How to Reseal a 55 Gallon Fish Tank

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Use this guide if your aquarium’s seal is compromised and the aquarium is leaking. You can test to see if your aquarium is leaking.

The silicone sealant is present on the inside seam of the tank on all corners, the bottom, and it holds the panes of glass together themselves. When the sealant is compromised, the tank’s water will leak out and endanger the fish and critters in it. The sealant is prone to wearing down over time, and if you might want to reseal a tank that was sourced secondhand.

Before using this guide, make sure to drain your tank and to thoroughly clean it. You will also need to make sure that the silicone you use to reseal the tank is fish safe, being nontoxic and suitable for constant submersion in fresh or saltwater.

Consider wearing gloves and being in a well-ventilated area when using the silicone. Remember that new silicone will not adhere to old silicone, and for that reason it is important to be diligent in removing the old silicone. Be sure to be careful and go slow when using the blades to cut out the old silicone, you’re at risk to cut yourself! And as stated earlier, silicone is also holding the panes of glass together, so take care to not cut into that part and destroy the seams that actually hold the tank together.

Wat je nodig hebt

Stap 1 Silicone Seal

How to Reseal a 55 Gallon Fish Tank, Silicone Seal: stap 1, afbeelding 1 van 3

How to Reseal a 55 Gallon Fish Tank, Silicone Seal: stap 1, afbeelding 2 van 3

How to Reseal a 55 Gallon Fish Tank, Silicone Seal: stap 1, afbeelding 3 van 3

Clean the tank.
Be sure to remove all foreign substances.
Inspect the seal for possibility of removal without tools.
Check the old seals for mold.
The new silicone must have a clean surface to bond to.
Mark where the leak is and make sure to pay close attention to that side when applying silicone.

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Stap 2

How to Reseal a 55 Gallon Fish Tank: stap 2, afbeelding 3 van 3

Get the razor blade underneath the seal, and scrape from the top to the bottom, with long and steady cuts to remove the sealant.
Do not insert the blade in-between the panels because that can separate the glass.

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Stap 3

How to Reseal a 55 Gallon Fish Tank: stap 3, afbeelding 3 van 3

Remove the remaining silicone with paper towels, acetone, and a vacuum.
Apply acetone until you do not feel any sticky residue (silicone).
If the silicone does not come off with the acetone, use razor blades to assist in any final removal.
The new silicone will not bond unless all of the old silicone is removed.

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Stap 4

How to Reseal a 55 Gallon Fish Tank: stap 4, afbeelding 3 van 3

Apply tape along the interior edges of the tank.
Leave a gap between the interior corners and the lines of tape.
The gap should be approximately 1/2 inch.

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Stap 5

How to Reseal a 55 Gallon Fish Tank: stap 5, afbeelding 3 van 3

Cut the tip of the silicone at the three-eighths mark.
Press the caulking gun to apply an even bead ¼” bead of silicone along the corners.
Apply it quickly because the silicone dries within minutes.
Consider where the original leak was and apply extra silicone as needed.

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Stap 6

Spread out the silicone bead across all the interior corners with your finger.
This process is sticky. We recommend wearing gloves.

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Stap 7

How to Reseal a 55 Gallon Fish Tank: stap 7, afbeelding 3 van 3

Leave your tank in a place free of dust and contaminants. Wait a minimum of 48 hours to dry.
Peel the tape back to slowly remove it.
Adding water or reintroducing your fish early can ruin the process and it might harm your fish.