Tank Disassembly

[zoomster]

Hi all,

Just a quick question here.
I have a tank - approximately 75 gal - that I want to take apart.
I believe that piano wire is the best to cut the silicone out with but, I am unsure what gage to use. Any help, suggestions or alternative method suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

 

[AdInfinitum]

You can use fine wire like a high e guitar string, but I find a scraper blade that you're going to need anyway...is finer than the wire and is easier and safer than using wire. Just go down the seams as far as the blade goes fairly easily. Then move to another seam. As the panes separate you'll be able to go the rest of the way down without forcing it. Don't expect to be able to do the seams from top to bottom in one go. If you can, you were lucky...

 

[zoomster]

I do have razor and some thin scraper blades here. I could give that a shot.
Does warming the joints up with a heat gun actually help make the process a bit easier?
I think I heard somewhere that it does?

 

[AdInfinitum]

I do have razor and some thin scraper blades here. I could give that a shot.
Does warming the joints up with a heat gun actually help make the process a bit easier?
I think I heard somewhere that it does?

Yup, warming with a heat gun does soften the silicone. By a scraper blade I mean a regular Purdy 1.5"-2" paint scraper with a handle not just a razor blade thing.

 

[zoomster]

I have lots of scrapers! 1" - 6".
I will give this method a try then.
If this does not work, I guess the second best method is to just get @scubasteve to take it apart for me.

 

[scubasteve]

I have lots of scrapers! 1" - 6".
I will give this method a try then.
If this does not work, I guess the second best method is to just get @scubasteve to take it apart for me.

that can be arranged however the razor blade scraping and endless scrubbing with acetone is all on you my friend lol

 

[zoomster]

Thanks Steve.
And I have heard that getting the panels apart is the easiest part of a tank rebuild.

 

[kjardine519]

Once you get one side off its really easy. I used a guitar string. My situation was different so I started from the bottom with a 5 inch drywall knife. Once I got the bottom seal starting to loosen up it was easy to cut the first side seal. The rest of the glass came apart quickly.
The tank I dismantled had a 3/8th glass section on top of the actual tank bottom. It was assembled by a real amature with trigger happy fingers

 

[zoomster]

Tank is completely disassembled and came apart cleanly.
Thanks to @AdInfinitum and @kjardine519 for their input, worked like a charm and took less than an hour!
And Thanks to @scubasteve for offering to scrape and clean the panels for me. I wil give them to you at Fragfest bud! Lol

 

[scubasteve]

Tank is completely disassembled and came apart cleanly.
Thanks to @AdInfinitum and @kjardine519 for their input, worked like a charm and took less than an hour!
And Thanks to @scubasteve for offering to scrape and clean the panels for me. I wil give them to you at Fragfest bud! Lol

lmao i hope you won the lottery to cover labour costs

 

[Pipes]

Any chance you can reassemble at my place? Oh wait. Please build my castle first...

 

[kjardine519]

Lmao if anyone has reclaimed glass and doesn't want to deal with a reassemble I'm your man. Quality work. Clean lines and can supply glass for broken sides or bottoms

 

[zoomster]

I got this tank with a busted front pane just to use the glass panels.
I just picked up my replacement DT last week and need to build an external overflow box for my bean animal drains.
And this way is a bit more work but you can save a pile of cash on the price of glass.
Especially when the glass is a thicker gauge.

 

[kjardine519]

If you want someone to build the overflow let me know. I'll take your glass and make it to your dimentions

 

[zoomster]

Hmmm.....
I still have to figure out my dims but,
Interesting offer. Wanna PM me how much?
I usually like doing all my own diy but panels this thick and big may be testing my glass cutting limits! Lol

 

[reef keeper]

If you want someone to build the overflow let me know. I'll take your glass and make it to your dimentions

This is the guy to know!

 

[scubasteve]

Hmmm.....
I still have to figure out my dims but,
Interesting offer. Wanna PM me how much?
I usually like doing all my own diy but panels this thick and big may be testing my glass cutting limits! Lol

let someone else cut it as you wont be able to just score and snap it. glass that thick has to be cut. trust me its not fun for a first timer at all and you will want your fingers for retirement lol. I know insurance pays alot for fingers but it makes fragging very hard lmao

 

[TORX]

let someone else cut it as you wont be able to just score and snap it. glass that thick has to be cut. trust me its not fun for a first timer at all and you will want your fingers for retirement lol. I know insurance pays alot for fingers but it makes fragging very hard lmao

I paid the local glass shop to cut mine. $2/cut, it was well worth it.

Sent from my SM-G925W8 using Tapatalk

 

[zoomster]

I may just go the "get someone else to cut it route" @TORX.
I have a wet saw that will cut glass.
What I am worried about is the size and weight of this glass. I think would be pretty
Unruly to handle.

 

[scubasteve]

I may just go the "get someone else to cut it route" @TORX.
I have a wet saw that will cut glass.
What I am worried about is the size and weight of this glass. I think would be pretty
Unruly to handle.

and when things go wrong they could go really wrong.... those guys have alot more insurance coverage