Just bought a used 150 gallon tank and am not sure how old it is. Your tips helped me make the decision to reseal it "on my time" and not wait for something to fail. I bought your book several years ago and always look for your videos when I have a question. You're a great asset to the hobby. Thanks for all you do.
THIS is the content I'm on UA-cam for! I found a small tank in the recycling room of my building, and the silicone is so disgustingly yellow and/or brown that it needs to be taken apart to become nice-looking. So I need to take it apart and put it back together again, and this is really helpful.
Just bought a monster 90 gallon, decided to reseal to know its safe. Has been empty and dry for who knows how long. Thank you for this video, still holds up years later
@@tristanrideout8423 I didn't remove the trim, I just removed the silicone up to the trim. I don't fill my tanks to the brim, I usually leave at least a half inch or more between the surface of the water and the top of the tank. I've left water sitting in it for the 2 months its been resealed and it hasnt leaked
@@cshimi thanks I'm going to try and polish the glass at the same time I bought cerium oxide and going to attempt to remove tons of microscratches hoping it works out
LOL I know some of them are a bitch..I use SMALL PUTTY KNIFE TO GET IN THERE PRETTY GOOD AND JUST SLIDE IT ALL ALONG THE SIDES BACK AND FORTH TO LOOSEN UP THE OLD SILICONE AND GO TO THE EDGE AND START TO PICK IT UP AND OFF AT THE SAME TIME.
Amazing! You provide so much valuable information and tips for what would seem to be a simple task. Just shows the enormous effort you put into your videos. I'm replacing the control arms on my Nissan Murano this week, can you make a video of how that is done? Kidding of course! Keep up the great work! Gary
This video really helped, I bought a second hand 20 gallon tank for $5 and the silicone is so bad it's peeling off and I can almost remove it with my hand so now I'm about to go remove it and reseal the whole thing. Thanks, I had no idea what I was doing lol.
Used 20 gallon for $5, tubes of silicone $10 each. Plus all of the labor to strip the old caulk and recaulk? NO THANKS. A brand new 20 gallon is $25! I won't reseal anything smaller than a 55, it's simply not worth it.
Your videos have inspired me to take my hobby to a new level that i never dreamed possible. Just picked up a leaking 125 for a 1$ a gallon that i plan on resealing using this very process and a new bottom trim from overtheedge. A very sincere thank you for everything you do for this hobby. Just purchased your book and recommend others to as well. If for no other reason than to help fund your future videos. After all, acrylic, glass, silicone, and PVC are not free.
Very good sir! I got a used 90 gallon and realized it needs to be resealed, I was afraid at first but you have inspired me to do it right, thank you very much sir!
Just wanted to say Mahalo Nui Loa from Hawaii! I just got my 55 gallon resealed and water tested this morning after buying one cheap from someone selling it on Facebook. My turtle is in a bigger tank and is happily exploring his new bigger home! Next will either be a DIY canister or sump tank filter! Aloha!
you posted this 4 years ago and its really helping me out today! thank you for the info! i now have a usable 37 gallon tank that I got for 10$!!! the seal is still fine, just the silicone needed redone
Another great video for one the best people in UA-cam . Great work . U always make stuff seem doable with your excellent and detailed explanations . You are a star
Hey as a Canadian I've been following you for a while. But as I can see. You only answer to those that are paying you. I think I should ask my questions to someone who cares. Keep it up for your friends that are paying you you and I should ask my questions to someone that cares
Found this old gem!!! Thanks Joey. I've been watching you new stuff for maybe 1-2 years. Recently had a brand new 65 leak. Called manufacturer and they gave me a new one but didn't want the old one back. So now how can I fix the issue and get 2 aquariums!!! Thanks for the help here. I now know what to do.
I watched this tutorial a few times before I began my project. It's a hexagon tank so I hope you can answer these questions. You mentioned to be VERY CAREFUL not to get your razor into the seam between the glass, but you didn't mention what TO DO if that actually happens. (Q: what to do if razor gets in this butt joint) Also on the hexagon tank there is a bead of silicone on the outside seam. Do I need to scrape this clean also or is this part of the don't mess with this in between the glass comment? I also see that you used acetone to clean up the seams after the old silicone removal, but I didn't see a part where you used something to clean up the acetone haze. When I cleaned up my corners I noticed a haze where the acetone touched. (Q:is that haze OK for the new silicone, or what did you use for the final clean up prior to taping it up?)
0:00 Intro and explanation. 3:00 Symptoms of a bad seal. 4:05 The basics of resealing. 4:44 Step one of resealing. 5:23 Deep cleaning the seams and residue. 5:42 Masking glass for sealing. 6:25 Calculating the amount of silicone you'll need. 7:19 Choosing what brand of silicone to use. 8:01 How to apply silicone correctly. 8:57 Curing times relative to thickness.
I just bought a 40 year old 7.5ft 135 gallon tank. Thank you so much for all your informative videos! I've been watching for at least the last year or so. Unfortunately they had the tank in the basement and water was dripping down the wall and rotted the stand. So I'm rebuilding the stand, resealing and replacing the broken brace. I'm just surprised there's no cross brace, but the glass is extremely thick! God bless my husband for carrying it out of the basement through a narrow stairway with his friend. Any tips for me? I've never done this before and definitely not starting off small.
Great tutorial. Way easier said than done. I just reseal Ed my 65 and it was a complete pain in the arse. I didn't have a huge tube of silicone so I had to use like 4 small squeeze packs. Stuff was like pushing play dough through a straw. One of the packs exploded cause I was squeezing it so hard. Guess we'll see in a couple days if I did it right. If not it will become a non aquatic tank for something hahaha. Cripes.
Very happy that I could search your channel to find this. You make it seem way less intimidating than people make it out to be. Time to give it a shot on my 125. Thanks Joey!
Hey bro! Love your channel and all your informative videos. I was wondering after i re-silicon my 55Gal aquarium, do i neeeed to have the black top border frame? Theres no center brace. I just like the aesthetics of frameless. Lmk what you think
I have a fish tank similar to the one in the video is been seating outdoors including harsh winters for 3 years. Should i be confident that by doing this It will be safe to use ? Or should i dump it in the trash?
WOW !!! I did not know storing aquariums dry but in a cold/freezing storage was bad for the silicone (before seeing this video). I do have windows and steel roof holes sealed for decades without it lifting or seal compromised. I will be checking the seals, then fill with water (warm weather, of course) and let it sit for a week ( in a leak safe area in shed ). Will check on it daily or more to see if any leaks happen before emptying it and bring into house. I always keep a close eye for leaks on all tanks (new/resealed/used).
This video helped me out a bunch! I found a 50 gallon tank that was being thrown away and leaked, so i resealed and hopefully by tomorrow it should be ready to go
this youtube was very instructional and helpful for my upcoming project of resealing my aquarium...first time to try it, and I am super nervous. ...gulp ... Can you please elaborate when the reseal potential is beyond possible, and I would then need to break the aquarium down to the 4 sheets of glass and rebuild.
Hey @king of diy do you think GE silicone 1 is good enough for a full rebuild on a 60 cube? People tell me it’s not going to hold seal long, what’s your opinion?
Just bought a 2nd hand hexagonal tank and the silicone looks like the previous owner attempted a fix, its holding water but it was in his garage in Winnipeg in January, so after you mentioned being stored in the cold, i think this will be a good practice, even if its a bit more complicated being a hexagon tank. And definitely now before i add fish to it
Joey, I love your channel and have watched almost every video. Thank you for sharing all your knowledge. I recently had a 220 gallon tank start leaking so I followed your instructions to reseal it. Because the tank is so large how long should I let the silicone set?
Thanks for the video. I have recently acquired a 125 gallon tank with an FX5 filtration system, driftwood and rocks. It wasn't leaking when it was set up, but after handling and sitting in my living room I just want to be sure it doesn't leak. Silicone looks to be in good shape, I can feel a ridge when I rub it with my finger but I can't tell if its actually coming up. I can reseal it now just to be on the safe side. THANKS DIY KING, love your vids!
hi.. great vid.. i noticed in your vid that your tank has a hole.. may i ask what did you do to seal your tanks hole? coz i have 1 tank also with hole. thanks
Thanks for the formula on how much silicone will be needed. I got my dads(r.i.p) old 55 gallon out in my greenhouse which needs to be resealed. Plus not sure of the age of my planted 55 gallon, but have wandering when and if the seals might give. If anything reseal one, relocate plants setup and have another tank to setup. Fired Up!!!
First off, I love your channel. You’ve taught me a lot. On that note, I recently got a second hand 135 gallon flat back hex and there’s an entire vertical seam missing...how might you fix that? Any help would be appreciated.
Seam or seal? They are made in 2 steps. The "seam" is where 2 pieces meet with silicone in between The 2 adjoining pieces. The "Seal" is the part we can see and feel on inside of tank. If it's truly seam missing you would most likely have to reassemble the piece(s)
this video is really helpful I'm talking my parents into setting up an old aquarium and since it hasn't been up since I was about 3 I can guarantee its over ten years, of course if things go wrong we have a slightly smaller tank to house the fish in for awhile but it would be nice to seal it ahead of time.
I yet to find a video that shows how to re-seal a tank with corner overflows . do you remove the overtflows reseal the tank and then silicone the overflows in ... thanks
Can you please put a link in the description for the "Emergency Setup Video" you mentioned? You have so many videos, I'm having problems finding it. Thanks 👍
I’m curious, once you take the trim off and reseal it, do you put the trim back on? I personally like the look of it without it but if it’s necessary then I’ll buy a new one.
Found a 40 gallon tank on the curb, no cracked glass, leaks a little on a corner. Just recently rained hard so I found this tank on the curb just before a day we had hard freeze. Thanks for making this video ! Ill let you know how turns out.
hello love your channel i have a 46 gallon bow front tempered glass tank. what do i do if the bottom plastic frame is broken in one corner and the rest feels brittle? im in the process of re- sealing it at the moment. thanks
hey Joey changing side panel glass on my 48×24×18 do I put the silicone on the edges of the panel first or on the aquarium then put it in on it have seen your videos but I just want an exact answer from you .Thanks for all the tips and DIY helping me a lot with my hubby enjoying it even more .This is from the Caribbean Trinidad &Tobago just to let you know
Hi, I have an older tank 125 gallon I just removed the old bulkheads so there’s nothing there I need to patch the holes should I use acrylic or glass and what size patch do I need and does it matter if the patch is square or round. I appreciate the help.
+NYCity Cichlids You can silicone that back on when ever you like. The timing doesn't matter in terms of strength. If you wait till the tank cures, you will have to remove a bit of silicone from the seam for the trim to fit. If you dont wait, it will just slide on an push the silicone out of the way. Which you will have to clean up.
Great video but one thing I would note is that the cold temperatures don't shrink the silicone, it does not shrink much if at all in the cold, instead it shrinks the glass causing it to pull away from the silicone.
i have a 2nd hand tank that was left in the garden for quite a while but its holding up im glad i watched this i have a brand new tube of marine tank silicone will it be fine for freshwater? as all the silicone is pretty mutch white :/
So this isn’t my first time using silicone, have used it a lot in remodels and construction. However it is my first tank reseal. I don’t know how it’s possible to have the old silicone scraped out In less then a hour. I have about 5 hours in scraping and cleaning the old silicone out of my 65. My fingers are raw, and it’s a huge pain. I just kept getting more and more out, maybe I was to meticulous. But i heard you want it all out, so I followed instructions. Trying to get tape lines level and even was also a pain, maybe 30 minutes. Putting down new silicone and smoothing was easy, just gotta work with somewhat of a quickness. Will I do it again, maybe. Worst part: getting all the old silicone out
I remember the day you uploaded this video, I have just got back into the hobby after a long time, i've seen this video i dont know how many times over the years, just watched it again because i need to re seal my Juwel 240L that i just bought really cheap, so nervous though, looks like the factory bond has been compromised at some point at the top, about 6 inches down and im too nervous to take the whole tank apart and re do it all, its 4ft by 16" by 2ft tall roughly :(
Thanks for this. I just had to rebuild the tank for the first time and the seams look ok, not too many bubbles, but my seal job looks horrendous so I think I'm gonna redo the seal.
is it necessary to place back the black trim at the top of the aquarium? I have a 300 gallon glass aquarium and would like to remove the black trim for the new trimless style look. Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks
Thanks for the video. I recently bought a used 55g tank and after inspection I see it was built in 2002, and the silicone is almost gone from the four corners. Looks like I have a project ahead of me now :)
My tank was that bad it took me 4 days to remove all the silicone. It was such a horrid job from the buyer i got it from, this video helped me so much. I just resealed my tank, waiting 2 days before doing a leak test *fingers crossed*
LOL, my 75 gallon is almost 15 years old manufactured in 2005..still fine. Probably time to get a new one though and re seal old one. Here is a question can you reseal with black silicone?
Hey Joey, I am resealing a 65g tank with 3/8 inch glass. I noticed a small crack in the corner while removing the silicone. The crack is at the very bottom corner and it doesn't look like it would travel any further upward it is about 1/8 of an inch, starts from the corner and goes down the bottom seam for 1inch in a triangular shape. Is it possible to glue the crack and put silicone over the corner or should I replace the whole side of tank? It is a chip in the corner/bottom of the inside of the wall, just now noticed it doesn't go all the way to the outside of the glass bc you can see it in the side of that panel.
Question: I've got a brand new tank from Wal-Mart,it's a 10 gal(kit) but I was very afraid to use the tank because one of the long front/back pieces of glass are NOT flush and I see a gap on one side. Should I take the entire thing apart and start over? Maybe just get a gerbil instead,lol? Thanks for the video btw, it came in handy on another tank and looks brand new and professional.
Is taking off the top brace necessary I tried on my 55 and it broke lol.i have a 112 I want to reseal but scared to break the top brace..any help is appreciated thank you
Hey Joey, I purchased a rimless tank with a eurobracing. Upon inspection I noticed that there is black silicone in the glass panes but none on the edgeless like a traditional tank. Do you recommend I reseal it or do some tanks come like this from design? Thank you in advance.
You said 10 years or so to reseal aquariums? I have a 180 gallon bow front tank does it still apply. I've had it for that long. It's been running for that long and not stored. Does it still apply?? Thanks Joey I love your videos I never commented but I've been watching your videos for a long time now
I know this is an old video but thank heavens I watched it. I so couldn't be arsed (sorry) to do all that lol. A new tank it is then. Found puddle around bottom hopefully slow leak as it's Sunday and can't get to shop till tomorrow. Got 5g bucket in case on standby
Hi Joey, I purchased a 65 gallon Aqueon tank brand new about 3 years ago and it started with bubbles appearing on the silicone about a year later so I decided to buy another brand new tank but this time I bought a 65 gallon Seapora and its been about a year and I'm finding the same bubbles are forming on the silicone. I have only a few Pearl Gourami's, Cori Catfish and a snail. Would you have any suggestions as to why this would be happening?
I purchased brand new tank, manufactured 4/13/15 that has TERRIBLE silicone. Bubbles of water under the silicone, algae growing underneath too. Its the replacement for the first one that leaked after 3 weeks. So annoying!!! Thank you for this video!!!
Hi Andi, I've resealed aquariums before. As long as you didn't go all the way through it should be ok. Just put a bit extra silicone over it when resealing.
I am resealing a used 150 gallon. I believe the previous owner had a tube of black silicone in each seam and it was all gooped up! It has been a nightmare to strip, but Im about there. I believe some of the silicone has come out of the actual seam. What can I do without taking the entire tank apart? Glass glue before resealing or will the resealing be enough if I push it into the seams?
hey joey when your smoothing out the silicone are you pressing hard or just lightly dragging your finger across it I have a 150 I resealed realized it was pretty unlevel side to side and front to back but was holding water fine, moved the whole tank leveled it out moved it back filled up started leaking, redid it again still leaking, it's what I believe to be pretty old it's made with half inch glass and it's very frustrating
Just bought a used 150 gallon tank and am not sure how old it is. Your tips helped me make the decision to reseal it "on my time" and not wait for something to fail. I bought your book several years ago and always look for your videos when I have a question. You're a great asset to the hobby. Thanks for all you do.
2021 and I still use this. Thank you!!
Me too
Same
Welcome to 22. Still watching it
@@caewalker9276 yessir
@@caewalker9276 yessir
THIS is the content I'm on UA-cam for!
I found a small tank in the recycling room of my building, and the silicone is so disgustingly yellow and/or brown that it needs to be taken apart to become nice-looking. So I need to take it apart and put it back together again, and this is really helpful.
Just bought a monster 90 gallon, decided to reseal to know its safe. Has been empty and dry for who knows how long. Thank you for this video, still holds up years later
Hey i have a 4 foot 120 i just got i want to reseal also, did you remove the upper trim when you resealed it? How did everything go? thanks
@@tristanrideout8423 I didn't remove the trim, I just removed the silicone up to the trim. I don't fill my tanks to the brim, I usually leave at least a half inch or more between the surface of the water and the top of the tank. I've left water sitting in it for the 2 months its been resealed and it hasnt leaked
@@cshimi thanks I'm going to try and polish the glass at the same time I bought cerium oxide and going to attempt to remove tons of microscratches hoping it works out
@@tristanrideout8423hey, 👋how did the scratch removal go? Im aboud to try this myself
Neither of you reported your results 😂 @@zeb33369
Do you have to put the top rim back on? Or can you leave it off after re sealing? Resealing my 180g. Thanks and love the channel
Half hour for a six foot tank! Ha! I'm 40 minutes in, 4 beers deep, one cut finger and I still can't get the plastic trim off.
LOL I know some of them are a bitch..I use SMALL PUTTY KNIFE TO GET IN THERE PRETTY GOOD AND JUST SLIDE IT ALL ALONG THE SIDES BACK AND FORTH TO LOOSEN UP THE OLD SILICONE AND GO TO THE EDGE AND START TO PICK IT UP AND OFF AT THE SAME TIME.
Amen to that Greg, glad im not the only one haha
😂🤣😂🤣
Makes me glad I passed up that used 185.😳
It took me 3 hours to get the plastic. Trim off. I have to get the bottom glass out and my fingers are shot... Heat gun is next
Dude, every time I have an aquarium question I land on your channel. Thanks for what you do
Amazing! You provide so much valuable information and tips for what would seem to be a simple task. Just shows the enormous effort you put into your videos. I'm replacing the control arms on my Nissan Murano this week, can you make a video of how that is done? Kidding of course!
Keep up the great work!
Gary
+Gary Muir (GRM Prod) haha! I get what your saying.
@@thekingofdiy Hi dude If i did it should i wait 48 hours and then Put Some water ?
This video really helped, I bought a second hand 20 gallon tank for $5 and the silicone is so bad it's peeling off and I can almost remove it with my hand so now I'm about to go remove it and reseal the whole thing. Thanks, I had no idea what I was doing lol.
COOL LET US KNOW HOW IT CAME OUT..
Used 20 gallon for $5, tubes of silicone $10 each. Plus all of the labor to strip the old caulk and recaulk?
NO THANKS. A brand new 20 gallon is $25! I won't reseal anything smaller than a 55, it's simply not worth it.
@@billymacktexasdetective5827some people enjoy the process and working with their own hands to make something new again, reuse + recycle 😊
Your videos have inspired me to take my hobby to a new level that i never dreamed possible.
Just picked up a leaking 125 for a 1$ a gallon that i plan on resealing using this very process and a new bottom trim from overtheedge.
A very sincere thank you for everything you do for this hobby.
Just purchased your book and recommend others to as well. If for no other reason than to help fund your future videos.
After all, acrylic, glass, silicone, and PVC are not free.
how did it go?
Gonna give it a try i guess just got a 125 gallon for $60 USD.
Apparently he did not survive the attempt :- ( @@brooklyn560
Very good sir! I got a used 90 gallon and realized it needs to be resealed, I was afraid at first but you have inspired me to do it right, thank you very much sir!
Just wanted to say Mahalo Nui Loa from Hawaii! I just got my 55 gallon resealed and water tested this morning after buying one cheap from someone selling it on Facebook. My turtle is in a bigger tank and is happily exploring his new bigger home! Next will either be a DIY canister or sump tank filter! Aloha!
This, sir, is why you're dubbed "King of DIY". Excellent info.
Maaaan these old tutorial videos are so helpful.
you posted this 4 years ago and its really helping me out today! thank you for the info! i now have a usable 37 gallon tank that I got for 10$!!! the seal is still fine, just the silicone needed redone
Got a used 10-gallon tank for free but not adding water but still should reseal it to make it look nice and also came with a metal mesh lid.
Very concise and easy to interpret I followed your method and it worked a treat on my 100 gallon tank.
Thanks so much.
Hello I’m reluctant to reseal my tank and I really wanna know how long your tank lasted so please let me know
@@ahmedkayani4724 4 years ago.
I expect it to last to around 10years before I need to re seal again
@@robertwilkinson7863 so it’s still going?
Another great video for one the best people in UA-cam . Great work . U always make stuff seem doable with your excellent and detailed explanations . You are a star
Hey as a Canadian I've been following you for a while. But as I can see. You only answer to those that are paying you. I think I should ask my questions to someone who cares. Keep it up for your friends that are paying you you and I should ask my questions to someone that cares
Found this old gem!!! Thanks Joey. I've been watching you new stuff for maybe 1-2 years. Recently had a brand new 65 leak. Called manufacturer and they gave me a new one but didn't want the old one back. So now how can I fix the issue and get 2 aquariums!!! Thanks for the help here. I now know what to do.
I watched this tutorial a few times before I began my project. It's a hexagon tank so I hope you can answer these questions. You mentioned to be VERY CAREFUL not to get your razor into the seam between the glass, but you didn't mention what TO DO if that actually happens. (Q: what to do if razor gets in this butt joint) Also on the hexagon tank there is a bead of silicone on the outside seam. Do I need to scrape this clean also or is this part of the don't mess with this in between the glass comment? I also see that you used acetone to clean up the seams after the old silicone removal, but I didn't see a part where you used something to clean up the acetone haze. When I cleaned up my corners I noticed a haze where the acetone touched. (Q:is that haze OK for the new silicone, or what did you use for the final clean up prior to taping it up?)
I'm about to try and do a hexagon myself. How'd it go for you?
0:00 Intro and explanation.
3:00 Symptoms of a bad seal.
4:05 The basics of resealing.
4:44 Step one of resealing.
5:23 Deep cleaning the seams and residue.
5:42 Masking glass for sealing.
6:25 Calculating the amount of silicone you'll need.
7:19 Choosing what brand of silicone to use.
8:01 How to apply silicone correctly.
8:57 Curing times relative to thickness.
To this day I keep on coming back to these videos for help. YOU ARE MY HERO AND I LOVE YOUR GALLERY
I just bought a 40 year old 7.5ft 135 gallon tank. Thank you so much for all your informative videos! I've been watching for at least the last year or so. Unfortunately they had the tank in the basement and water was dripping down the wall and rotted the stand. So I'm rebuilding the stand, resealing and replacing the broken brace. I'm just surprised there's no cross brace, but the glass is extremely thick! God bless my husband for carrying it out of the basement through a narrow stairway with his friend. Any tips for me? I've never done this before and definitely not starting off small.
watching your current gallery drama is only enhanced by my ability to search your multi-year library of older tutorial videos. awesome!
7 years later and still one of the best videos on tank resealing
I’m looking for advice on resealing my bowfront, is there anything I need to consider when dealing with the seams of the curved glass?
Still out here giving myself a refresher with this video! Thanks man!
Great tutorial. Way easier said than done. I just reseal Ed my 65 and it was a complete pain in the arse. I didn't have a huge tube of silicone so I had to use like 4 small squeeze packs. Stuff was like pushing play dough through a straw. One of the packs exploded cause I was squeezing it so hard. Guess we'll see in a couple days if I did it right. If not it will become a non aquatic tank for something hahaha. Cripes.
I just did this on my 20 year 40 gallon tank that started leaking yesterday.
It's real simple and easy to do
Resealing a 46g bowfront today using this. Thank you for the EXCELLENT video!
Good job, Can you do this on Juwel tanks that have a trim and brace fixed on?
i cant even say how much i love your videos, actually a year before this video was made you got me into keeping fish thank you! :)
Currently resealing my red eared sliders tank. Great video
Very happy that I could search your channel to find this. You make it seem way less intimidating than people make it out to be. Time to give it a shot on my 125. Thanks Joey!
Hey bro! Love your channel and all your informative videos. I was wondering after i re-silicon my 55Gal aquarium, do i neeeed to have the black top border frame? Theres no center brace. I just like the aesthetics of frameless. Lmk what you think
I have a fish tank similar to the one in the video is been seating outdoors including harsh winters for 3 years. Should i be confident that by doing this It will be safe to use ? Or should i dump it in the trash?
I think its better that you try to reseal it but if you cant, please dont throw it away, try giving it to someone who needs one and can reseal it 👍🏽
@@bluemanredmanwhiteman782 well I’m confident I can do the process correctly. I just want reassurance that it can be done with a neglected fish tank.
WOW !!! I did not know storing aquariums dry but in a cold/freezing storage was bad for the silicone (before seeing this video). I do have windows and steel roof holes sealed for decades without it lifting or seal compromised.
I will be checking the seals, then fill with water (warm weather, of course) and let it sit for a week ( in a leak safe area in shed ). Will check on it daily or more to see if any leaks happen before emptying it and bring into house. I always keep a close eye for leaks on all tanks (new/resealed/used).
This video helped me out a bunch! I found a 50 gallon tank that was being thrown away and leaked, so i resealed and hopefully by tomorrow it should be ready to go
this youtube was very instructional and helpful for my upcoming project of resealing my aquarium...first time to try it, and I am super nervous. ...gulp ... Can you please elaborate when the reseal potential is beyond possible, and I would then need to break the aquarium down to the 4 sheets of glass and rebuild.
Thank you always Joey for all your tips and help
Hey @king of diy do you think GE silicone 1 is good enough for a full rebuild on a 60 cube? People tell me it’s not going to hold seal long, what’s your opinion?
top info as always joey.. and ive just started reasealing my 5foot aquarium. So the nail polish trick helps me out there
Thank you for the info. My turtle tank of 9yrs just started leaking. I freaked out a bit but thanxs to ur vid im at ease. Looks like an easy fix.
How did it go?
Just bought a 2nd hand hexagonal tank and the silicone looks like the previous owner attempted a fix, its holding water but it was in his garage in Winnipeg in January, so after you mentioned being stored in the cold, i think this will be a good practice, even if its a bit more complicated being a hexagon tank. And definitely now before i add fish to it
Thanks for this tutorial, it helped me with making sure my first "midsize" tank was water ready!
It was made in 1993.
Joey, I love your channel and have watched almost every video. Thank you for sharing all your knowledge. I recently had a 220 gallon tank start leaking so I followed your instructions to reseal it. Because the tank is so large how long should I let the silicone set?
Were you successful with the large tank?
a few days-- he kinda hinted at that
Fantastic video, answered all my questions. Thank you!
Thanks for the video. I have recently acquired a 125 gallon tank with an FX5 filtration system, driftwood and rocks. It wasn't leaking when it was set up, but after handling and sitting in my living room I just want to be sure it doesn't leak. Silicone looks to be in good shape, I can feel a ridge when I rub it with my finger but I can't tell if its actually coming up. I can reseal it now just to be on the safe side. THANKS DIY KING, love your vids!
hi.. great vid.. i noticed in your vid that your tank has a hole.. may i ask what did you do to seal your tanks hole? coz i have 1 tank also with hole. thanks
Great job Joey! Of course I read the book first and then found this video later. The tank I'm actually repairing is my brand new Uaru tank!
What a coincidence, this was uploaded as soon as i found out my tank was leaking lol, thanks
I just build my fish tank recently, should i reseal the small area that is leaking or all of it
@@munroekerr6512 what did you end up doing?
This helps me so so much in 2021 LOL my 100 gallon tank will love this
How did it go?
Thanks for the formula on how much silicone will be needed. I got my dads(r.i.p) old 55 gallon out in my greenhouse which needs to be resealed. Plus not sure of the age of my planted 55 gallon, but have wandering when and if the seals might give. If anything reseal one, relocate plants setup and have another tank to setup. Fired Up!!!
Great video. Very informative and specific with the directions.
This video simply saved my friend's aquarium, many thanks.
First off, I love your channel. You’ve taught me a lot. On that note, I recently got a second hand 135 gallon flat back hex and there’s an entire vertical seam missing...how might you fix that? Any help would be appreciated.
Seam or seal? They are made in 2 steps. The "seam" is where 2 pieces meet with silicone in between The 2 adjoining pieces. The "Seal" is the part we can see and feel on inside of tank. If it's truly seam missing you would most likely have to reassemble the piece(s)
Did you decide to go without the top rim or add it back on after the video?
Thank you, you motivated me to reseal my tank i just bought used 150 gallons.
I have a decagonal tank, @ThekingofDIY would I necessarily need to have acetone?
Great tutorial. One of the better ones I have seen!
i need suggestion of what brand shoul i use for silicone? also why u did not mention talent also require for reseal thank.. huhu .you so pro...
this video is really helpful I'm talking my parents into setting up an old aquarium and since it hasn't been up since I was about 3 I can guarantee its over ten years, of course if things go wrong we have a slightly smaller tank to house the fish in for awhile but it would be nice to seal it ahead of time.
I yet to find a video that shows how to re-seal a tank with corner overflows . do you remove the overtflows reseal the tank and then silicone the overflows in ... thanks
Can you please put a link in the description for the "Emergency Setup Video" you mentioned? You have so many videos, I'm having problems finding it. Thanks 👍
Hey man great vid had a second hand tank filled her up leaked so found this vid .you saved me you saved my house 🏠 😌 🙌
I’m curious, once you take the trim off and reseal it, do you put the trim back on? I personally like the look of it without it but if it’s necessary then I’ll buy a new one.
Found a 40 gallon tank on the curb, no cracked glass, leaks a little on a corner. Just recently rained hard so I found this tank on the curb just before a day we had hard freeze. Thanks for making this video ! Ill let you know how turns out.
How did it turn out?
Watched this years ago when I was first getting into the hobby. Watching it again because I'm getting into it again.
This is really good information. Step by step instructions with great explanations. Thank you
You absolutely need that brace.
hello love your channel i have a 46 gallon bow front tempered glass tank. what do i do if the bottom plastic frame is broken in one corner and the rest feels brittle? im in the process of re- sealing it at the moment. thanks
hey Joey changing side panel glass on my 48×24×18 do I put the silicone on the edges of the panel first or on the aquarium then put it in on it have seen your videos but I just want an exact answer from you .Thanks for all the tips and DIY helping me a lot with my hubby enjoying it even more .This is from the Caribbean Trinidad &Tobago just to let you know
Hi, I have an older tank 125 gallon I just removed the old bulkheads so there’s nothing there I need to patch the holes should I use acrylic or glass and what size patch do I need and does it matter if the patch is square or round. I appreciate the help.
I might need this video soon. Thanks for the info, as always.
Now you should also silicone the top frame while the silicone is still fresh, right?
+NYCity Cichlids You can silicone that back on when ever you like. The timing doesn't matter in terms of strength. If you wait till the tank cures, you will have to remove a bit of silicone from the seam for the trim to fit. If you dont wait, it will just slide on an push the silicone out of the way. Which you will have to clean up.
+The king of DIY your a great teacher, always great work from you.
Great video but one thing I would note is that the cold temperatures don't shrink the silicone, it does not shrink much if at all in the cold, instead it shrinks the glass causing it to pull away from the silicone.
i have a 2nd hand tank that was left in the garden for quite a while but its holding up im glad i watched this i have a brand new tube of marine tank silicone will it be fine for freshwater? as all the silicone is pretty mutch white :/
Super helpful. Out of curiosity, would there be any differences for resealing a plexi aquarium?
Plastic doesn’t work if ur using silicone
So this isn’t my first time using silicone, have used it a lot in remodels and construction. However it is my first tank reseal. I don’t know how it’s possible to have the old silicone scraped out In less then a hour. I have about 5 hours in scraping and cleaning the old silicone out of my 65. My fingers are raw, and it’s a huge pain. I just kept getting more and more out, maybe I was to meticulous. But i heard you want it all out, so I followed instructions. Trying to get tape lines level and even was also a pain, maybe 30 minutes. Putting down new silicone and smoothing was easy, just gotta work with somewhat of a quickness. Will I do it again, maybe. Worst part: getting all the old silicone out
I remember the day you uploaded this video, I have just got back into the hobby after a long time, i've seen this video i dont know how many times over the years, just watched it again because i need to re seal my Juwel 240L that i just bought really cheap, so nervous though, looks like the factory bond has been compromised at some point at the top, about 6 inches down and im too nervous to take the whole tank apart and re do it all, its 4ft by 16" by 2ft tall roughly :(
Thanks for this. I just had to rebuild the tank for the first time and the seams look ok, not too many bubbles, but my seal job looks horrendous so I think I'm gonna redo the seal.
is it necessary to place back the black trim at the top of the aquarium? I have a 300 gallon glass aquarium and would like to remove the black trim for the new trimless style look. Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks
Thanks for the video. I recently bought a used 55g tank and after inspection I see it was built in 2002, and the silicone is almost gone from the four corners. Looks like I have a project ahead of me now :)
Do you have to remove trim to reseal the tank?
I have nail polish remover that has glycerine also along with the acetone. Can I use it to remove silicone?
About to re seal a tall 75 gallon hex any ideas or tips on how to reach the bottom and seal or methods or tips
My tank was that bad it took me 4 days to remove all the silicone. It was such a horrid job from the buyer i got it from, this video helped me so much. I just resealed my tank, waiting 2 days before doing a leak test *fingers crossed*
And did it work out? Removing the silicone from a juwel vision 450 at the moment hoping to reseal it later this week and praying it works out 🤣
LOL, my 75 gallon is almost 15 years old manufactured in 2005..still fine. Probably time to get a new one though and re seal old one.
Here is a question can you reseal with black silicone?
Hey Joey, I am resealing a 65g tank with 3/8 inch glass. I noticed a small crack in the corner while removing the silicone. The crack is at the very bottom corner and it doesn't look like it would travel any further upward it is about 1/8 of an inch, starts from the corner and goes down the bottom seam for 1inch in a triangular shape. Is it possible to glue the crack and put silicone over the corner or should I replace the whole side of tank?
It is a chip in the corner/bottom of the inside of the wall, just now noticed it doesn't go all the way to the outside of the glass bc you can see it in the side of that panel.
Question: I've got a brand new tank from Wal-Mart,it's a 10 gal(kit) but I was very afraid to use the tank because one of the long front/back pieces of glass are NOT flush and I see a gap on one side. Should I take the entire thing apart and start over? Maybe just get a gerbil instead,lol? Thanks for the video btw, it came in handy on another tank and looks brand new and professional.
Is taking off the top brace necessary I tried on my 55 and it broke lol.i have a 112 I want to reseal but scared to break the top brace..any help is appreciated thank you
Hey Joey, I purchased a rimless tank with a eurobracing. Upon inspection I noticed that there is black silicone in the glass panes but none on the edgeless like a traditional tank. Do you recommend I reseal it or do some tanks come like this from design? Thank you in advance.
You said 10 years or so to reseal aquariums? I have a 180 gallon bow front tank does it still apply. I've had it for that long. It's been running for that long and not stored. Does it still apply??
Thanks Joey I love your videos I never commented but I've been watching your videos for a long time now
+ihsnshaik Of course it still applies. Silicone does not care what shape the tank is..
+The king of DIY thanks Joey!
I know this is an old video but thank heavens I watched it. I so couldn't be arsed (sorry) to do all that lol. A new tank it is then. Found puddle around bottom hopefully slow leak as it's Sunday and can't get to shop till tomorrow. Got 5g bucket in case on standby
Brand new unfilled tank but the black sealant looks VERY thin in the front bottom right corner. Can additional sealant be added to new silicone?
Hi Joey, I purchased a 65 gallon Aqueon tank brand new about 3 years ago and it started with bubbles appearing on the silicone about a year later so I decided to buy another brand new tank but this time I bought a 65 gallon Seapora and its been about a year and I'm finding the same bubbles are forming on the silicone. I have only a few Pearl Gourami's, Cori Catfish and a snail. Would you have any suggestions as to why this would be happening?
I purchased brand new tank, manufactured 4/13/15 that has TERRIBLE silicone. Bubbles of water under the silicone, algae growing underneath too. Its the replacement for the first one that leaked after 3 weeks. So annoying!!! Thank you for this video!!!
I really wanna buy your Arrowana tshirt! Do you ship internationally? I live in the Netherlands
If by any chance where I accidentally go into the seam a little (on the bottom/floor) what should I do?
Hi Andi, I've resealed aquariums before. As long as you didn't go all the way through it should be ok. Just put a bit extra silicone over it when resealing.
I am resealing a used 150 gallon. I believe the previous owner had a tube of black silicone in each seam and it was all gooped up! It has been a nightmare to strip, but Im about there. I believe some of the silicone has come out of the actual seam. What can I do without taking the entire tank apart? Glass glue before resealing or will the resealing be enough if I push it into the seams?
So the black trim isn't necessary on say a 29 gallon aquarium? It doesn't have an impact on structural integrity of the tank?
Great video! Resealing a tank isn't so hard... I have done this also! :)
hey joey when your smoothing out the silicone are you pressing hard or just lightly dragging your finger across it I have a 150 I resealed realized it was pretty unlevel side to side and front to back but was holding water fine, moved the whole tank leveled it out moved it back filled up started leaking, redid it again still leaking, it's what I believe to be pretty old it's made with half inch glass and it's very frustrating