had for years. It was given to me by my brother in law. The second I picked up on CL for $30.00 including the stand. Set it up outside and no leaks after over 2 months. Set it up in the kitchen and guess what? It leaked. For about 3 days. Finally sealed itself up. I'm running a planted tank with soil in it. The soil sealed up the leaks and after 2 weeks it's doing fine.

Even though your tank was siliconed you could still use a heatgun to melt the asphaltum and remove the glass. I don't know why you'd remove the slate bottom but to each his/her own. I love having that slate bottom myself.
 
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I'm just wondering, has anyone actually tried using a heat gun? I'm worried it might crack the glass. (heat + most glass = expansion)

Just incase I get a metal tank one day ;).
 
George, I completely agree with you regarding loving the slate bottom. I will be putting my slates back in the tank but they have to be removed first, before removing the glass panes.

I have seen some recommendations on a personal website and in old magazines that recommend putting in a glass bottom and sealing it to the 4 side panes of glass will give you a watertight aquarium. Then the slate bottom is either placed in the bottom loosely or affixed to the bottom glass using some small spots of silicone sealant.

Brandon, I don't apply the heat directly to the glass but to the metal frame where the tar sealant is. The glass does get extremely hot and does require heavy, thick gloves to handle it comfortably. The gloves also allow you to handle any broken pieces safely.
 
People remove the slate bottom because silicone dosen't have a good seal to the slate. It will last a few years then will need to be resealed. The glass on the bottom is another alternative. As for the heat gun it should be ok since you are gradually heating the surrounding area rather than having rapid temperture change on one spot. Well don't poor cool or cold water on it after you heated it since that will cause a rapid temp change to the glass and crack it.
 
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