Is there a video anywhere on DIY sealing?

[fish parent]

I'm attempting to seal the bottom of a 20 GL.tank. Since it's my 1st time
it looks alittle rough,how do you get it smooth? Is there a tool?
Also if 1st atempt is rough can you put a second coat over it?

[Wild Turkey]

Check the thread in my signature, courtesy of NorthernGuy.

[Lady Hobbs]

How do they seal tanks in factories, is what I've always wondered. Their seals almost look like a tape......perfect lines, no smudges. I can't believe they tape up every seam!

I have heard of taping them and running the back of a spoon over the silicone to push it down into the seam but honestly I don't want to know how or that would mean I had a leaking tank! I already tried it twice with no success.

Fish parent........you didn't look very hard because one is right here [Only Registered Users Can See Links.] but is the same as in NG article.

[190MPH]

[QUOTE=Lady Hobbs]How do they seal tanks in factories, is what I've always wondered. Their seals almost look like a tape......perfect lines, no smudges. I can't believe they tape up every seam!
QUOTE]

Hobbs, they just did a segemt during a recent marathon episode of "How It's Made" about aquariums. It was amazing. All the glass panels are pre-cut and stacked in front of an assembler. They lay the bottom frame on the table, run beads of silicone around it and the glass, assemble and add the top frame. They she ran her finger along each bead to smooth it out. The gun looked like it ran the perfect bead. It seemed like it literally took the person about 2 minutes to assemble the tank.

[Strider199]

The trick is to push the gun not pull it. If your going to work the bead with your finger or a tool, make sure the finger/tool is wet. I hate working with sealants.

[CassieLEO]

Just be sure you do it right, or you will be like me and 2 weeks later scrambling to find a new fish tank as the one you sealed is leaking everywhere LMAO!!!

[Lady Hobbs]

190MPH......interesting. Would have liked to have seen that.

[Ticklemekevin10]

I'm not 100 percent sure with sealing aquariums but I working as a contractor and I use My thumbs. Use a damp towel to keep thumb moist and to wipe off excess silicone

[BrandonBCA]

Since the "getting it smooth" part has been answered, let me address the second question. If it looks rough after it's had any amount of time to dry, it's best to leave it unless you want to scrape it down and completely remove the silicone with some form of solvent as silicone doesn't adhere to dried silicone and will be more prone to leaks. As long as it doesn't leak, what's it matter? It's the bottom of your tank just cover it with substrate and forget about it.

[Ticklemekevin10]

You'll still want to thumb the bottem though as well. Part of the reason doing that is assuring it gets in the cracks well

[Lady Hobbs]

Since the "getting it smooth" part has been answered, let me address the second question. If it looks rough after it's had any amount of time to dry, it's best to leave it unless you want to scrape it down and completely remove the silicone with some form of solvent as silicone doesn't adhere to dried silicone and will be more prone to leaks. As long as it doesn't leak, what's it matter? It's the bottom of your tank just cover it with substrate and forget about it.

Because not every sealing job is done on the bottom? Sometimes side seams also need to be done and sometimes people want bare bottom tank.

I've heard the backside of a spoon works pretty well to push the silcone down and smooth it out. Probably a lot of things would work.....popsicle stick, plastic spatula. Whatever.

[Northernguy]

I'm attempting to seal the bottom of a 20 GL.tank. Since it's my 1st time
it looks alittle rough,how do you get it smooth? Is there a tool?
Also if 1st atempt is rough can you put a second coat over it?

Nope there is no video here of how to reseal but I did post this a while back.
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

Silicone will not stick to dry silicone.It must be fully removed and redone if you think it will leak.
I have been using my finger to spread the stuff for many years.

[dbosman]

I'm attempting to seal the bottom of a 20 GL.tank. Since it's my 1st timeit looks alittle rough,how do you get it smooth? Is there a tool?
Also if 1st atempt is rough can you put a second coat over it?

Re-do the sides too. It won't add much time, but will add security.

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[CassieLEO]

UGH!!!! Thats what I did wrong! I put my new silicone over parts of old silicone that I couldnt scratch off!!!! UGHGGGGGHHHHHHGGGGHHHH