As title says I just bought a used 220 gal. tank and the owner sweres it doesn't leak. It was a saltwater tank that I am going to put Cichlids in. Some of the sealant looks to be suspect to me and I am a little nervous with a tank that big if it leaks it could be a real problem. So should I clean and reseal it or completely take the tank apart and restore it iwth completely new sealant?
Bought a used tank 220 gal.
- Thread starter Robinhud
- Start date
CSnyder00
Bearded Wonder
If you want, test it first. Put it in a garage or out on your porch and fill it up. Let it sit for a while and leak test it. If no leaks are found. You're good. As far as a reseal, the only way to do it right is to completely disassemble and reseal. That's a lot of work and you HAVE to make sure it's right.
Thai
Members
Fill it and let it sit, I bought a 220 tank that was previously salt that had been sitting dry for a few years and the seals looks suspect to me too as they looked thin but it's been up a running now for over 4 months no problems
bossanova
Members
I'd reseal it and never even think about it anymore. Peace of mind is priceless!
Thanks Bossanova I have to agree with you. I now have all of the old sealant cut away and started the long hard road of cleaning the tank. I bought a 4" scrapper and acidtone and it is now starting to look really good. From what I understand an absollutely clean area where the sealant goes is a must or will be all for not. It rained yesterday evening so I am waiting till wednesday to tape and caulk it. Ordered new bulkhead fittings and removed the overflow to get all the old silicone removed.
CSnyder00
Bearded Wonder
Define All. Did you take the panels apart or did you just cut out the stuff in the corners?
Man am I ticked at myself!! I did a really nice job of preparing this tank to be resealed. Took and taped it up this morning and started caulking it. smoothed it out and had a really good looking job. then went to take the tape off. The caulk had already started to gell and it just made a mess out of a really nice looking job. I had read in the blogs to remove the tape quickly. but what they should of said was as soon as you run a bead and smooth it get the tape off Immediately. Lesson learned I just hope it don't leak or I will have to start all over.
CSnyder00
Bearded Wonder
That looks awesome!
Thanks it has been more time consuming than I thought
jonclark96
Past CCA President
Looking good. I've never tried a back ground myself, as like I think you are finding out, they are a lot more time consuming than I have patience for.
Have you dry fit it in the tank? Can you get it installed in one piece or is it multiple pieces and I can't see the joints?
Have you dry fit it in the tank? Can you get it installed in one piece or is it multiple pieces and I can't see the joints?
jonclark96
Past CCA President
Cool. Hope it all works out for you.
swmnwdafishes
New Member
I bought a 110X tank from a guy who said it didn't leak. It had goobed up silicone on the bottom and sides over the original silicone and he put some sort of hard yellowish stuff all jammed in the bottom frame. He told me he thought it leaked but it was a hose/fitting or something going into the tank.
So I cleaned it, and filled it. Let it sit outside for 4 weeks and nothing. Brought it in, put it on the stand, filled it slowly in incriments. Added substrate, my plants, and finally my fish over about a week. And I thought I was in the clear. 3 weeks later, I'm standing in front of my tank and water just comes pissing out the bottom everywhere. Not cracked cause it's tempered. A seal must have broke loose.
I grabbed every hose I could find to drain it as fast as possible, yanked the plants, threw the fish in buckets. It wouldn't stop dripping until it was bone dry.
I need to tear it apart and seal it, but I'm not ready or prepared to undergo that task at the moment. And I've never done one that big before.
So I cleaned it, and filled it. Let it sit outside for 4 weeks and nothing. Brought it in, put it on the stand, filled it slowly in incriments. Added substrate, my plants, and finally my fish over about a week. And I thought I was in the clear. 3 weeks later, I'm standing in front of my tank and water just comes pissing out the bottom everywhere. Not cracked cause it's tempered. A seal must have broke loose.
I grabbed every hose I could find to drain it as fast as possible, yanked the plants, threw the fish in buckets. It wouldn't stop dripping until it was bone dry.
I need to tear it apart and seal it, but I'm not ready or prepared to undergo that task at the moment. And I've never done one that big before.
