# dismantling a fish tank...



## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

should be an easy one for you lot..

how do you get rid of the sealent to take a fish tank apart? i'm trying to remove the support jobbies around the top but it doesn't want to come away. I've tried cutting it away with a knife but nothing makes any difference.


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## dazdaraz (Feb 23, 2008)

use a stanley knife, strong blades r a must lol
and/or a pain scraper, big triangle bladed thingy
thats wot we used to try n cut sealant on the
glass shelves,
i say try, cos we went a bit silly and tried to twist to help
and craked some glass
so do it slowly


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## REDDEV1L (Nov 27, 2008)

No experience with it but you could try using a bread / steak knife, something thats serrated that'll rip into the silicone ??
Might also help if you heat whatever blade your using


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## Corsetts (Dec 8, 2008)

It's very difficult to remove.

I don't believe heating the knife will make a difference and you'd risk cracking the glass if you over did it.

It all depends really on what gap you have between the two panes of glass.
If you're lucky and there's a big blob of silicone meaning you have a decent gap then, as above, a serrated kitchen knife is about the best there is.
Otherwise it's stanley blades and lots of swearing.
Cured silicone is surprsingly tough to cut and needs lots of pererverance.

If you don't have any gap between the glass, you probably won't be able to do it.
One of the baffle plates in my sump had to come out but because there was no gap, I had to break the baffle in the middle and pull it out that way just hoping it wouldn't smash the sump tank :whistling2:

Good luck :2thumb:


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## xyra (Apr 26, 2007)

I use scalpel blades - thin enough to fit between most things, and nice for removing the silicon in flat areas. They are quote delicate though so wear gloves and don't put to much side pressure on them as you don't want them to snap and inbed themselves into your hand (been there...)


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

cheers, might have to invest in a better knife and keep hacking at it.


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## evilchild (Jul 3, 2008)

when i was in the process of striping mine out i use a craft knife or stanly blade took forever. but it did work. you can get some sealent remover in B&Q that might help?


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## Marine (Jun 6, 2008)

Cheese wire from a craft shop.

Teak it easy, work one end to the other going left and right and you'll wonder why it was such a big deal after 10min :2thumb:


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## xyra (Apr 26, 2007)

Marine said:


> Cheese wire from a craft shop.
> 
> Teak it easy, work one end to the other going left and right and you'll wonder why it was such a big deal after 10min :2thumb:


That's a really good idea.


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## mike515 (Sep 12, 2006)

two options. Give uncle stanley a go. He'll have it straight apart.


If not cheese wire. Can be awkward at first but works well once you get going


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