HELP: Removing Living Color Artificial Reef Inserts

[Bd.reef]

Hey everyone, I bought a used tank originally build by Living Color with their Inserts. I have a full mixed reef and the inserts need to go. Plus I cant polish the lower part of the tank with them in due to lack of clearance. I can see that they are heavily siliconed to the acrylic and I dont have much working room from the top of the tank (siliconed 36" down). Any suggestions on how I can remove them? I looked into what I would chemically dissolve the silicone with but looks like everything I found would mess up the acrylic.

As a side note, I know the inserts are safe for a fish only tank but if I decide to modify them to go back in, anyone know if there have been any issues with their inserts negatively affecting coral (chemically wise)? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you - B.

 

[World Citizen]

Whatever you do,

Do NOT use chemicals inside the tank to remove them. Never! Not even a drop.
The risk is to great. If you did I would advise you to scrap the tank.

 

[BanjoBandito]

WD-40 will soften the silicone and not harm the acrylic. You may still have to scrape at it though.

 

[Karen00]

Aren't panels normally cut out with box cutters? The silicone is sliced to remove it. Maybe that's just glass. I'm positive I saw tank restoration videos (like replacing cracked/chipped panels) by cutting them out. I have never seen chemicals used even with glass.

 

[kgstei]

I believe vinegar is a softening agent on silicone. Look it up