taking apart a glass tank

[dingo0722]

So I bought this 15 gallon from petsmat with the intentions of drilling it. I decided to call the manufacturer to double check is the tank was tempered or not (since the tank said nothing on it). Well I called three times, and got 3 answers. 1: The bottom is tempered but not the sides, 2: nope its not tempered, 3: oh all sides are tempered, don’t drill it. My intentions were to drill the bottom, and I have been building the setup to accommodate that. So instead of having glass blowup in my face during an experimental drilling session, I figure I could take the tank apart, and replace the bottom with plate glass.
My question is, has anyone done this, what solvent can I use to dissolve silicone or should I just cut it away, and should I try to save the upper and lower frames.
And I did consider just making my own tank. But the cost is like $110 for all the glass!!

 

[psusocr1]

use a very fine metal wire to cut the glass sides apart. OR a cheese cutting wire

 

[dingo0722]

cool
I will give that a try

 

[jobob]

its only a 15gal. they is no way its tempered. they is no reason to temper it. if it doesnt say its not temper. they put a nice big sticker saying tempered do not drill.

 

[natclanwy]

You can get a spay can of Gasket Remover from any auto parts store (don't remember what brand I got I can look if you want) to soften the silicone makes it much easier to cut it apart. I just did a 55 gal tank that had a broken pane. Just make sure your rinse it really well before you try to silicone it back together and set up the tank.

 

[phixer]

Check some of Chipmakers posts, I believe he's pretty knowledgeable when it comes to this. For a tank that small though you might just want to look for a used acrylic one on an internet auction site who's name cannot be listed, much easier to drill.

 

[turningtim]

I doubt that its tempered. So why not try to drill and if it breaks than replace it. It will be easy do that way anyhow! From what I've read its not possible to save the frames. You could also call an acrylic place and see if they have cutsoffs they will sell cheap. I got one pc 8' x 14" x1/4" and one at 48" x16" x 1/4" for 20 bucks. With the weld-on #3 and #16 I paid $32.00.
JMO
Tim

 

[chipmaker]

I seriously doubt that tanks bottom or any other part of it is tempered. If your intent on taking it apart, why not just go ahead and drill it, after all your intent on replacing the bottom due to the "unknown factor", so there is nothing to loose. If your afraid of it "blowing up" do this. Wear long sleeve shirt, and goggles and gloves, and a hat....after you cover the entire bottom of the tank with strips of masking tape. Get some 2" and just lay strips of it all across the bottom panel. If it breaks due to it being tempered, it will just stick most of it together. ABout all it will do is just shatter into a million little shards and drop down with few flying upwards......Getting the plastic frames off is possible, but a real PITA.
I used ot use fine .018 or 020 wire to cut the silicone on tanks, but sometimes it left nicked and chipped edges, and it was suggested to use mono fishing line or preferably the kevlar braided type fishing line. it may break a few times until your done, but it will not chip the glass panels edges like wire can......
Cover it in masking tape and give it a try.........

 

[dingo0722]

After much investigation and getting no real answer as to if the bottom of my 15g Top Fin tank from petsmart was tempered or not. I decided to find out once and for all, and try to drill a hole.
I was seriously contemplating replacing the bottom with plate glass, but in order to do that I would have to take off the lower frame and all that BS very carefully. So i figured if I am going to replace the bottom, who cares if it shatters because its tempered.
As a precaution I taped the bottom very well with making tape, just in case of who knows. Put some water in the tank, put on the safety glasses and began drilling
Not knowing if the bottom was going to shatter or not, I went slow. Little by little my hole saw went through the glass, making a nice clean cut.
So that settles it; the bottom of a Top Fin 15 is not tempered glass, and drilling with a hole saw was very easy!

 

[phixer]