Will a glass tank with silicone seals eventually fail?

[Mickey]

My glass tank is 20 years old this month. It's a custom 72" x 30" x 24" and unfortunately is not quite level. Right front corner is about 1/2" low due to water damage (Gee I wonder how that happened? ) to the particle board subfloor which allowed the tank to sink in at that corner. Been that way for years now and so far no signs of failure or leakage.

Of course, now that I've read this thread I'm going to have nightmares and worry every time I go out of town for a few days or weeks!

 

[BeanAnimal]

Mo have nightmares and worry every time I go out of town for a few days or weeks!

So not when you go to bed at night or take a nap?

 

[Biff0rz]

Thats why i add some extra silicone every time i buy a tank, no matter where its from.

Lol wut

 

[Mickey]

So not when you go to bed at night or take a nap?

Oh, I'm concerned about it then too, but hopefully I'll get some warning that there's problem, like a drip or something. If it's an all out total failure I'm screwed either way.

 

[KrisReef]

Metaframe: The Man Responsible for over 3 Million Aquariums | The Museum of Aquarium and Pet History

moaph.org

I was trying to figure out what the old aquariums were sealed with, because I don’t believe that it was silicone? I found another page that says that the old Metaframe tanks were resealed by filling them with hot water.

Rickwrench, Alfa GTV, Falcon Squire, Corvair

The 300 gallon acrylic tank at Warehouse Aquatics failed after being installed on a particle board stand that swelled up and slumped over time. The pressure split the acrylic walls and the tank leaked out. The tank was cut apart in place for ease of disposal.

 

[fishywishy]

You are doing more harm than good in most cases. Fresh silicone does not adhere well to cured silicone.

I remove all the old silicone though.

 

[ZoWhat]

but, everything is so over built including the stand, I sleep very well every night and I don't worry.

Sounds like famous last words

 

[BeanAnimal]

I remove all the old silicone though.

There is not a substantial bond between the protective bead and the mechanical seam, you remove a bit of strength and in essence expose the whole length of mechanical seam to water if the protective bead fails (lifts) along any spot.

If one has no choice due to damaged protective bead, then replacing it is the only option short of tearing down the tank and rebuilding it.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Will a glass tank with silicone seals eventually fail?

What are the warning signs of an all out catastrophe?

Back in the 1980’s tank manufacturers stopped providing a warranty on the seams of tanks larger than 180 gallons.

 

[PharmrJohn]

Oh, I'm concerned about it then too, but hopefully I'll get some warning that there's problem, like a drip or something. If it's an all out total failure I'm screwed either way.

Generally, the issue is a leak. The probability of catastrophic failure is much, much lower.

 

[Nextlevelreefer]

Thats why i add some extra silicone every time i buy a tank, no matter where its from.

Bro cured silicone will reject bonding with new silicone its likely worthless what you're doing.

 

[14 foot reef]

Sounds like famous last words

lets don't jinx me !!!!!

 

[fishywishy]

Bro cured silicone will reject bonding with new silicone its likely worthless what you're doing.

I remove the old silicone

 

[14 foot reef]

I remove the old silicone

You're not removing the silicone from the bonding area unless you completely tear down the glass box to panels and put it back together after meticulous cleaning of the panels

 

[fishywishy]

You're not removing the silicone from the bonding area unless you completely tear down the glass box to panels and put it back together after meticulous cleaning of the panels

I know

 

[14 foot reef]

I know

Everything........HEHE

 

[fishywishy]

Everything........HEHE

If you say so

 

[Nate Chalk]

Safety factor calculator

 

[Rjramos]

I think it comes down to quality. This last spring I had a 200 dd from marineland that failed. It was only 5 years old. My stock was put in a 120 gallon Oceanic tank for temporary use while I had a new acrylic tank made by @advanced acrylics for me. Having a tank bust a leak just about had me quit the hobby. The oceanic tank was one I bought in the early 90’s. It was on a stand I made for an in wall installation in Texas. It was moved overnight to Iowa and put in a basement on a stand that I made in ‘98. One year later it was moved again to a stand that I made for another in wall installation. There it was used for another 20 years. So that old oceanic tank is still viable over 30 years later. Too bad that company isn’t still around

I have a 175 oceanic bow front sitting upside down along the side of my house. I picked it up over 10 yrs ago, and even back then, I didn’t have the courage to replace my 120 gal with it. The silicone seams weren’t long term trustworthy.
The plan I have in the near future is to carefully disassemble and rebuild with euro bracing and a coast to coast cut, back glass. I can even change the side panes and add gallonage to the 175.

 

[Chrisv.]

I have a 175 oceanic bow front sitting upside down along the side of my house. I picked it up over 10 yrs ago, and even back then, I didn’t have the courage to replace my 120 gal with it. The silicone seams weren’t long term trustworthy.
The plan I have in the near future is to carefully disassemble and rebuild with euro bracing and a coast to coast cut, back glass. I can even change the side panes and add gallonage to the 175.

When you do this, you need to go totally insane removing every last bit of silicone residue. If you have never taken a tank down to bare glass and resealed before, you should know you're in for a treat. Preparing the glass is the hard part and it takes forever....unless there is some trick I don't know about. I use PVC pipe cleaner to get rid of old silicone when I reseal.