Is this a good seal.

[dogfight102]

I have an all glass aquarium form 1984 and I had to redo the seal. It’s not beautiful or anything but I was wondering what you guys think about it.

 

[KrisReef]

Did you take the tank completely apart, remove the old silicone and replace, or just go over the old silicone?
How large of tank is this?

Either way, fill it outside first!

 

[dogfight102]

Did you take the tank completely apart, remove the old silicone and replace, or just go over the old silicone?
How large of tank is this?

Either way, fill it outside first!

It’s a 75 gallon wide tank. I removed to old interior silicone and cleaned it all off with isopropyl alcohol. I use silicone 1

 

[davidcalgary29]

Either way, fill it outside first!

+1000

I say this as someone who has lived through a tank that burst its seams in the middle of the night.

 

[KrisReef]

If you left the old silicone in between the walls and base and didn’t completely remove all the old silicone and the reassemble with new silicone seal between the glass, I wouldn’t use it in my house.
Just refinishing the inside seal will help keep it water tight but the silicone between the panels is where the bonding strength is most important.
otherwise the new seams inside the tank look clean, I am concerned about bonding strength over time.

 

[dogfight102]

If you left the old silicone in between the walls and base and didn’t completely remove all the old silicone and the reassemble with new silicone seal between the glass, I wouldn’t use it in my house.
Just refinishing the inside seal will help keep it water tight but the silicone between the panels is where the bonding strength is most important.
otherwise the new seams inside the tank look clean, I am concerned about bonding strength over time.

I left the seam intact. The old silicone inside the tank was removed. Im just worried because my silicone job looks sloppy and ugly. Idk if that’ll effect the water tight integrity tho

 

[Jekyl]

I left the seam intact. The old silicone inside the tank was removed. Im just worried because my silicone job looks sloppy and ugly. Idk if that’ll effect the water tight integrity tho

Unless you completely took the panels apart and redid I'm not sure I'd feel safe about it.

 

[dogfight102]

Unless you completely took the panels apart and redid I'm not sure I'd feel safe about it.

The silicone between the panels is still good. I tested it by filling the tank up with the old seals and let it sit for 2 weeks. I redid the interior silicone because it was yellow and chipping away. Sorry for the confusion

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

The silicone between the panels is still good. I tested it by filling the tank up with the old seals and let it sit for 2 weeks. I redid the interior silicone because it was yellow and chipping away. Sorry for the confusion

Then I'm not sure what your question is?

 

[dogfight102]

Then I'm not sure what your question is?

I was draining the water out and this happened, is it normal. I had it sitting for 2 days

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I was draining the water out and this happened, is it normal. I had it sitting for 2 days

Seems like the silicone between the panels is not as good as you first thought

 

[dogfight102]

I guess the video won’t work

 

[dogfight102]

Seems like the silicone between the panels is not as good as you first thought

Some sources tell me it could be bowing out. Others say the inside seal is bad. Other say it’s normal I just don’t know who to believe at this point

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I guess the video won’t work

In the video, it looked like water was entering the space between the panels. If that's not the case, you'll have to be a bit more detailed in your explanation of what "happened" when you drained the water.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Some sources tell me it could be bowing out. Others say the inside seal is bad. Other say it’s normal I just don’t know who to believe at this point

Sorry I can't be of much help, but if it were me, especially considering the tank is almost 40 years old, I'd move on to a new aquarium.

 

[Chrisv.]

This is it inspiring the kind of confidence I would need to have this tank in my house.

 

[Jedi1199]

Looks to me like water getting into the joint on the bottom panel. As stated above, I would not fill this tank in my house.

It can be saved, but you are going to have to completely rebuild it. Take it all apart, get all of the old silicone out, and rebuild it from the ground up.

Seriously, we are talking about a 38 year old tank. It is due for some retrofit work... lol

 

[dogfight102]

In the video, it looked like water was entering the space between the panels. If that's not the case, you'll have to be a bit more detailed in your explanation of what "happened" when you drained the water.

When I drained the water out it’s like the seal contracted and it looks completely normal now I think the weight of the water stretched the silicone. There wasn’t any leakage or anything like that. But I’m finding it difficult to nail down the exact cause

 

[oreolk]

Some sources tell me it could be bowing out. Others say the inside seal is bad. Other say it’s normal I just don’t know who to believe at this point

get a new tank. I wouldn't chance it

 

[dogfight102]

Looks to me like water getting into the joint on the bottom panel. As stated above, I would not fill this tank in my house.

It can be saved, but you are going to have to completely rebuild it. Take it all apart, get all of the old silicone out, and rebuild it from the ground up.

Seriously, we are talking about a 38 year old tank. It is due for some retrofit work... lol

How hard is it to take apart and reassemble a tank.