hi guys, i recently purchased a 90 gallon tank used. i had it fillled with water for about 2 days with no prolblems. a freind of mine suggested, that on the side of caution, i should re-seal the tank. now when you reseal a tank, is it absolutley mandatory to remove the old sillicon? or can i just apply a new heavy coat of sillicon over the existing one?
resealing a used tank
- Thread starter mrmagic2713
- Start date
If the existing seal is in good condition I'm not sure why you would want to reseal the tank. On the other hand if there are damaged spots it probably would be best to reseal. I have 30 year old tanks that have never been resealed so age is not a reason to be doing it.
If you really want a proper seal, the old seal must come off the surface. If you take the sealer off the surface, the new silicone will have a truly clean surface to stick to. Globbing on new sealant will not work because no matter how you try you will never get a perfectly clean surface to apply to and any air bubbles in the current seal will be weak spots in the patch. The removal needs to be good enough to remove all the old loose and / or dirty sealant so that you get good adhesion. It does not mean you need to remove every bit that is down inside the joints.
If you really want a proper seal, the old seal must come off the surface. If you take the sealer off the surface, the new silicone will have a truly clean surface to stick to. Globbing on new sealant will not work because no matter how you try you will never get a perfectly clean surface to apply to and any air bubbles in the current seal will be weak spots in the patch. The removal needs to be good enough to remove all the old loose and / or dirty sealant so that you get good adhesion. It does not mean you need to remove every bit that is down inside the joints.
As OM47 said, unless you see physical damage or the current sealant feels hard and brittle, there shouldn't be an issue. If you do opt to reseal, all the old silicone on the inside should come off before applying new.
Well funny I find someone else that bought a 90 as well. The 90 I purchased is a 90L. The dimensions are 60x18x20, the tank was built in Jan 95. I am going to take some pics of the seals so I can get some feedback from you guys on wether or not you would reseal.
I have another problem. The middle brace is broken but still there. I do know this is an issue, the tank will bulge slightly as it is filled up from pressure from the water. I was told that if you put plexiglass there and screw it, it will suffice.
Feedback?
Thank you much.
Pics coming within 20 mins.
I have another problem. The middle brace is broken but still there. I do know this is an issue, the tank will bulge slightly as it is filled up from pressure from the water. I was told that if you put plexiglass there and screw it, it will suffice.
Feedback?
Thank you much.
Pics coming within 20 mins.