How to Reseal a Leaking Aquarium

Resealing a fish aquarium with new silicone is fairly easy. Most of the work goes into the process of removing all the old silicone and prepping the glass for the new silicone. First, start by peeling out all the old remaining silicone in the fish tank. Second, use a flat razor blade to ensure you get all the silicone residue off the glass. Third, use acetone to remove remaining residue and oils from the glass. Finally, apply new bead of aquarium grade silicone and allow 24 hour dry time.

Products:

Can a leaking aquarium be patched or repaired?

A leaking fish aquarium cannot be patched but the entire tank can be resealed with new silicone. Silicone does not re-adhere to old silicone and thus is why we need to remove all the old silicone and replace with new silicone. So if your aquarium is leaking you have to just remove all the old silicone.

Step 1: Remove Old Silicone from Aquarium

Using a flat razor blade you need to get the blade in between the glass and the silicone. Slide the flat razor blade back-and-forth and allow the blade to cut the silicone away from the glass. Try to remove the silicone in sections.

Step 2: Remove the Silicone Residue from Glass

After you have removed the silicone beads from the pains of glass we now have to remove the residue that the silicone left behind. It may be difficult to see but there’s actually a residue that’s left behind from the silicone. Using that flat razor blade carefully scrape away all of the residue that silicon left behind.

Step 3: Clean and Vacuum Pieces of Silicone

Now that you have removed all the silicone and residue on the glass we need to clean everything up. Use a vacuum to suck up all the small pieces of silicone left behind from cleaning. We do not want any of this old silicone mix with the new silicone we are adding to the tank.

Step 4: Degrease Glass with Acetone

Next we need to clean the glass with acetone to remove oils and degrease it. For a small amount of acetone onto a paper towel and gently clean all the scenes where the old silicone used to be. This will remove all oils and waxes from the glass and make it ready for our new silicone to be applied.

Step 5: Apply New Silicone to Aquarium Seams

Cut the tip of the new silicone and use the caulking gun to apply to the seams. Apply new beads of silicone to the same locations in which you remove the old silicone. You can use masking tape to insure you don’t get too much extra silicon where you don’t want it.

Step 6: Allow 24 hrs for Silicone to Dry

Place your freshly silicone aquarium in room temperature for 24 hours to dry. After the dry time is completed fill your aquarium with water to test it for any leaks. After your aquarium has passed the leak test you can then fill it with water and go about having it as a normal fish aquarium again.

Timestamp

0:00 - Intro
0:22 - Can I Patch or Repair Leaking Aquarium?
0:51 - Supplies Needed to Reseal Aquarium
1:14 - Remove Old Silicone Using Flat Razor-blade
1:40 - Methods of Cutting of Silicone
2:00 - Be Patient and Take Your Time Prepping
3:26 - Cleanup and Vacuum Old Silicone
4:10 - Remove Silicone Residue from Glass
4:55 - Wipe Glass with Acetone to Remove Oils
5:56 - Apply New Silicone Using Caulk Gun
7:50 - Smooth Bead of Silicone with Fingers
8:10 - Allow New Silicone 24hrs to Dry

[tofubutcher]

First video I've seen that's been honest about how frustrating and time consuming the silicone scraping is lol

[broooo]

You should definitely use a silicone remover spray. It helps soften the silicone and helps the razor blade glide better and hard to scratch.

[gavinstatikgoddard]

Great video as always. It's a good practice when buying 2nd hand tanks to re-silicone just for peace of mind

[SamKitzOutdoors]

Hi. This video really helped me make a plan. I am buying an aquenon 75 gallon tank. The issue though is that I don’t quite trust the silicone seal from all the bad reviews on leaks, so I will be resealing the tank. I am still buying this tank as it is very inexpensive l. Thank you for the help.

[Stu_DLNGR]

Great vid!!! Very thorough. Acetone on your bare skin is super healthy! Especially if you use it on a regular basis. I am a graffiti writer/artist and also caulked for a living in a union setting. Wear gloves. But acetone will also eat gloves after time. Better than your skin and better than it osmosing into your bloodstream. Numtumbout. Peace

[karlabonilla]

So happy I found your video! I was gonna just put silicone OVER the old silicone because I thought I had to take all pieces of glass apart, tape them together (hopefully straight) THEN RESEAL. LOL this video was so helpful I'm doing my 55 gallon today! 👍🏻 😃 Thanks!!!

[katia.nitska]

Thank you for making this, will be trying it on a used tank I purchased that has a leak. Will write an update on how it worked below in a few days

[computerguy]

just getting back into Tropical fish. I had fish back in my pre-teen years. I worked in a tropical Fish store when in jr High. Its one of the last original left in my area. I had a 55 gallon back then and a few 20 gallon. The other day I got a 55 gallon with a wrought Iron stand free on craigs list. Cleaned up and painted the stand and I am re-sealing the tank. I think the tank is from the 70's, so yeah it needs sealing.

[kellywilkinson]

Thank you so much your a life saver my tank started leaking and I lost half the water within 30 min lucky I had aquarium silicone because all the pet stores were shut and I was so worried for all my fish THANK YOU

[qtipmotha]

Get a wet towel when you go to apply the new silicone. Wet your finger on the towel then use it to smooth the silicone out after you've caulked it. The silicone won't stick to your finger and you can keep wetting/smoothing as you go.

[AquaticDomain]

Nice vid. I like that you didn’t use tape. I have a corner tank I am getting ready to do. Unfortunately didn’t test before adding substrate. Shame on me😮

[marcushernandez]

1:56 😭 I believe you… I’ve been holding it off for 2 years now my other tank is leaking

[SonnyVu-dn]

Doing this next weekend but I think isopropyl alcohol and use Selsil silicone

[wolfsenseiasmr]

Im about to do this to a used 90 gallon tank i just got! Wish me luck! The tank isn't leaking but its older and the silicone looks rough.

[rudybriskar]

Yupper, it takes quite a while. I'm at the final cleanup. Just ordered a caulking gun and 100 %silicone caulking from Amazon. 4:03

[justsomeguy]

Did you use water on edges after acetone or just go on in and apply silicone over top of wiped off acetone area?

[sergifed]

havent done a full tank yet. my 125 corner overflow the seal was missing on one o the over flow. so i removed the over flow and cleaned it. then resealed it. although I didn't wait 24 hrs. it still stuck and sealed without leaks. so that part was simple. I do plan on trying it with a 10 gallon tank soon that I that the seal is coming off of it. although might not be cost effective for a 10 gallon tank. i do have one larger but prefer to do it on a smaller scale first before tackling a 210 gallon tank to reseal.

[Gamers_Addiction]

Yeah i have a 125 bowed front tank similar to what you see at petco and after watching this video hopefully this is the last time i will have to reseal the tank.

[Deathvince]

is this the same Prosses for Re-adding a Adding a Brace to the top of a 45g Bow tank mine Fell off a while and am trying to repair it

[bo_]

interesting! good tips. i wish i knew to use gloves a few weeks ago. at least my hands are water proof now. :)