sealing glass aquarium and sump

[clamgal]

Before I even think of putting water in my tank again, I wanted to reseal it with black silicone. There are no leaks, but the edges are a bit frayed from all the coralline scraping.I want it to look like the day I bought it.
Does anyone have any idea which silicone would work best? Also, do I just reapply over the old one?
Thanks,
Adriana

Also, is there any way to reinforce an acrylic sump?

[rrasco]

Silicone does not adhere to silicone. You will need to clean and prep the surface area for a new coat of silicone. It's important to note there are two parts of silicone on tanks. The joint, which provide structural integrity to the tank, this is the bond between the panes of glass. Then there is the seal, which is the part that runs along the inside corners of the tank and provides extra leak protection; which I am assuming you are referring to. You can remove the seal and replace it without removing the joint, very carefully not to compromise the joint. If you need to redo the joints, the entire tank must be disassembled.

I use RTV for my silicone jobs. RTV 108 is clear, RTV 103 is black. RTV has a higher tensile strength, which for replacing a seal, won't offer you any extra protection.

[clamgal]

It sounds complicated. How do you remove the seal without compromising the joint?

[rrasco]

Very carefully.

[clamgal]

i found two types of sealant. Sealant/caulking and just sealant. I just want to reinforce the edges. Which is better for the job?

[rrasco]

You can't reinforce the tank without completely re-building the tank. You can redo the seals, but they will not offer any structural support. You also need to use an aquarium safe silicone. Either GE Silicone I or an RTV like Momentive.

[clamgal]

Thanks!