Rebuilding red sea tanks

[schafon]

Hello everyone!
I did a thing, a crazy thing.
I've purchased 2 Red sea tanks, one is the 750xxl and the other is the 525xxl.
Both tank had a leak at the same area, the front middle.

I have couple of questions about the repair process.
I know that it's recommended to remove all glass panels and redo the entire silicone, but since we know that the reason that the silicone at the front failed is due to the unsupported center of the stand, I was wondering if I can get away with tearing all panels apart and re silicone the front panel only.
I found this guy in YT that managed to get away with only fixing the failed silicone:


My plan, if you guys think it can work, is to remove the front glass, the silicone from all other seals (not the seams), polish the front glass and redo the front glass and all seals at the same time.
The next step would be to reinforce the stand with middle support and maybe a metal bar to make sure the tank won't fail again.

My questions:
1. Do you think the plan for removing the front glass only is safe? Based on the fact that the silicone on the other seams is still good.
2. Can someone please show me some pictures of the way the red sea solved the center support issue with the stand?
3. Red sea used a long gusset thingy in the bottom front of the aquarium (you can see it here ) , I'm not sure why, my guess it to prevent leaks caused by the user banging the magnet razor on the bottom / spacer, to me it looks like it's only weakens the bottom silicone area and I think that rebuilding it without it will do only good. Does somebody has a different opinion?

My plan is to use the black ASI silicone, that has a strong tensile strength.

I know there is a lot of hate towards Red Sea and their failing tanks, but I'm trying to build it better to get many years out of it.
Any advice will be good, but let's try to keep it positive!

Thanks!

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

When you figure it out, start a mobile repair service. You could be like safelite car windshield repair. Show up with a fancy articulating hydraulic arm that suctions to the front panel, repair the seam and set the panel back in place. I’m sure you can find a lot of business! Ha

 

[schafon]

When you figure it out, start a mobile repair service. You could be like safelite car windshield repair. Show up with a fancy articulating hydraulic arm that suctions to the front panel, repair the seam and set the panel back in place. I’m sure you can find a lot of business! Ha

With the amount of failed Red Seas tanks I will make more money than them

 

[schafon]

Removed the front glass, looks promising

 

[jmichaelh7]

If you can successfully do it props to you.

Then resell ?

 

[schafon]

If you can successfully do it props to you.

Then resell ?

That’s the plan, one to keep and the other to resell. After vigorously testing it of course. I will not be able to live with myself if I’d know it’s going to leak and potentially flood someone’s house.

 

[trainbob]

Since the tank doesn’t leak could you brace it and then would that prevent leaks in the future

 

[schafon]

Since the tank doesn’t leak could you brace it and then would that prevent leaks in the future

It actually did leak, the front seam was completely dead.
I just finished removing the sealing from everything, tomorrow will be clean up and putting everything back together.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

Just make sure all surfaces that are going to be in contact with the silicone are absolutely clean with all prior silicone removed. I feel the number one reason repairs do not work is that the contact surfaces are not clean enough. just my two cents.

 

[schafon]

Thats definitely something I consider.
But there is some places that new silicone will meet the old silicone, but just in the seals, not the seams.
I'm trying to find a way to clean the surfaces with old silicone, but I'm worried that if i'd use rubbing alcohol I might damage the old silicone.
Any idea for glass cleaning that removes oils but doesn't damage silicone?

 

[schafon]

BTW, the a good indicator I have that I can use new silicone over old silicone was watching this video, proffesional shop that builds tanks wait 24 hours between the seams and the seals:

(skip to 8:08 for this).

 

[Celestion]

why , even if u get it to hold for some time , as u said piece of mind is essential, RS might have picked up some bad silicone on some of there builds , next the other seam will go , lord ............ you got 5 pieces of heavy redsea glass consider yourself blessed lol , full rebuild with asi

 

[Celestion]

There is a theory that silcone does not cure full strength at spans over 3/4" and two seals can be attempted ... experienced pros might step in here ....

 

[schafon]

why , even if u get it to hold for some time , as u said piece of mind is essential, RS might have picked up some bad silicone on some of there builds , next the other seam will go , lord ............ you got 5 pieces of heavy redsea glass consider yourself blessed lol , full rebuild with asi

I don't think the silicone was the reason for fail here, the stand really lost it's shape and that's what caused the bottom seam to fail.
I'm also working on the stand to make it be much better.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Personally, this sounds perfectly reasonable to do. Good luck and please keep us updated of the progress.

 

[Rusty_L_Shackleford]

That’s the plan, one to keep and the other to resell. After vigorously testing it of course. I will not be able to live with myself if I’d know it’s going to leak and potentially flood someone’s house.

Personally i would NEVER buy a tank that had been resealed. Too much risk for too little reward. The tank is the cheap part of a setup compared to all livestock and other gear. Plus live in a 3rd floor condo so a flood would be absolutetly devastating.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Personally i would NEVER buy a tank that had been resealed. Too much risk for too little reward. The tank is the cheap part of a setup compared to all livestock and other gear. Plus live in a 3rd floor condo so a flood would be absolutetly devastating.

I live in a first level, concrete slab. A flood is devastating, no matter who built the tank or how long ago.

I had a 12 month and a few days old, brand new tank from a national brand have a catastrophic glass failure.

Making tanks, strong is not really difficult. Attaching a glass panel to other glass panels isn't hard. Making them strong and look good is more difficult.

I would happily reface a big, cheap, RS tank.

The glass is good. The stand is garbage.

 

[schafon]

Yes I would probably wouldn't consider this if i'd live in a building / the tank wouldn't be on the ground floor.
I have a garage that I can test the tanks in for couple of weeks before moving it inside my house + I have tile floor and insurance.

I would feel more comfortable fixing this tank and making sure that the stand that caused it to leak the first time is built in a way that is safe, compare it to a similar RS tank without the bracing for the stand that to me is a ticking flood bomb.

Price to reward in this case is pretty substantial, the red sea 750 xxl goes for around 4500 (add to this 315 in sales tax) I got it for around 500 (including U-hual and movers).
The other expenses is some silicone and a lot of elbow grease.

 

[schafon]

I live in a first level, concrete slab. A flood is devastating, no matter who built the tank or how long ago.

I had a 12 month and a few days old, brand new tank from a national brand have a catastrophic glass failure.

Making tanks, strong is not really difficult. Attaching a glass panel to other glass panels isn't hard. Making them strong and look good is more difficult.

I would happily reface a big, cheap, RS tank.

The glass is good. The stand is garbage.

Do you know what caused the glass failure?

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Price to reward in this case is pretty substantial, the red sea 750 xxl goes for around 4500 (add to this 315 in sales tax) I got it for around 500 (including U-hual and movers).
The other expenses is some silicone and a lot of elbow grease.

It sounds like the juice is worth the squeeze.

Congrats.

Do you know what caused the glass failure?

None whatsoever. At 9am it was a beautiful reef tank. At 9:02, it was an empty, dark box with a lot of very unhappy fish and coral.