Reusing an old tank I have in storage, is it a bad idea?

[BrianR]

So I got out of reefing maybe 3 years ago. I have 2 75gallon tanks which I cleaned up. Soaked with vinegar and water, cleaned the glass, tried to really get them nice and clean. Then I carted them off to my storage unit where they have sat for about 3 years. I never really thought that to be a bad idea. Probably should mention this is not a temp controller storage unit. Just one of the storage places behind a gate and lock on the unit kind of thing. You see thousands of them all across America so you have an idea of what I'm talking about.

Recently I've been thinking of starting up again and reusing one of the tanks but have been told they will probably leak. Is that true? Is it something I'd see right away or god forbid months down the road after I had it filled and in my house?

Sorry for my ignorance, never even thought something like that could happen. Figured I should ask first before I could cause a potential disaster on my floors.

[j.falk]

When I worked at the LFS, we had 30+ used 40 gallon breeder aquariums that sat empty for over ten years that we decided to set back up for hospital/holding tanks. Not a single one of them leaked after all that time.

[billdogg]

After being in service for about 10 years, my 150 sat on end in my unheated garage (-20 to +120) for ab out 7 years until I got the basement finished and was able to set it back up. I used it as a garden tool storage bin. I rinsed it out, did a leak test in the garage, and put it back in use. I sold it about a year ago and at ~22 years old, it was still solid as a rock.

It'll be fine.

[ladynavyvet]

My 40 gallon sat empty for a couple years according to the people I bought it from. I did a leak test before starting my reef set-up, I've not had any leaks.

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[Harbour]

Sounds like by other "eye witness accounts" you're good to go - I don't know myself. But, if you're going to constantly worry about it, it's gonna take some of thee fun away - save and buy a new one - but remember they sometimes leak too! :-)

I did have a 55 gallon reef that had a center brace crack and you could actually see the bow in the middle of the glass - held water just fine! I worried too much about that and eventually shut it down!

Harbour

Harbour

[A sea K]

I see no concern in using the old tank so long is there is no visible damage to any of the seals. Just take a good hard look, give it a leak test and go from there.
Oh, by the way, welcome back!

[BrianR]

Thanks guys.

[reefling]

Garage storage can make it prone to leak. You can do a quick reseal for about 20$

You just cut out the old silicon and redo the sealing part. Use ge window and door I or momentive rtv 100 series.

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[BrianR]

Originally Posted by reefling

Garage storage can make it prone to leak. You can do a quick reseal for about 20$

You just cut out the old silicon and redo the sealing part. Use ge window and door I or momentive rtv 100 series.

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Is that as easy as it sounds? Never done it. I'm guessing if this is going to leak I'll know right away and then can weigh my options? It mostly scared me as something which won't pop up right away. I'd test, everything is good, off I go and wake up sometime down the road to a flooded house.

[BrianR]

Oh and I'm watching videos now on resealing a tank but so far they make it look so easy and no one has said "man this sucks!" Lol. So thought maybe some of you who have done it could chime in and give me an idea of just how much of a pain this may or may not be.

[A sea K]

Re sealing a tank is not as easy as it sounds. Just cleaning and prepping in advance of re sealing is a PITA all its own. While I have never done it before I have re used (or had to redo) sump baffles before. Removing the old silicone is a chore in itself not to mention getting a consistent bead along each panel and perfect alignment then having a fixture of some sort to unsure everything is parallel and square and then holding that position till everything cures, etc,etc. I'm sure you are getting the idea by now.

[Sk8r]

I'd fill it with tap, and warm the water to tank temperatures and give it a week. If it's still holding water, it should be good to use.

[reefling]

Originally Posted by BrianR

Oh and I'm watching videos now on resealing a tank but so far they make it look so easy and no one has said "man this sucks!" Lol. So thought maybe some of you who have done it could chime in and give me an idea of just how much of a pain this may or may not be.

It is easy. You just need to make sure to stay out from between the glass. You only want the wedged part inside. Feel it and make sure you feel glass. After that get acetone and wipe it down good. Mask the edges and then put in the new silicon. I think meleves reef has one on YouTube. If your joints look good, you don't take the tank apart tho.

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[ladynavyvet]

Originally Posted by BrianR

Is that as easy as it sounds? Never done it. I'm guessing if this is going to leak I'll know right away and then can weigh my options? It mostly scared me as something which won't pop up right away. I'd test, everything is good, off I go and wake up sometime down the road to a flooded house.

Frankly, there's never a true certainty that any tank we buy brand new won't leak either, the only difference is you hopefully will have a manufacturers warranty, to cover the tank.

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[Grimreaperz]

Leak Test with fresh water,
Worst case Reseal it...super easy just a bit messy is all

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[nereefpat]

Guys, you can not simply apply new silicone to the inside of the tank in order to "reseal" it. If the tank leaks, then the structural seam between two panels has been compromised. You would need to take the panels apart, then clean and redo the structural seams. There is no reason to add silicone to the inside.

As others have said, check to see if it holds water. It probably does.

[billdogg]

Originally Posted by reefling

Garage storage can make it prone to leak. You can do a quick reseal for about 20$

You just cut out the old silicon and redo the sealing part. Use ge window and door I or momentive rtv 100 series.

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That won't do a thing to fix a leaking tank. The "inside" silicone is cosmetic only!

Originally Posted by BrianR

Oh and I'm watching videos now on resealing a tank but so far they make it look so easy and no one has said "man this sucks!" Lol. So thought maybe some of you who have done it could chime in and give me an idea of just how much of a pain this may or may not be.

I've done it correctly a couple times and it IS NOT EASY! You must completely disassemble the tank. All 5 panels must be cleaned of all traces of silicone, and then you have to put it all back together, and the "silicone" you get from HD/Lowes is not the correct type - yuo need silicone adhesive (momentive RTV or similar) not silicone sealant (GE type I)

If it leaks I would just go buy another tank.

Originally Posted by A sea K

Re sealing a tank is not as easy as it sounds. Just cleaning and prepping in advance of re sealing is a PITA all its own. While I have never done it before I have re used (or had to redo) sump baffles before. Removing the old silicone is a chore in itself not to mention getting a consistent bead along each panel and perfect alignment then having a fixture of some sort to unsure everything is parallel and square and then holding that position till everything cures, etc,etc. I'm sure you are getting the idea by now.

^^^This^^^

Originally Posted by reefling

It is easy. You just need to make sure to stay out from between the glass. You only want the wedged part inside. Feel it and make sure you feel glass. After that get acetone and wipe it down good. Mask the edges and then put in the new silicon. I think meleves reef has one on YouTube. If your joints look good, you don't take the tank apart tho.

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See above

Originally Posted by nereefpat

Guys, you can not simply apply new silicone to the inside of the tank in order to "reseal" it. If the tank leaks, then the structural seam between two panels has been compromised. You would need to take the panels apart, then clean and redo the structural seams. There is no reason to add silicone to the inside.

As others have said, check to see if it holds water. It probably does.

And ^^^This^^^

[BigDave]

Nereefpat and billdogg are correct on this one.

The silicone that you see in the corner of a fish tank is there for cosmetic and to make it easier to clean only. It doesn't actually seal anything. The only real structural silicone is what's between the glass.

With that being said... If you fill the tank and let it sit for a week or so, it should let you know pretty quick if one of the sealed edges is compromised.

[BrianR]

thank you for all the input guys. I think i'm just going to go the way of a new tank, get one a little bigger too which is a bonus.

[reefling]

New tank is the safest way. If you take the old one apart, you need adhesive silicon.

If the seams are in good shape, then, you can get away with a sealant.

I have done about 8 or 10 tanks like that. Not a single one failed. A couple were in my house 5+years. It is best to just rebuild it, but if it's just garage kept and you are worried about the possibility of leakage, then reseal > rebuild

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[jayball]

I have a 24 inch tall hex tank with a build date of 1987 running in my kids room, it sat in a crawlspace under my dads house for the past ~10 years.

Like most said, leak test it and go.

[Grimreaperz]

Regardless I would rather spend a day or 2 taking a tank apart...to redo seams and then reseal apose to spending 300-500 on a brand new tank....King Of DIY does a new glass tank build and shows you how to to structural seems....really not as hard as people are making it sound....just need a right angle and another person to help hold pieces...i think you guys are confusing labor intensive with difficulty it's really not difficult just labor intensive....

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[ReeferNoob4ever]

Don't do it.

[JDWells]

Originally Posted by billdogg

That won't do a thing to fix a leaking tank. The "inside" silicone is cosmetic only!



I've done it correctly a couple times and it IS NOT EASY! You must completely disassemble the tank. All 5 panels must be cleaned of all traces of silicone, and then you have to put it all back together, and the "silicone" you get from HD/Lowes is not the correct type - yuo need silicone adhesive (momentive RTV or similar) not silicone sealant (GE type I)

If it leaks I would just go buy another tank.



^^^This^^^



See above



And ^^^This^^^

I've resealed lots of tanks exactly the way you're saying is wrong. It works just fine and has for years. The silicone between the panels is structural, yes. But the silicone fileted into the corners does most of the sealing. Unless you really want to get ambitious, there's no need to completely tear the panels apart. Even if you do, it's not that hard. Time consuming and a pain in the rear, but not hard.
Either way, as others have said above, if it passes a leak test it's fine.

[billdogg]

Please feel free to use whatever method works for you. Personally, if I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it right.


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