My 30x30x24 build

[NasotheHutt]

By request I'm going to chronicle my 30x30x24 build here. I apologize in advance for not updating regularly.

I bought a commercially built 93G cube last month that I am not happy with so I ordered the glass to build my own from glasscages.com. If all goes well, someone in the ATL area will be getting a great deal on my current cube that I only filled once.

I picked the glass up today from GC.com truck and I will say I am very impressed with the quality of packaging and the product itself so far..

I'm using 1/2" glass on all 5 sides and this tank is being placed in a corner so 2 sides will be Starphire. I'm euro-bracing the bottom and top. Tonight I drilled the bottom and two of the euro-braces for a corner overflow with three holes for a return and Herbie drain. Since this is my first glass DIY, I'm doing it a section at a time. I siliconed the bottom euro-bracing in tonight and despite my best laid plans still had a mishap. I covered the outer 1/2" of the bottom with masking tape and the outer edges of the braces with tape as well. One of them I set in place tape side down and had to pull it up. I will replace it correctly tomorrow once the others have cured so I can thoroughly clean the area without disturbing the installed braces.

I'm attaching two pictures. One is the difference between Starphire and regular plate glass when I opened the packaging and saw them backed by the white Styrofoam. The second is tonight's progress.

I do have one question so far. Is it possible to cover the tip of a partially used tube of RTV103/8 with something to preserve it or is it shot once opened?

[bigffish]

my experience is regardless of how well you seal the can of silicone it will eventually harden up over a period of time. If you plan to use it a day or two apart you should be fine.

Bigffish

[NasotheHutt]

Put the other bottom euro-brace on this morning and just finished putting the back on. All in all not to eventful, when I took the tape off the glass that prevented the squeeze out I found one bubble between the euro-brace and the back about 1/4" wide and 3/8" long. tomorrow I'll check the seam between the bottom and back for any bubbles.

[eznet2u]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news...But, a glass tank needs to be built completely at one time. Silicone won't stick to silicone. Everywhere silicone touches dry silicone, you will have a leak.

[eznet2u]

Oh...and yes I am talking from experience. :D

[NasotheHutt]

I have been diligent in masking everything off that is not being bonded in a given step so no silicone gets onto the next surfaces to be mated. I was advised to take it a panel at a time since this is my first glass DIY.

[arresife]

I’m eznet2u with regardless of how diligent you are about masking eventually the dry silicon will have to meet the fresh silicon think about it, in the bottom corners. Corners are naturally a weak spot in the tank. The bottom of your tank has all the weight and pressure of the water over 900.lbs
With a tank that big I wouldn’t take any chances.
I would advise you to start over while you still can. You can scrape off the silicon with a razor blade and use solvent to remove the rest.
I have tried to re seal old tanks and eventually they have leaked

[NasotheHutt]

I see what you're saying. My understanding is that all of the strength holding a tank together lies in the narrow gap between the glass's intersections with the stuff smoothed out in the corners mainly providing a seal. You are right in that in the bottom corners that outer bead will contact each other. I have read that properly cleaned silicone will accept a bond with new. I thoughts were to lay down a huge bead of new to cover the 4 corners where fresh and cured meet.

Anyone else care to weigh in?

This guy does his a panel at a time..
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/di...lass-tank.html