Re-caulking a bowfront aquarium

By Jackie O’Neil

Items needed

• Silicone. • Caulking gun• Masking tape• Razor blades (a lot) and razor blade holder• Rubbing alcohol• Rubber gloves• Paper towel

Procedure

• Move your tank to a well ventilated area.

• Be careful when using the razor blade, make sure you do not place the blade in the silicone where the two pieces of glass meet. Remove just what is on the inside of the tank and visible.

• Remove all of the old silicone, every last little bit of it.

• When all the silicone is removed clean the glass area where you wish to caulk with paper towel and rubbing alcohol. This will help remove any stray bits of silicone and oils from your fingers.

Procedure con’t.

• Tape off the desired width from the edge of the glass.

• Press the tape down firmly, removing any pockets of air.

• When taping the front of a bowfront tank you will notice gaps in the back of the tape, just let the tape over-lap or “pleat”, then press down firmly.

• Wipe one more time with rubbing alcohol and let dry.

Getting ready to caulk

Ready – set - caulk• I used Aqueon aquarium caulk for this project.

• Make sure you use a silicone that says for underwater use and that it is 100% silicone – no mildew retardants in it.

• Squeeze out a strong bead of silicone the full length of the glass.

• With your gloves on, press your finger over the silicone making sure to press out any air bubbles, wipe your finger with paper towel. It’s best to be generous with the silicone.

Almost done

• Immediately after re-caulking all edges, remove the tape carefully. If you get any silicone on the glass where it should not be- let it dry for 24 hours then use a razor blade to scrape it off; otherwise it will smear.

• Let the silicone “cure” and dry for the recommended amount of time on the tube.

• I decided to let mine cure for 72 hours.

Fill outside and check for any leaks. You can wipe edges with paper towel to check for leaks. When you are satisfied that all edges are properly sealed, siphon out your water and move back into the house.

Mission accomplished!