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Help!! frag tank problems

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by clown man, Jan 17, 2017.

  1. clown man Well-Known ReefKeeper

    685
    Iowa city,iowa
    Ratings:
    +29 / 2 / -0
    so I recently got a frag tank. its acrylic and its been welded like a acrylic tanks should be but has air bubbles in the seams and someone redid them with silicone what can I do to fix it and do it right or does anyone do this locally in iowa city cedar rapids
     
  2. Chief Reef Well-Known ReefKeeper GIRS Member

    445
    Cedar Rapids
    Ratings:
    +123 / 0 / -0
    I've heard of people using epoxy to mend acrylic at the seams, but it doesn't help the aesthetic side things.
     
  3. clown man Well-Known ReefKeeper

    685
    Iowa city,iowa
    Ratings:
    +29 / 2 / -0
    I mean its just something I never seen before and wondering if I can fix or not
     
  4. Actuary Well-Known ReefKeeper

    705
    Adel, IA
    Ratings:
    +145 / 1 / -0
    I'd try to remove the silicone and reweld with weld-on 16. Weld-on 16 isn't the strongest but as long as the frag tank isn't super tall I don't think you should have a problem (it is certainly a more appropriate solution than silicone). Weld-on 16 is a syrupy consistency and should allow you to fill any gaps in the seams. You should be able to just let a bead run down the seams without creating too much of a mess. Weld-on 4 is what I would use if putting a small frag tank together from scratch but it's super thin and wouldn't do well at filling gaps.. the acrylic needs to meet pretty perfectly. Weld-on 40 is quite strong but it is super thick and would be a huge mess and I wouldn't try it for this purpose.

    If you're concerned with aesthetics and aren't comfortable with working with acrylic I'd probably try to find someone to lend a hand with this. If aesthetics aren't too much of an issue, I'd say get some weld-on 16 and have at it... maybe practice a little with some scrap acrylic first to get a feel for the consistency and timing.
     
  5. blackx-runner Administrator Website Team Leadership Team

    Cedar Rapids, IA
    Ratings:
    +738 / 5 / -0
    @Bud@Bud might also have some insight on this as well. He's an acrylic guy.
     
  6. Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

    West Des Moines, IA
    Ratings:
    +1,818 / 14 / -0
    Pics?

    Also overall dims and material thickness?
     
  7. clown man Well-Known ReefKeeper

    685
    Iowa city,iowa
    Ratings:
    +29 / 2 / -0
    how do I get the silicone off with out scratching the crap out of it and I will get pics here In a little while
     
  8. GoodGreef Well-Known ReefKeeper

    681
    Clive, IA
    Ratings:
    +239 / 2 / -0
    I've used this stuff before. McKanica® Silicone Caulk Remover Gel (0354) - Pure Silicone Caulk - Ace Hardware There was a removal product by DAP for silicone but I don't see it for sale in the US anymore, unless they rebranded it. I used that stuff once years ago on a thick acrylic window I needed to pop out to repair the frame. It took a few hours but dissolved the silicone to where I could pull it off. The McKanica stuff I just recently used to dissolve silicone caulk around a tub I was having problems with.
     
  9. Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

    West Des Moines, IA
    Ratings:
    +1,818 / 14 / -0
    ^ that, plus use a soft plastic scraper and gently try to get under the silicone, get it started, then grab on to the silicone and pull it at an angle away from the joint while you run the scraper down the joint. It might slightly marr the acrylic but not so bad that you can't buff it out easily with Novus or something along those lines.

    Not sure if that McKanica stuff would also affect the acrylic. Might try it on a test area first (bottom panel, outside corner)

    Otherwise, rubbing it with your fingertips to ball up the silicone would get most of it off since silicone doesn't structurally bond to acrylic. Getting it out of the corners is going to be the toughest part. Taking a trapezoid razor blade right in the corner should loosen it up enough that you can get it out with your fingers, without damaging the acrylic (just don't press too hard with the razor)
     
  10. clown man Well-Known ReefKeeper

    685
    Iowa city,iowa
    Ratings:
    +29 / 2 / -0
    lol honestly wish I live in desmoines I run to ur place hand have u tell me what to do @Bud@Bud
     

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