Resealing a tank?

[viking_snail 44]

Hello all

I have a 90 litre tank which I generally use as a hospital tank when it's needed. When it was last full I noticed the top corner leaks a little. It's rather old and in need of a bit of love, so I was planning on resealing it at some point - this has just made me think about it more seriously

Now that Clive is home, the tank is clean and dry and ready to be resealed. So how do I do it? I guess I need to remove the old seal, and give it a good clean so it's ready to be resealed. Do I need specific sealant for a tank, or will something simpler do?

Thanks!

[SynthHermit 70]

I'm currently doing the same to a 20G for my mom. Getting ALL of the old seal out,especially if it's an old tank,is a PITA. I've found a paint scraper works pretty well for the majority of it. I can't remember where I got my silicone at,but it says it's for aquariums.

[tithra 4,917]

You can use a non-aquarium specific sealant. GE silicone I sealant is what is often recommended here in the US for fish tanks (not sure if you guys have the same brands over there). You need to make sure the sealant contains no anti-fungal/mold/mildew agents.

I resealed a tank last year.... it was a PITA. There are lots of good youtube videos detailing how to do it, but basically you need to use a razor to remove all the old silicone, then carefully run a line of new silicone. I would go side by side with the silicone, first applying a line of it, then use your finger dipped in a little water to manually spread and smooth the silicone (basically just run your finger down it so it spreads a bit into the corners etc., the water will help the silicone not stick to your finger).

Good luck!!

[dnalex 13,633]

The type of sealant that you would want is the kind for windows and doors, as those don't have antifungal agents.

[viking_snail 44]

Thanks guys! I will start hunting for a suitable sealant. Although I might hold back on removing the existing seal until things settle down in the main tank...!