165 Restore

ryanp

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Just wanted to post the progression on a project im working on. Opinions and positive criticism is appreciated.
Found an add on craiglist for a 200 gallon tank and stand with filter.He wanted "somewhere around $100." Turned out to be a 165 gallon. I went to pick it up the other day. Good and bad news. Good news i was able to get him down to $50 w a brand new fluval 204 filter thats never been used. Bad news, it needs more work done than I thought. The trim along the top and bottom is cracked and discolored. The silicone along the inside looks sloppy, but it did hold water over night with no leaks. I kinda planned on resealing it anyway. Rather do it now instead of problems down the road with it filled. The glass on this thing is THICK. That raises the question: Why does this thing have a center brace? Is it because of the thickness of the glass or that fact that is not really that wide? The tank has to be over 10 years old. Its lasted this long without a brace, I guess its ok. The actual glass itself has no major scratches. This will be an ongoing project. Planning on totally resealing it and replace all the trim. The stand structurally is beefed up and will be ok but aesthetically it needs to be sanded and stained. Ill keep some updates goin on as I go through the process. I snapped some quick pics of it outside. Will it be ok outside as it sits for now? Im goin to put something over the top it to keep the weather off it. Ive got the stand at my neighbors house in his garage. Any links for trim and resealing would be appreciated. I put a quarter up to the glass for reference in that last pic.

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I braved the cold outside and gave it a good scrub down. It cleaned up pretty good. The trim along the bottom was in bad shape, it peeled right off. Im wondering if i can email glass cages with the deminsions and they send me a custom trim kit for tank? The tank still holds water but after cleaning the silicone looks like crap. Im goin to reseal it with black silicone. Heres a couple daytime pics after i gave it a once over cleaning it.

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Looks like you got a pretty good deal. What are the dimensions? That thing looks tall! Gonna do FO or Reef?
 
Update: Fought the cold and got most of the old silicone out. Man was this stuff thick. Still have a little bit left. Goin to get the rest out in the next couple days and hopefully be able to tape it up and throw some new silicone back in this weekend.
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Update on tank: So i stripped most of the trim off the tank and razor'd off the silicone that was under it and painted the trim. Still have a long way to go. Still have the rest of the silicone on the inside to do and the back and bottom trim to remove and paint. Then I will reseal the inside and reseal the the trim back on. So far so good, if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. Im a newbie at this.
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Small update, since ive run out of things to do. Taped up the tank and put a coat of flat black on for the background. I want to seal this puppy up, but i have to find out on the curing process with temperatures being below freezing at night.

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au01st;446868 wrote: Looks like you got a pretty good deal. What are the dimensions? That thing looks tall! Gonna do FO or Reef?

Sorry for so many post at once, Ive got this on another forum where im not gettin much feedback/help.

Au01 the demesions are 72 x 18 x 30 tall. I think most people refer to this tank as a 150. Most converters come out to like 168 something. Its goin to be FO.
 
bratliff;446886 wrote: This is looking very nice. Good restoration work. :)
Thanks, its been a fun experience.

mapleredta;446897 wrote: WOW! Great turn around on that tank!

I didnt think it was too bad for 50/tank and 20/materials and a little elbow grease.
 
Im wanting to reseal it, but im afraid of the silicone not curing right with the temps being so low at night. This things to heavy to be moving back and forth from outside to in.
 
keep up the great work . it looks awsome for 50.00 lol. with loving care and work you will have an awsome tank. you look well on youre way.
 
Anyone have any thoughts on the silicone curing with the temps we've been having lately. Wondering if i seal it up during the day when the temps around 50-60 and then it drops to around or below freezing at night will it hurt?
 
Everything I've read on silicone tubes says don't use if the forecast is in the 40s anytime during the next 4 days. I wouldn't chance it on that much water.
 
au01st;447533 wrote: Everything I've read on silicone tubes says don't use if the forecast is in the 40s anytime during the next 4 days. I wouldn't chance it on that much water.

Dang, that means its gonna be awhile before ill be able to seal this thing up. Might have to hit up my neighbor and do it in his garage. It should be ok inside there at night.
 
I was going to suggest (before I saw that you re-installed the trim) to go ahead and completely disassemble the aquarium and re-silicone all of the joints (including the glass-to-edge silicone)..


if you don't disassemble it, when you get it sealed back up with the black silicone, you'll still see a little of the clear silicone at each edge.. (check out the pictures in the link in my signature)
 
gmpolan;447550 wrote: any plans to drill it?

No.. I wish i had the funds for a sump setup, but not right now. Now would be the time to do it though.

Rbredding;447567 wrote: I was going to suggest (before I saw that you re-installed the trim) to go ahead and completely disassemble the aquarium and re-silicone all of the joints (including the glass-to-edge silicone)..


if you don't disassemble it, when you get it sealed back up with the black silicone, you'll still see a little of the clear silicone at each edge.. (check out the pictures in the link in my signature)

The trim isnt installed yet, I havnt sealed it on yet. I was afraid to totally take the tank apart, worried that i couldnt get it back squared up right.
 
So it warmed up enough today to reseal this thing up. Man this was a little more hectic than i thought it was gonna be. Had my 3 yr son out there with me helping out.http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/images/smilies/wall.gif" alt="" /> Every time I looked around, he had silicone from hand to hand. [IMG]http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/images/smilies/duh.gif" alt="" />I put it on thick just for insurance. Im goin to let it cure for a week and then go back and clean it up with a razor. I taped up the sides, but didnt really worry about the bottom since you wont see it with the sand covering it.

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