If you got a used tank, what

[linkedsilas]

would you do to give yourself peace of mind?
I replaced both bulkheads. Would you recaulk the seams even though it held water before you bought it?

 

[geddavis]

I would reseal it and check that the thickness of the walls are properly sized and then fill it and wait 3 days to see if there is any leak. (i got a used tank that broke due to it not having proper bracing for the acrylic thickness)

 

[Gonebad395]

Go over it with a fine tooth comb and fill with water outside let site for 48 hours check everything. Might have held water at the place purchased moving can tweak stuff

 

[Sashaka]

I bought a used acrylic 180 gallon with a homemade rough lumber box frame. I did not try to reseal corners as it was chemically bonded together, not siliconed together. I sanded down the acrylic and polished it. I changed out the bulkheads because one broke during transport. I probably would have left it otherwise as it was working fine before. I know this because I helped drain the tank on the day I picked it up. I reinforced the bare wood box frame and enclosed it. I reinforced the stand by replacing the bottom of the stand with treated plywood and added a treated plywood top to the top bracing, which I thought was too far spaced apart to support an acrylic tank. I replaced all plumbing as I had specific ideas in mind for plumbing that did not match the seller's setup. I also purchased a thick mat from Tractor Supply used to withstand barn animal hooves, and I cut it to fit under the stand and on top of the stand for leveling. I wanted a thick mat to help protect my wood floor from the weight of the tank. The mat was overkill, heavy as the dickens, but it gave me peace of mind. Finally, I reinforced the floor with two 2x6x12s to prevent floor bowing. I guess you could say I am a worry wart and wanted to make sure I had done everything I could to prevent disaster. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

[cracker]

I suggest Ya fill it up for a couple days. Don't let a rain or such get on it. then carefully go over it all looking for a any water .

 

[linkedsilas]

Do you think I should scrape all the remaining caulk off and just go back over
No way I can pull it all apart and put back but I can’t do the corners

 

[Scotty Buttons]

If you try to "caulk"over the old joints it won't stick. The silicone won't stick. There's only 1 way to fix it. And honestly I wouldn't do it that way"

 

[Geebs19]

I bought a used tank. Filled it up in the garage with a hose and let it sit for a week to double check leaks. Also replaced the bulkheads.

 

[Jon Fishman]

putting paper-towels under/around/on/in seams of a tank you fill up and let sit, will quickly tell you if you have any leaking...... just wait a day or two and check paper-towels for water stains.

 

[lapin]

Do not attempt to reseal the tank unless it is something special. It will require you to take every panel off clean it until its spotless and then re-silicone it. If you have nothing else to do it would be a good learning project.
Inspect it for damage then place it on a level surface and fill it with water and wait a few days. If no leaks then use it. Replace all the plumbing. That's cheap. Remember it's used. You have no way of knowing how much stress it has gone thru. When buying used there is always, cost vs peace of mind to deal with. No matter what we tell you, only time will decide if your purchase was worth it.

 

[Rcpilot]

I would NOT jump to resealing it before I even leak tested it. As @lapin said, resealing means completely taking the tank apart and removing all the old silicone (sand the silicone off the edges of the glass with 200 grit sponge sander - Lowes - $5) If you've never taken a tank apart -- it's NOT easy. It's super easy to cut and slice the EXPOSED silicone off the insides of the corners. The really hard part, is cutting the glass panels apart. The small bit of silicone in those corners is really, really, REALLY difficult to get at. Ya can't even get a razor knife between the panels to cut it. Ya can't get string between the panels to cut it. I will never do it again. If a tank is in that condition, where it needs to be resealed - I'm buying a new one. Somebody else can enjoy the "fun" of resealing it.

Cutting the silicone out of the corners and going back over it isn't going to do anything for ya. The new silicone won't stick to the old silicone. So that's a total waste of time and energy. To truly reseal a tank, you gotta cut it apart, sand all the edges, clean it, then try to reassemble without getting any fingerprints or contaminants on the joints. I've done it twice. Never again. Tanks are cheap. Get a new one if it TRULY needs to be resealed.

First - take it outside and grab the garden hose. Clean it with mild white vinegar and water and a sponge or plastic scraper to avoid scratching it. Don't go nuts - it may be a leaker. Just clean the major gunk off it.

Second - put in on the back patio or in the garage and level it. Fill it up and let it sit for a week or two. Remember, this is a slow hobby so if you've not got the patience to do that, I'd suggest race cars or multiple girlfriends. That will keep you excited and very busy.

If it passes the leak test, then I'd put in the effort to clean it thoroughly.

 

[jtl]

The inside seam imo does very little. I think it is more the result of smoothing out the silicone that is oozing out of the panel seams. If the the main seams are good why bother. Otoh if the inside seam is ugly and ragged from using a glass scrapper you can take a razor blade and go down each opposing panel and remove it and replace it. Just be careful not to cut into the seams between the panels.

 

[linkedsilas]

Thanks all