TO BUY OR NOT (RESEAL NEEDED)

[mckinleyw]

Hey all i have a Q. There is a 150 gal. 48x24x30 aquarium offered to me for 100 dollars. It does need a complete reseal. I havent looked at it yet. I was curious how many of you have done a reseal of this size. How bad (in your own opinion) is this task?

Thanks

 

[siggy]

30" is a deep tank to work in. If its what you want have a pro do it. Good luck

 

[mckinleyw]

30" is a deep tank to work in. If its what you want have a pro do it. Good luck

Yeah 30" is tall. but for 100 dollars its really close to my wanted size. I am wanting a 48x24 or 48x30 footprint. I know the 48x30 footprint is an odd size.
IDK. i like the 120 the most for the 24" height, but i want more gallons. The 30" height would make a nice BIG seahorse tank... lol

 

[rtparty]

A reseal does very little, if anything, to help with the structural integrity of the tank.

Are we safe to assume this tank is a little older and thus needs a reseal?

A reseal won't get you into the silicone that is actually holding the glass together. If that silicone is older or compromised in any way, you risk 150+ gallons of water in your home.

 

[mckinleyw]

A reseal does very little, if anything, to help with the structural integrity of the tank.

Are we safe to assume this tank is a little older and thus needs a reseal?

A reseal won't get you into the silicone that is actually holding the glass together. If that silicone is older or compromised in any way, you risk 150+ gallons of water in your home.

Yeah i get that. It is an older tank and Im sure it was stored in less than desirable conditions. definately dont want 150+ gal to go boom.

 

[rtparty]

Melev went over this exact thing in his last video and it was very educational.

Now where that tank could be a total steal is if you plan to make your own sump baffles and need cheap glass. There may even be some local reefers looking for cheap glass so you can sell off any extra you don't need.

Cut the tank apart, clean off all the old silicone and then cut the glass as needed. Be super careful to dull the edges and wear gloves obviously.

If you like to DIY, that could be a fun project. They will be thick baffles though, lol.

 

[Ratherbeflyen]

I bought a second hand tank that I resealed myself in a weekend. It's currently sitting in my living room, and doesn't leak. That tank for $100 is a steal, even if you include the $20 you'll spend on silicone and masking tape. I'd be all over it.

 

[Rakie]

I'd never reseal a tank. The tank is the CHEAPEST part of the aquarium, even if you go custom. It's never worth cheaping out on the least expensive, and most crucial part of your entire system.

You'd be much better off with a new 120g, or a 150g that's 48x30x24 (30" depth front to back, rather than height)

 

[Sleepydoc]

What do you mean when you say it needs a 'reseal?' Does it leak or do the inner seals just need replacing? If it's water tight and you just need the inner seals replaced then I'd consider doing it. If it leaks then you really need to disassemble the entire tank to do it right and I wouldn't touch it.

$100 is a steal, unless it leaks or worse yet, completely fails and spills water all over your living room. Then instead of saving a couple hundred dollars, you've blown a couple thousand.

 

[Rakie]

What do you mean when you say it needs a 'reseal?' Does it leak or do the inner seals just need replacing? If it's water tight and you just need the inner seals replaced then I'd consider doing it. If it leaks then you really need to disassemble the entire tank to do it right and I wouldn't touch it.

$100 is a steal, unless it leaks or worse yet, completely fails and spills water all over your living room. Then instead of saving a couple hundred dollars, you've blown a couple thousand.

The problem with removing the inner seal is that silicone doesn't bind well to silicone, and many people would argue resealing the inner silicone lining just weakens the overall tank, as you then have two seals which have a weak connection.

IMHO, if it needs to be resealed at ALL, it's no deal. It's junk.