y2jdaze Posted May 25, 2008 Report Share Posted May 25, 2008 I've decided to *renovate* my 12 bay death barracks and turn it into a 6 bay (hopefully happilly living) barracks, for this I need to remove the dividers and re-position them. They're siliconed in pretty tightly and along the bottom, there's not much room to move to get anything down there to cut with. I've succeeded in cutting away some of the silicon from ONE side of a few of the dividers but the other side is right up against the glass and I can't get a blade in there to cut through it. Is there something else I can try before paying a professional to do it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted May 25, 2008 Report Share Posted May 25, 2008 A blade is pretty much the only way to remove silicone. That's what professionals use. So if it's impossible to get a blade in there, I'm not sure what else can be done. Mineral turps will dissolve silicone a little bit but usually you still need to scrape it off with a blade. And the blades have to be super sharp. You buy a stack load of those utility blades. The ones with a sharp edge on one side and blunt on the other so you can hold it. As soon as the blade seems a bit blunt you chuck it out. But if you can't get the blade in between the pieces of glass then I dunno. Maybe if you try to get as much of the silicone off as possible you might be left with only a thin layer which will be weak enough to pry apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splendidbetta Posted May 25, 2008 Report Share Posted May 25, 2008 You could probably try melting it by warming it up, and then using the blade when it's softer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted May 25, 2008 Report Share Posted May 25, 2008 I don't think you could heat it to the point of melting the silicone without cracking the glass. I think your best approach would be to keep scratching away until you can eventually pry the pieces of glass apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brettc777 Posted May 26, 2008 Report Share Posted May 26, 2008 Get yourself some magnesium and line the silicone with it and set it alight lol... nah don’t do that....*remembers back to sparkler incident blowing glass apart in my bedroom setting the carpet alight* hahaha Would some kind of acid work? You would think silicone would be very easily corroded by acid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted May 26, 2008 Report Share Posted May 26, 2008 If you're going to claim that on insurance make sure you say that there was an actual flame otherwise the tricksters won't pay up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y2jdaze Posted May 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 stupid complicated fish stuff might just do my best to clean it up then get someone to do it, i've already managed to shave some tiny bits of glass out of it and i'm scared of cutting myself on it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y2jdaze Posted June 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 Well I've persevered and after finding some tiny $2 shop blades I've had victory! I've now removed all the dividers and now I'm up to cleaning out all the old silicone mess within the tank itself... after that a nice big total tank clean, bleach & salt to kill nasites, a bit of a rest and then decide how many bays I want and then put the dividers back in Any advice on how to position the dividers and make sure they're: 1. straight 2. sealed entirely 3. without making a whole mess with siliconing them back in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brettc777 Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 I have seen silicone been put in using a syringe, usually done on small tanks but might help in tight spots. You get more control through a syringe then you do with a silicone gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divy Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 i measured on the outside of the glass where i wanted to dividers to be and then i marked it with a black permanent marker and then when i siliconed them in i just lined them up with the marks i made if you dont want silicon everywhere use masking tape and put it along each side of where the dividers will be put a line of silicon on the divider and put it in place and then wet your finger and go along the sides of the glass for a smooth finnish make sure you dont let the silicon dry before you take off the tape because when i did the silicon ripped and looked ugly i hope i explained that ok :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghengis Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 Any advice on how to position the dividers and make sure they're: 1. straight 2. sealed entirely 3. without making a whole mess with siliconing them back in 1. Work out where the dividers will go. Take a felt pen (Sharpie) and a tape measure an measure and mark on the floor and rear panel (ONLY). 2. Run a bead of silicone along each edge of a barrier (except the top) and set it in place. 3. Take a clean soft rag and dip into some Turps. Gently holding the barrier in palce, run the soaked cloth (wrapped around a finger) along the siliconed edges. Be sure to use different parts of the cloth as you go, and MEASURE AND RE-MEASURE YOUR POSITIONING. This will ensure accuracy. You must work reasonably quickly, as the silicone will "skin" in about five minutes. Discard cloth for a new one and repeat steps two and three until done. hth. EDIT: Divy beat me to it...dang. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y2jdaze Posted June 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 thanks guys that advice is great, i'll be following it for sure. will metho do or does it have to be turps? will keep you guys posted on progress :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 Definitely turps not metho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y2jdaze Posted June 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 I think i'll try the masking tape idea... gee i'm a messy thing :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y2jdaze Posted June 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2008 OK! It looks like I'm in usiness, I've cleaned it all up and changed it into a 6 bay now Don't worry I'll post pics soon, waiting for batteries to charge....Now just gotta wait for the silicon to seal properly etc. before I can test it for water tightness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted July 1, 2008 Report Share Posted July 1, 2008 Gosh your batteries take a while to charge, don't they? :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y2jdaze Posted July 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 oh yeah the charger is really really slow hehe. or rather I've taken a pic or 2 and now i've just gotta upload to photobucket... IF i can remember my password hmm.... :o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y2jdaze Posted July 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 OK I found pics Here's what the tank used to look like (some of you may vaguely remember it) (Sadly all of the fishies listed have since died) And here it is now! After I've pulled all the dividers out and replaced them, I've left the back alone as I'm keeping it so I can heat the whole tank, also the 2 thin bays on either end with the holes in them will only be used so the water from the back can flow to the sides, heating from 3 sides in essense. This is top view. And a side view of it now. I've cleaned up the silicone a bit more and water tested it and so far it seems water tight. So now I just have to give it a really good rinse out and I can put fishies in it ( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anasfire Posted July 4, 2008 Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 Come make Shannon's barracks, then I might actually get one to use here! That way he doens't have to get off WOW and actually do something. Love it though, looking good. Don't know how much luck u gonna have getting the water heated through the glass....glass isn't a great conductor of heat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y2jdaze Posted July 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 nah is easy, used to do it when it was a 12 bay, just whack 2 heaters in (one at each end) and set them to about 30, then temps in the bays end up around 27-ish, just perfect :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted July 4, 2008 Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 Hehehee.... well done. Both on the barracks and the pics. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y2jdaze Posted July 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2008 hehehe thought u'd like I'll try to clean up my mess, get it all decked out and have some more pics complete with living happy fishies soon :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpiasente Posted July 5, 2008 Report Share Posted July 5, 2008 You can get silicone remover from the hardware. I have used it. You paint it on and wipe it off and it disolves all the silicone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bettarazzi Posted July 6, 2008 Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 Oh NOW you mention this? After the poor girl spend days scraping away at the dividers? Now she finds out she could have just waxed on and waxed off? :balloons: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghengis Posted July 6, 2008 Report Share Posted July 6, 2008 Nice work on that silicon, y2! Come up real good. I doubt it'd have been easy to work in such a tight space... After leaving my siliconed tank for a week, I filled it to the brim, let it sit o'night and drained it the next morning. Just felt that this was better than just rinsing it out. If it's not too late, I'd suggest giving that a go with your setup, just for the peace of mind...then you could spare a few hours for some "Perfect Push-ups" (pic 3) :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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