confused

[cameron740]

hello i have put a divider in my fbt tank so it could be half and half...can anyone help me with the seeling bcuz i let it dry for 24 ours and there are no holes and it still leeks

[Jenste]

Is it leaking along the sides or the bottom? you might just need to empty/dry it out and put an extra layer of sealant.

Pics/list of items?

[cameron740]

i cant take pics now ill do it tmrw...i have aquarium safe sealant..peatmoss for lant area...plants...water plants for water...rocks..and lucky bamboo...and water lol...it was leeking at the botom i out like 3 layerss of sealant...i was just thinking that it wasnt dry all the way so i was going to check it gain in the morning...do you think its the divider...its not glass and its not plexiglass..its 2 taped peices of a plastic binder should i use something else

[Mentat]

...do you think its the divider...its not glass and its not plexiglass..its 2 taped peices of a plastic binder should i use something else

Although it's cool at times to innovate; recommend keep with proven methods when it comes to water proof seals. If your tank is glass, the safest bet is to use a glass divider piece glued with aquarium silicone sealant. You have to remove present silicone glue sealant with sharp razor blade or scrapper carefully and wipe off any remnants with acetone soaked rag. Then dry with paper towel and let it further air dry for at least 15 minutes before attempting to install new glass piece again. Then let it cure properly before testing with water. Good luck !

[Louis Charles Bruckner]

Carlos is correct.
The reason you use a solvent is to clean off any oils that will prevent proper adhesion of the sealant.
And curing time varies with temperature and humidity.

Most sealants use acetic acid and as that evaporates the sealant drys or cures.
so it might smell like vinegar (pretty strong) so the less vinegar odor the better.

[cameron740]

ok thanks..i gping to lowes now i can see if my mom can get me a pice if glass

[deranged chipmunk]

keep in mind, like Carlos and Louis mentioned, that silicone will adhere to almost anything, except, previously cured siicone. that means if you have a leak, you need to start over. you can't just add more silicone on top of silicone.

[Louis Charles Bruckner]

Me personally I wouldn't use glass. I would use 1/4 plexi glass or plastic. it might scratch up easier.
But it is much safer to work with and you can round the exposed edges to make it safer than cut regular glass that is sharp as a razor.

Lowes will cut it for you for free. Yes it is a bit more expensive but it is much safer to work with.

[deranged chipmunk]

i definitely agree. plexi or lexan is so much safer to work with. not to mention that unlike glass, either can be bent or molded rather easily to create a more naturalistic design, rather than the boxy look you get from glass.

[Louis Charles Bruckner]

To clarify plexi can be heated and bent fairly easily and safely.

also when you get really good with it you can even do chemical welding of it to make nearly invisible seams.

[UncleChester]

But it is much safer to work with and you can round the exposed edges to make it safer than cut regular glass that is sharp as a razor.

That's a good point and if he goes with glass he should ask whoever cuts it to smooth the edges. If they won't do it, it's easy enough to do with sandpaper and a thick pair of gloves. The gloves are important.

[Louis Charles Bruckner]

I didn't know that.
What grit should you use and do you recommend dry or wet sanding?
I would imagine that you start out with a fairly rough grit for glass say 500 and smooth it out with 1000?

Sorry that is the engineer in me coming out. LOL

That's a good point and if he goes with glass he should ask whoever cuts it to smooth the edges. If they won't do it, it's easy enough to do with sandpaper and a thick pair of gloves. The gloves are important.

[UncleChester]

I use whatever grit is within arms length, usually 100 or 120, or maybe 180 (if the cut was already pretty clean to begin with). You're just taking off the sharp edge there's no need to polish it. The end result won't look like a piece out of a pro glass shop with a nice rounded edge, just something that's no longer sharp.

Wet is preferable to keep the dust under control.

Wrapping the sandpaper around a wooden block is a good idea. Also, wear gloves.

I've also used one of those 'diamond' knife sharpeners and it worked pretty well.