# Adding more sealing/painting?!



## kkkkyle7 (Feb 10, 2009)

Hi all,

We have a 36 gallon bow front tank we had got 3 years ago and had set up for a year and a half, then we had to take if down to move into a rental house until our new house was being done built. So the tank has sat empty for about a year and a half. I really want so set it back up now that were moved in but I am worried about it leaking, we had another of the same tank about 5 years ago and it leaked after a year and they gave us a new one (which is the one we have now) I was wondering if you can just add some new silicone over the old silicone. It does not appear to be dry rotten or anything but I just want to be sure since its going upstairs in our new house.

Another question...
Our aquarium was a real wood stand but the trim on the actual aquarium is fake plastic looking wood and the hood/light is brown plastic. What can I paint this with so Its safe for the fish and will not peel off? I was guess 100% latex and non-toxic spray paint? We already painted the stand white, we want it all to match. Thanks


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

Hi kkkkyle7. Welcome to the forum. I don't know the answer to your questions but I know someone here will. I just wanted to say welcome aboard


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## soxfan81 (Jan 25, 2009)

If your worried about the silicone you should fill it up and see if it leaks. New silicone on top of old silcone will not adhere and is not going to help you. I have had good results with krylon fusion paint it is made to stick to plastic. But I wouldn't paint anything that is going to be in the water. Be careful with the front of the tank I have never gotten paint on acyrlic but you can't use a metal razor blade to take the overspray off. It will scratch the acyrlic. Hope this helps


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## Tyyrlym (Jun 1, 2008)

Agreed, so long as what you're painting isn't going in the water it should be fine. I'd use an outdoor paint because it's likely to get wet so having something that's designed to take that is a good idea. Make sure to mask out the areas you don't want painted and be diligent about it. If the tank is glass scrapping off overspray isn't a big deal, but with good masking you won't have to. The one place you want to be doubly sure about is the top. You need to seal up the tank in such a way as to prevent paint from getting into the aquarium. So long as you do that you should be fine.

I didn't spray the trim on my 48 gallon tank but I did spray a background onto it and things worked out just fine.

Like soxfan81 said, silicone over silicone isn't going to do you much good. If you're worried about leaks you can fill the tank outside and let it sit for several days to ensure it doesn't leak. The downside is there's no way to test for leaks that might happen in a year or so. Scraping out all the silicone in the tank and resealing it yourself could be done but its a lot of work.


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## kkkkyle7 (Feb 10, 2009)

so new silicone will not stick to the old siliconeat all?
the reason I just want to add a little more so there is a less chance of it leaking
and on the outside if the tank on the corners some of the silicone seems missing, could I fill that in with new silicone?


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## Tyyrlym (Jun 1, 2008)

New silicone on top of old will stick and stay but it's not really sealed the way glass to silicone will seal. It'll be somewhat weak.


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## Nudist (Oct 19, 2008)

kkkkyle7 said:


> so new silicone will not stick to the old siliconeat all?
> the reason I just want to add a little more so there is a less chance of it leaking
> and on the outside if the tank on the corners some of the silicone seems missing, could I fill that in with new silicone?


if you want to add more silicone, it wont hurt and could help. if the silocone thats on there now is 1/2" and you put new silicone over it, make it wider... say 1" wide and that would help seal it but if it was me, i would take it outside and fill it up like others have already said and if it dont leak, i would use it like it is. if you do add more to it, make sure its 100% dry and all the smell has gone before setting it up.

Steve


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