DIY Resealing and removal of plastic frame.

[Squatch XXL]

I made a bad buy on craigslist the other day (its worth what I paid in glass). I picked up a discontinued 85 gallon tank. After getting it home, and in the light for inspection I noticed that the top frame is cracked. The tank is approx 3' long, 2' deep and 2' wide.

After talking with the manufacturer, there is no replacement parts at all.

Per this:
http://www.garf.org/tank/BuildTank.asp

I could be able to use reinforcement pieces to create a frame. It seems quite simple, and I could probably do it without damaging the frame any further. There is a center brace, but from what it seems it may be unnecessary.

At that point I might as well lose the frame entirely.

Anyone a tank builder or experienced with this?

 

[SubRosa]

There's no such thing as an unnecessary center brace unless the tank was originally designed to not need it. You can bet your house that any tank with a center brace built into the plastic frame needs a center brace if you intend to fill it completely.

 

[cracker]

I'm with Sub Rosa on this . Save the center brace if possible, just for peace of mind !
where is the crack?

 

[rostervandross]

Be careful working with the rim removed. I just cut open my hand neglecting to wear gloves or tape the glass edge

 

[DaveK]

I would not trust a hacked tank. Turn it into a planter or something and look around for another tank. That bargain tank could fail, and you'd loose far more in livestock than the cost of another tank. Write this tank off and make it into a planter or something.

 

[Squatch XXL]

It can be euro braced with 2" or wider strips of 3/8 inch. The main seal on the glass is still perfect. The secondary seal is wore out. None of the panes are tempered.

I move to my new home in t-minus 2 weeks, and this will be a project for the new work room as something to cut apart.

Marineland support recommended that I watch this video.

 

[cracker]

Your going to try it, I would also, so I say go for it. Do it outside 1st if possible. Got a pic maybe?

 

[Squatch XXL]

There's no such thing as an unnecessary center brace unless the tank was originally designed to not need it. You can bet your house that any tank with a center brace built into the plastic frame needs a center brace if you intend to fill it completely.

It would not need a center brace if it was eurobraced (reinforcement plates) with at least 2" wide strips of 3/8" glass. Garf calculator works great.

where is the crack?

Tyrone Biggums

The frame is cracked in each corner on the top. They are hairline, but are darn near straight up the corner, and then at a 45 degree angle straight through the trim.

Previous owner bought it used years ago for a crock or gator....but it got too big and had to get rid of the dinosaur. The silicone is pretty well gone and what is left is dry.

Be careful working with the rim removed. I just cut open my hand neglecting to wear gloves or tape the glass edge

I use heavy duty weld gloves whenever working with glass. Hand and eye protection are a must at all times.

I would not trust a hacked tank.

Neither do I. I plan on turning it into a pile of pane, and rebuilding if possible. I am not abject to replacing glass either. Will be using aquarium grade silicone, possibly black. I don't doubt that it could be done safely and successfully.

Your going to try it, I would also, so I say go for it. Do it outside 1st if possible. Got a pic maybe?

Most certainly would be leak tested in the garage over a weekend. If it is "safe" than It will be a cure tank in the garage for a few months.

 

[Squatch XXL]

Got a pic maybe?

The crack in the frame. runs all the way into the inside of the frame.


Full tank shot. This was right after it got delivered, and washed out. Vinegar works great on everything.

 

[cracker]

Will the tank be a display that needs to look pretty? Maybe remove the frame and use glass front to back on each end and one in the center(just for peace of mind) or save the center brace and use the glass on each end. either way it would be fine. I assume that's your plan.

 

[Squatch XXL]

Got bored this weekend. I started stripping the silicone.


Glass has some stubborn hard water stains at the top of the glass where the frame was. I'm waiting for something in the mail that will help with it.

They really glue the frames on, so they will not come off without breaking

 

[Squatch XXL]

Glass has some stubborn hard water stains at the top of the glass where the frame was

After using some barkeeper's friend and an electric buffer, I got most of the stains off.....However, there is some "etching" that has happened under where the frame was. I won't be continuing the buff process either, but I thought about getting some industrial glass polish.

When the etching gets wet, it is nearly invisible. It is all but impossible to feel either.....But it changes my perspective. I am not putting that much more time or effort into this. If it was 1/2" glass (12mm) I would be a bit more serious.


I am going to do the bare minimum on reinforcement of a 2" eurobrace AND a 2" wide front to back center brace. If this was 1/2" glass OR was not etched I would have gone with a 3" eurobrace, and called it a day.

This is an educational experience for me. I was surprised when I found that the tank is built by setting the sides onto the bottom VS building the sides around the bottom. The function of the bottom frame is analog to a supportive and flat surface....but cheaper than all the pads and mats.

I still have an estimated 2 hours of silicone scrape to get the last little pieces that are on the glass....I found that IF you clean out with a dust brush, that dust sticks to any fresh cut silicone....and it sticks out like a sore thumb. This works great for the tough pieces that are thin and on the glass itself.

28 linear feet of silicone caulk has been almost totally removed. Some was not bad to clean like the top under the frame. The bottom frame is cracked also, and will be removed only after I reseal and reinforce the interior. There is another pile of silicone to get rid of.

After that, this beast MUST sit on a mat or pad of some kind.

I am set on doing the overflow on the side, and either using the tank as a peninsula or just putting the filters into a stand on the side. I hate leaning over to get to my sump.

 

[rostervandross]

Looking good partner.

I just did a similar deal with my sump, taking the rim off and cleaning it up.. siliconed in 5 baffle pieces. but didn't need to redo the structural silicon.

What's your plan for reinforcing it once you've got it resealed? Or just baffles and it won't be full of water being used as a sump

 

[Squatch XXL]

What's your plan for reinforcing it once you've got it resealed?

Im going to eurobrace around the top and run a strip across the center to be sure. It will eventually be filled and used as a "display tank". Aside from the water stains, there won't be any real issues. Caulking is a snap.

 

[cracker]

Squatch, Please give us some close ups. I want to see how You did it .

 

[StirCrayzy]

If that's 3'X2'X2', I would've saved it too. That's a unique size premium $$.
Good luck with the bracing, I'm sure you'll get it strong enough not to worry about it.

 

[Squatch XXL]

I just ordered the 5 pieces required for the Euro Brace. Just over $100 which was expected. I have off the next week and a half, so I may get this siliconed together...at least that is the goal.

 

[Squatch XXL]

I found a ebay seller with dry base Florida rock for less than $1 usd/lb shipped and ordered 100+ lbs. Should be here on Monday. I don't remember ordering earlier this week.....which makes it all the more fun.

The tank is still at my other house's garage, and will be migrating over here this week sometime. Will probably be caulked up next week.

 

[StirCrayzy]

Wow, great deal ! Hope it's legit.

 

[Squatch XXL]

Wow, great deal ! Hope it's legit.

One of three boxes of rock came yesterday. It is some nice looking stuff AND it has some great fossils visible on most of the pieces.
Another box came today. Again more decent old pieces. More fossils. All of it so far is "medium" sized in my opinion.

I expect box 3 to have more of the same. I will have 105# of very dense mid sized rocks. My goal in decorating has always been to create it so that it does not look like a pile of rocks. IMHO, I have failed every time. Every reef setup looked like a stack of rocks to me.

This one I want to make it look like a pile of rocks. I am going to intentionally make it look like piles.....I plan to make it artsy and great for our wet pets.

It will be an anemone tank. Aside from clowns, there are other fish that tolerate nems. IIRC Bangaii cards and some chromis?

Eventually this will tie in to my current setup. I may use my current setup as the "sump" if I get flow rates correct, this is a great option. My man cave is perfectly capable of being a "behind the wall" fish room. It will be nice to be able to display tanks through a wall without having all the hardware visible.