DIY Glass Tank - How to stop Squeeze Out from Adhering To Build Surface?
- Thread starter calbert0
- Start date
silicone most certainly adheres to painters tape....
After building and bracing the tank it must be completely immobile so it's not like you could pick the tank up and peel the painters tape off the bottom before it cures...
If you were to leave the painters tape on throughout the curing process you would have painters tape imbedded in your silicone squeeze out and using a razor blade to try and scrape it off would almost certainly compromise the structural seam.
Any other suggestions?
After building and bracing the tank it must be completely immobile so it's not like you could pick the tank up and peel the painters tape off the bottom before it cures...
If you were to leave the painters tape on throughout the curing process you would have painters tape imbedded in your silicone squeeze out and using a razor blade to try and scrape it off would almost certainly compromise the structural seam.
Any other suggestions?
I think you're over thinking this. Once it squeezes out, then cures. You can run a razor blade down the edge and trim of the excess. Whatever came out isn't going to be of any structural value.
Put some painters tape on the glass near the edges, this will get you a uniform seam the along the length. If you are worried about the silicone sticking to the table, put a sheet of paper down or something light/flat like that. When dry, score a line down the edge of the tape with a razor then peel the tape off. Take the razor and hold it as flat as you can to the glass and run it down to trim the extra. I've never built an aquarium, but I used the tape method when installing the baffles in my sump. You can even pull the tape when the silicone starts to skim over.
Put some painters tape on the glass near the edges, this will get you a uniform seam the along the length. If you are worried about the silicone sticking to the table, put a sheet of paper down or something light/flat like that. When dry, score a line down the edge of the tape with a razor then peel the tape off. Take the razor and hold it as flat as you can to the glass and run it down to trim the extra. I've never built an aquarium, but I used the tape method when installing the baffles in my sump. You can even pull the tape when the silicone starts to skim over.
Dapg8gt
New member
Fwiw I've peeled the sticky side of painters right off of cured silicone multiple times and also have trimmed silicone flush with a sharp blade post cure and imo that's a pretty standard practice for aesthetics. The few sumps/tanks I've built have been sitting on top of the base so I have not directly dealt with your concern but there is still run out involved.
I'm sure there is a trick that I'm not aware of but I have done both of the above before with success.. There is also release agents you can apply to your work surface and I've even heard of guys using wax paper.
I'm sure there is a trick that I'm not aware of but I have done both of the above before with success.. There is also release agents you can apply to your work surface and I've even heard of guys using wax paper.
toothybugs
New member
I was just going to say, wax paper.
Or newspaper.
Or tinfoil.
A sheet of cardboard (which is actually nice to avoid scratches on the bottom).
You get the idea, anything will work. I just built a tank myself and had it on newspaper since the silicone won't soak through it, it's too viscous to do so. I let it cure and then trimmed it with a razor and touched up the spots that I thought needed it. Easy.
NG
Or newspaper.
Or tinfoil.
A sheet of cardboard (which is actually nice to avoid scratches on the bottom).
You get the idea, anything will work. I just built a tank myself and had it on newspaper since the silicone won't soak through it, it's too viscous to do so. I let it cure and then trimmed it with a razor and touched up the spots that I thought needed it. Easy.
NG
Wax Paper it is...
I've built several tanks with sides on top of bottom but never tried the sides around the bottom method.
When i recently built my c2c overflow i forgot to take the painters tape off before it cured... As i was trying to remove the painters tape mid cure it was pulling thin "sheets" of silicone along with it which were in turn pulling on the structural seam - The silicone would either snap off the painters tape back towards the seam, or it would snap off the glass taking some silicone with it - Fine for an internal overflow, but not for an actual tank. It got me thinking so i had to ask. Thanks to all for the responses
I've built several tanks with sides on top of bottom but never tried the sides around the bottom method.
When i recently built my c2c overflow i forgot to take the painters tape off before it cured... As i was trying to remove the painters tape mid cure it was pulling thin "sheets" of silicone along with it which were in turn pulling on the structural seam - The silicone would either snap off the painters tape back towards the seam, or it would snap off the glass taking some silicone with it - Fine for an internal overflow, but not for an actual tank. It got me thinking so i had to ask. Thanks to all for the responses
uncleof6
Active member
Over thinking 
Standard practice: Put painters tape on any surface you do not wish to have silicone sticking all over. For the experienced this is a little unnecessary, for the beginner it is just about obligatory. It is much easier to get the tape off, than it is to clean up all the excess silicone. As well as keeping the "leftover" mess to minimum, it is the best way to get clean inner seal lines. A razor blade will keep the "left behind" bead from peeling up when removing the tape. This goes for both the inner seal, and the structural seams.
Wax paper under the tank is not a bad idea, however I would not put a compressible material under the tank during construction, especially with a semi-floated bottom.
Standard practice: Put painters tape on any surface you do not wish to have silicone sticking all over. For the experienced this is a little unnecessary, for the beginner it is just about obligatory. It is much easier to get the tape off, than it is to clean up all the excess silicone. As well as keeping the "leftover" mess to minimum, it is the best way to get clean inner seal lines. A razor blade will keep the "left behind" bead from peeling up when removing the tape. This goes for both the inner seal, and the structural seams.Wax paper under the tank is not a bad idea, however I would not put a compressible material under the tank during construction, especially with a semi-floated bottom.
Last edited:
uncleof6
Active member
Just FYI: Touching up is no better than leaving it alone.
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