broken tank trying to repair help please

[three90s&125sump]

Ok some of you know i got a really good deal on a 225 and then I broke it and now I'm going to repair it. I have never reglued a tank before is there anything I need to know? I assume I just use regular old pure silicone caulk. Clean all the surfaces with alcohol then run a 1/4 inch bead on all surfaces to be sealed place the panel on it and duct tape in place. Do i have to be absolutly sure all old caulk is removed? I am planing on doing both long sides because im not so sure that the 12 year old caulk that is holding the other side isnt going to seperate as well.

I looked at glasscages.com and their starphire glass in 1/2 inch thickness is $15 per square foot and regular iron glass is $9 per square foot. Is it really worth the extra money for the starphire glass. I really like the look of an acrylic tank much more than a regular iron glass tank. Is the starphire equivolent to acrylic in clarity? I am going to have to spend the funds I had alotted for the return pump for the starphire. I will just use the 2 mag 12s for the return untill I can afford the sequence pump.

[biowheel]

Take it to a glass company and pay them CASH to re-glaze/silicone it . If that thing lets go in your house OBOY!!!!! I like all glass .
Just my 2 cents

[mgloop9656]

"broke" or just come apart?

[MedicMike]

doesnt sound like such a sweet deal anymore... j/k bustin your chops a lil bit a lil elbow grease and you should have it... are you talking about the eurobracing that poppe loose?

[Hop]

Replacing a pane on a large tank is not fun! I had to do it on a 120. Not that it was difficult, just labor intensive. If I recall (this was about 12 years ago) it took the better part of a weekend to get everything perfect... Remember to get some in between the panes so it squeezes out a little when you snug up the jig right before you do the inside seams. I used low tac tape to keep the seams clean looking.

[MedicMike]

oops just read your other thread sorry bout your luck.... thats a little more work than some busted euro bracing....

[primereef]

If you have any desire to go starphire do it. Its well worth the extra price. I installed a 360g starphire tank and the customer was really impressed. You only need the starphire on the viewable sides though.
You need to make sure that the bracing and method of securing the tank panel is adequate. It need to be tight and square. Keep us informed

[OneDummHikk]

If you are going to do the two long panels, the only thing left is the joint between the two short panels and the bottom. May as well re-do the entire thing. And regular silicone isn't a good choice. It needs to be aquarium grade silicone. The silicone between the two panels is what holds it together. What is on the inside of the tank is merely what oozed out when they assembled the tank together. To get a clean line, simply dry fit the tank then tape the joints up with masking tape (blue painters tape) so that the tape will allow you to take a spoon and "tool" the joints smooth. The tape should be where the spoon "slides" against the glass. Right after smoothing out the joint with the spoon, remove the tape by pulling it back across the seam. What little is at the edge of the tape comes up cleanly and you get a good looking seam to it.

[Jadinop]

The big question is how well will you sleep at night after the repair?

I'm pretty handy at doing just about anything but I don't know if I could take on a project like that. I have enough trouble sleeping already. You reach a point where the glass tank itself becomes a minor expense compared to all of the other equipment and livestock. If it was me, I would be ordering a new tank. Even without the tank, you got a good deal.

[three90s&125sump]

I'm ordering some starphire. I'm not worried about it coming apart. I'm not doing the side panels all the caulk on the bottom is in perfect shape. Just going to redo all three sides on both long panels. Just the long veiwing panel is going to be starphire. I think I'm going to buy a new top trim with he euros built in, depends on pricing.

Can someone tell a mod that I'm having trouble with my moble connection it is taking about 20 mins to pull up a page and I can't post new threads. Every other web site and forum is working fine just having trouble with this one. I already called my ISP and they said everything is good from my phone.

[Loverotties]

Try cleanning out your cookies!

[three90s&125sump]

Its not cookies.