About Building and Repairing Aquariums

Useful Information That Can Save You $$

This page will be a living page, and will be improved upon each time I learn new processes and techniques. Let me start with a very cost saving tip regarding repairs to leaking aquariums

Repair Your Leaking Aquarium You may have noticed that the aquarium tank sealant available in your aquarium supply store is priced at about five dollars for a 3 ounce tube. It is recommended for aquarium repair, and your clerk may even insist that it is the only product safe for use in aquariums. This is rubbish! Go to your hardware store (or the paint department at WalMart) and pick up a 10 ounce tube of GE 100% silicone caulking for about three dollars. It is exactly the same product at about one fifth of the cost. Even if you have to buy a two dollar gun to use for applying the caulking, it still represents a significant savings.

Empty the tank and wash it out thoroughly with soapy water. Dishwashing detergent is well suited to this purpose. Use a soft bristled brush or plastic scrubbing pad to remove every trace of algae residues and mineral deposits. Rinse well with hot water and towel dry. Pour about a cup distilled white vinegar into the tank and rub it with a cloth into all of the seams of the bottom and sides (eight seams altogether). Do not omit this step as it removes all remaining traces of dissolved minerals from the water, and cleans and primes the existing silicone compond in the seams so it will accept the repair. Do not rinse with water. Blot out the vinegar with a towel, and wipe all surfaces until dry. Allow to air dry for at least an hour (longer in very humid climates).

Use the corner of an envelope or a small square to draw two perpendicular lines on the plastic lid of a margarine tub. The intersection of the lines should be as near the edge as possible , but still on the smooth portion of the lid. Cut along the two lines with scissors to create a "trowel" with which to tool the silicone. Leave the portion of the lid that snaps around the edges of the tub on the portion that is not cut away as a stiffener. Lay a quarter in the intersection of the cut edges and draw around its edge. Cut this small piece away with scissors leaving a rounded corner. When the tank is completely dry, prepare the caulking tube for use by cutting off the tip of the plastic nozzle at about a forty-five degree angle. There is usually a foil seal inside the nozzle, even with the end of the end of the tube. Puncture it with a long nail or a piece of stiff wire. Start at the bottom of the tank and apply a one-quarter inch bead of caulking evenly around all four seams. Work quickly, but neatness counts.

Use the tool you have just fabricated to work the caulking into the seams. The crucial trick is to hold the sides of the tool as tightly as possible against the sides of the tank while working with the caulking. Always start in the corners and pull the tool toward the center of each seam. Pull the tool straight out of the caulking and wipe any excess silicone off of your tool. Repeat wiping the tool as often as necessary to prevent smearing the silicone onto the visible portions of the glass on the sides of the tank. Tool the caulking from the corner at the end of one seam toward the center in one direction to a point approximately half the length of the seam. Pull the tool straight away from the seam. Start from the other corner and tool the caulking in the other direction, overlapping the previous tool mark slightly, and pull the tool straight away from the seam. This should have formed a very neat appearing joint that adheres evenly at the top and bottom edges of the joint. Repeat this process for the remaining three bottom seams. Silicone sets up quite rapidly, so don't dawdle.

Next, apply a slightly smaller bead of silicone to one vertical corner of the tank. You should be somewhat skilled with the tool by now, after practicing on the bottom. Place the tool into the silicone at the lower end of the seam, and draw it smoothly upward, stopping against the inside of the top framework. Repeat the process for the remaining three side seams and your aquarium should be perfectly sealed. Silicone caulks release fumes from acetic acid as they cure (that strong vinegary odor) and should be done with good ventilation or outside. Allow the tank to cure for a full 48 hours (72 hours is better yet) before filling the tank and reintroducing fish. Rinse the tank well with cool water after the silicone has fully cured, and it is ready for use.

If you have any interesting tips on the construction or repair of aquariums and aquarium components, please send E-mail to the address shown below, or just click on the address if your system supports that method. I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks for visiting this page.

Back to Aquarium Links Page.

Gary Churchman

garydebc@silcom.com

LinkExchange Member

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