# reseal or not? Never done it...



## greenfin (Nov 4, 2013)

Got a tank which holds water but the inner silicone isn't nice and smooth on all seams. Bottom seams feel/look fine but two vertical seams have silicone that is rough for most of the length. 

Also noticed a stretchy black string peeling off on the outside of the tank. Front/left seam. Could this be a strip of silicone someone added to the tank or is it the structural silicone ripping loose? I noticed this side pane of glass doesn't make a flush join with the front pane. The side pane seems recessed from the end of the front pane. All other panes are flush corners.

My Question...
For someone who has never siliconed a tank, should I give that a go (have square eyeballs after watching numerous vid's this evening) or just keep it as is?

I'm sure for peace of mind it should be resealed but not sure I've got the time (mother of toddler) to do something like that. If I should reseal, I'll have a few more questions for BCA! I'm reasonably handy and have a handy mother for helper!

Wish I lived (only sometimes) in lower mainland and could just visit King Ed pets!

Thanks BCA


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## shift (Dec 21, 2012)

You could always Tim down the current seal (don't break it..just trim it so its thin then put a new bead of silicone over the seams. May be a bit thicker and not as pretty but peace of mind. Show tank for for plants and breeding?


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## maximusfish (Sep 2, 2014)

Just been contemplating this myself, and I say go for it! It doesn't take long to do the actual reseal/siliconing part, which does have to be done in one go. The time is in the prep, which you can work on as and when you have a spare minute (lol). Check out the thread "Help! Tank reseal" by bcgeorge16 on this forum. Diztrbd1 gives a link to a very clear and simple video on how to do this. And the sticky in this section on the silicone to use, GE Silicone 1 clear, no mildew prevention additives.

I noticed that one piece of glass, usually one of the end panels, is not perfectly flush on a lot of tanks. So pretty sure this is nothing to worry about.

When my son was a toddler I started going to bed early so that I could get up at 5. It gave me a good two or three hours of complete peace and quiet to do whatever I wanted uninterrupted. Totally saved my sanity!


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## greenfin (Nov 4, 2013)

Thanks for your answer. Yes, saw the video (hey, that dude has some terrific videos. Seems he's from NS and his you tube channel is a big deal!)

The tank held water overnight but maybe I could get some grandparents to come by for a few hours?

My trick is to stay up for a few hours after my daughter goes off to sleep. Not a great morning person and sometimes she wakes up early!

Hey Shift, I think siliconing over silicone is a no-no. So say all the vid's I've watched. The tank doesn't have to be pretty as it's destined for the basement but I'm not wanting to find out the hard way it's gonna leak. It's a big tank. 50 gallon.


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## greenfin (Nov 4, 2013)

Thanks for your answer. Yes, saw the video (hey, that dude has some terrific videos. Seems he's from NS and his you tube channel is a big deal!)

The tank held water overnight but maybe I could get some grandparents to come by for a few hours?

My trick is to stay up for a few hours after my daughter goes off to sleep. Not a great morning person and sometimes she wakes up early!

Hey Shift, I think siliconing over silicone is a no-no. So say all the vid's I've watched. The tank doesn't have to be pretty as it's destined for the basement but I'm not wanting to find out the hard way it's gonna leak. It's a big tank. 50 gallon.


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## Jamit (Apr 21, 2010)

Hi greenfin,
Just to share my experience on resealing a tank.
Recently, I have bought a 36x12x12 tank. Most of the glasses are not flushed perfectly, but structurally intact and firm. One of the inside seal on the bottom is peeling off a bit on one corner, so I decide to reseal the whole tank just for the integrity of it.
GE silicone I is OK for resealing fish tank. I have used this product on 3 tanks. No issue with fishes and shrimps.
The initial cleanup is most important to how strong the sealant adheres to the glasses. It only took me 2-3 hours to complete the task. Go for it.


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## greenfin (Nov 4, 2013)

Thanks! I`ve decided to try. I have a junker 25 gallon (no idea if it holds water, is scratched up some and I can peel the silicone off with my fingers) that I`ll try first and see how tough the technique is. Bought AdBond 009 Aquarium silicone (cartoon fish on label) from nearby Ace Hardware. Called home depot but didn`t trust the clerk to know the difference between mildew resistant products and pure products. BBS`s; I ask you! 2-3 hours? Okay, so I get half an hour most days while my daughter naps (so much for housework) Great! Done by next month? ha ha. You;ll spot my many questions in the DIY section!


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