Ishkabod Posted March 12, 2009 Report Share Posted March 12, 2009 (edited) Well here is the start of my journal regarding my new 80 gallon tank that i picked up at the Aquarium Club of Edmontons' Auction on Sunday March 9th. Links used so far The Aquarium Club of Edmonton AA Ungergravel filter and egg crate Questions Beautiful LARGE stand demo from Monsterfishkeepers Other than that all i have is that one tip for cleaning out silicone BE CAREFUL OF BLISTERS WHEN HANDLING RAZORBLADES OUCH :boxed: Have fun L -ham- Edited March 12, 2009 by Ishkabod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rED O Posted March 12, 2009 Report Share Posted March 12, 2009 Well here is the start of my journal regarding my new 80 gallon tank that i picked up at the Aquarium Club of Edmontons' Auction on Sunday March 9th.Links used so far The Aquarium Club of Edmonton AA Ungergravel filter and egg crate Questions Other than that all i have is that one tip for cleaning out silicone BE CAREFUL OF BLISTERS WHEN HANDLING RAZORBLADES OUCH :boxed: Have fun L -ham- is that the one that went for 50 bucks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ishkabod Posted March 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2009 You bet. I couldn't believe i actually got it for that price. I wish i could have taken the stand too It was really nice. I wonder how much the club made off it. I now have to build one myself. I hope it doesn't cost more than 20 dollars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ishkabod Posted March 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2009 I'm now seriously interested in building an Algae screen for me and someone i know. Here is the link AA Algae screen topic and link (Mnstrfishkpers) Thanks RDFISHGUY and Boydo. Lisa I'll update on how it's going later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ishkabod Posted March 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 Well all the silicone is removed includeing the stuff around the top edge. Now i need to clean up all the small bits of silicone that seems to stick to the glass like it's still glued to it. Anyway it'll take a little more time before i'm ready to start taping. I bought some silicone (GE silicone 1 Clear) At canadian Tire. I'll be posting some pics of the taping soon. Meanwhile i'be desided to build the stand frame as pictured here Stand Frame The cabinet doors and top will be a WIP over a long period of time as money and time allows me to add to the stand. Pics on the way soon. L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ishkabod Posted April 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 Okay It's been a while since i've updated but I've got a few more things done. Bought the wood and cut it for the stand. Taped and siliconed the tank Tip. USE MORE TAPE THAN ONE SINGLE STRIP AND DOUBLE TAPE THE MAIN STRIP. I got silicone everywhere. a double width tape would have helped immensely. Tip#2 Fill the tank when it's sitting OFF THE GROUND because if there is a leak in the bottom seam you won't be able to tell from where unless it's off the ground. aka I SPRUNG A LEAK :tongue: to you you goofy tank. Tip #3 Use a Mitre saw to cut the long pieces to be sure they are square and Take advantage of A hardware stores policy of 2 or 3 :thumbs: FREE CUTS when buying Plywood or other wood. It makes it easier to transport and is WAAAYYYYY faster to load, unload, and cut. Not to mention it's more accurate. Tip# 4 Regardless of whatever you think you need for silicone BUY 2 MORE THAN that. You can always return the unused ones. Well here is a list of supplies i bought for the stand Foamboard for the tank to sit on 2 by 4 by 10feet times 2 1 by 6 by 5 feet times 4 Nice fenceboard. More razorblades to clean up my mess Total comes to less than 50 Dollars excluding screws and woodglue which i bummed off my dad. The silicone cost me a total of 20 dollars to do including the first pack of razorblades and tape I also managed to get a really nice piece of white shelving because it was in the rubbish bin near the cutting area at the store. It was cut just a little wrong so it was garbage. But as they say one mans garbage is another mans treasure. QUESTION: What do you recommend to do to level the tank? It's on Carpet that's on very uneven Concrete. Pictures will be added soon. I'be been taking them as i go along but the program is on my other computer so i can't upload them until that's set up and that can't be done until i get my fish out of their quarantine tanks (using up all the plug space and power bars) and that can't happen until i get the 80 gallon tank set up. Happy Easter L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ishkabod Posted June 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2009 Computer crash so I've lost all the pictures i had just finished uploading. I'm on my FOURTH silicone job. I at least am down to 2 corners leaking so i've stripped most of the silicone out of them and have just finished taping. I'll silicone again tomorrow maybe and i think i'll be good to go. TIP# For most tanks the silicone tool you can buy at Home Depot works like a charm. If you wipe it with paper towel before the silicone dries it'll be like new so you can re-use it many times. In connection with a previous tip use a very small bead first and use the small tip to smooth it into the corners and THen use more silicone for a larger seam. Good luck with your projects I hope my mistakes helped someone avoid problems L P.S. I might have some picture left on a memory card but i doubt it so I'll be taking more and showing what my stand looks like and the silicone job i did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ishkabod Posted August 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 Well the Fourth silicone job didn't work so just before i desided to gut it and start again i took and use the last llittle bit of the last tube of silicone i had on hand and GOBBED it in the corners without tapeing IT WORKED THE TANK IS SEALED YAAAAYYYYYY It only took FIVE MONTHS Oooooo my fish are gonna be HAAPPPY. I'l post pics asap L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parachromis1 Posted August 31, 2009 Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 Well the Fourth silicone job didn't work so just before i desided to gut it and start again i took and use the last llittle bit of the last tube of silicone i had on hand and GOBBED it in the corners without tapeingIT WORKED THE TANK IS SEALED YAAAAYYYYYY It only took FIVE MONTHS Oooooo my fish are gonna be HAAPPPY. I'l post pics asap L I would be scared to have a tank like that in my house......did you not clean the glass in between silicone jobs? If you clean it well enough, and build the tank properly it'll never leak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat Posted August 31, 2009 Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 Well the Fourth silicone job didn't work so just before i desided to gut it and start again i took and use the last llittle bit of the last tube of silicone i had on hand and GOBBED it in the corners without tapeingIT WORKED THE TANK IS SEALED YAAAAYYYYYY It only took FIVE MONTHS Oooooo my fish are gonna be HAAPPPY. I'l post pics asap L I would be scared to have a tank like that in my house......did you not clean the glass in between silicone jobs? If you clean it well enough, and build the tank properly it'll never leak. I would be scared too as silicone is not suppose to stick to silicone, not well anyway. That is why you go through the exercise of removing all old silicone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ishkabod Posted August 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 I cleaned it really really well the first time and inbetween the rest of the times but the leak is only very very small a few drops of water every minute or so. I'm going to keep a bucket on hand anyway in the problem areas and i'm going to be sealing the plywood bottom edges so that if it happens to leak again it'll have the whole bottom to fill before it floods my carpet. It's all i can afford right now and i need to get my fish into a bigger tank as of a few months ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shai Posted August 31, 2009 Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 but the leak is only very very small a few drops of water every minute or so. This is scary. A very small leak has a way of quickly becoming a very large leak. Any water escaping from the tank is bad. Do you really want to run the risk of the leak becoming catastrophic, say, in the middle of the night? While you're away on vacation? etc. 80g is a lot of water and you don't have buckets that big. IMO if you're going to set this tank up, do it right so you don't have to risk your fish, your carpet, etc. Cleanup is a drag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ishkabod Posted September 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 I'm fast coming to the conclusion that i best re do the whole tank or leave it in the backroom to leak till it's hearts content with my fish in it until i can buy a new tank.(the backroom has concrete floors with a drain it'll drain into.) Thanks for the advice L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettaFishMommy Posted September 1, 2009 Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 you could always buy some of those big rubbermaid bins to use as a temporary tank until you have the real tank resealed. i have a rubbermaid thats got to be at least 45 gallons. two of those should do you for the time being until you get that big glass box water tight! and then you can use the rubbermaids for just about anything after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ishkabod Posted September 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Good idea except i wouldn't have anywhere to put the rubbermaids once i'm done with them not to mention nothing to put in them either. I only have the one very very very small leak so i'm thinking i'll drain it silicone the heck out of that spot, save some money and in november ish i'll start to look for another tank. Thanks L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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