How to Seal an Aquarium

The glass pieces of most aquariums are sealed with a silicon adhesive in order to ensure that the tank remains watertight. Over time, this sealant can degrade, potentially causing a leak. If you have an old aquarium with a degraded sealer, or you have recently noticed a leak, reseal the glass yourself and save yourself the cost of a new tank. While there are many different types of adhesives available on the market today, a silicon sealer will best create a long-lasting, watertight seal.

Things You'll Need

  • Bucket
  • Butter knife
  • Razor blade
  • Vacuum cleaner
  • Silicon sealer
  • Rags
  • Sponges
  • Paper towels
  • Tape
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Instructions

    • 1

      Empty the aquarium. Remove all the water, fish, plants, artificial plants, decorations and rocks into a clean, large bucket.

    • 2

      Dry the aquarium thoroughly. You can use sponges and towels to dry your tank, though air-drying may be the easiest method.

    • 3

      Clean the aquarium glass with glass cleaner and paper towels.

    • 4

      Remove any damaged or broken silicon sealer from the aquarium with a razor blade. If you just need to fix a broken or damaged seal, slide the razor blade under the damaged silicon and pull it out and away from the glass. To reseal the entire tank, run the blade along every edge and corner. Cut deep enough so the silicone comes out in long strips.

    • 5

      Vacuum out any debris from the tank and then clean the glass again with glass cleaner and a rag or paper towel.

    • 6

      Run a line of masking tape just inside of the edge or corner that you want to seal or reseal. Don̵7;t tape over the area that you will seal, but just right next to it. The tape will make the cleanup easier, as the silicon sealer won̵7;t leak or spread onto other surfaces of the aquarium.

    • 7

      Apply a new line of silicon sealer onto the area that needs to be sealed or resealed. Press the tip of the silicone tube along the edges and squeeze out the silicone so that it neatly runs along the lines that you want to seal. For corners, drag the sealer along one edge ending at the intersection of another edge. Squeeze out a little bit more sealer and push it slightly down so that the sealer goes into the corner completely. Make sure that you don̵7;t squeeze out the sealer too quickly because you want the sealer to be bubble-free and even.

    • 8

      Remove the tape as soon as you have finished applying the sealer.

    • 9

      Wait for 48 hours for the sealer to dry before you fill up the tank again. Examine the tank and the glass carefully to make sure that the tank is sealed and water-tight. Once you have confirmed that the sealant holds, transfer the fish and decorations back into the aquarium.