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This week 4 of building my paludarium. This project was supposed to take 2 weeks tops and now I'm at the point where I just dont care any more. In this project in my 20 gallon theres a land section where everything just wont seal or if they do another problem arises.

Heres my story for this past week. I let the tank sit for 3-4 days to make sure if was completely dry for the 4 ,and probably now final , wave of silicone. I removed all old silicone on the plexiglass and I knew this was my final time of doing this. I decked out every crevice, side, and everything else you can think of with silicone ( I used 1 and 1/2 bottles!!!!). I let it dry for 36-48 hours because I'd only given it 24 all the prior attempts. I was all excited to get home today so I could fill up. I first filled the waterfall and I saw a small leak I was like thats alrite.

As I continue filled around the land section I was about half way up in filling and starting to get excited and BAM the water started trickling from misc spots. I just was in disbelief, I just get it. Im the point where both mentally,physically, and finiacially questioning this whole project. I'm only 16 and I have a life and a car so any more money would make thing tighter already ( I taking donation via Paypal to krathome@adelphia.net for McFat88's Paludarium Project- this is a non profit organization).

I want to finish this project because I can not except failure,but I'm at the point where I just might have to. I live by the saying I made " I came, I saw, I tried, I succeded." Ive taken everyones suggestions and tried to build off them, and I dont want to take what I have down because I put so much time,effort, and money into I just cant bring myself to saying I screwed up start from scratch, I just cant do it. I know this happens to all of us in this hobby, but this is my first time. Every day I just think how sweet it's going to be having that waterfall running and having the frogs and/or newts playing joyfully in the water and chasing their friends back onto the land. It's become a part of my life at this point.

It's sad because I'm beginning to accept failure and expect nothing more than leaks. I went to church this week and prayed for it not to leak any more and Ive prayed it every day for the past 2 weeks. I just dont know what else to do with what I have. I must build off it in so way shape or form and I must succeded. These thoughts of success are diminishing fast , so please help me get over my agony with any comments, ideas,suggestions, or ANYTHING in general. I need this Fish Profiles community to help. I appreciate your time for reading this lengthy post.

mcfat88

PS- Heres a site w/ some photos taken a week ago:
www.geocities.com/mcfat_we_be/mcfat88.htmlhttp://www.geocities.com/mcfat_we_be/mcfat88.html

Last edited by mcfat88 at 29-Mar-2005 16:38

Try if you can that is, to let the whole thing dry way longer. You said you used alot of silicone maybe it is to thick and it is not drying properly..

Thats my thought anyways...

Sorry to hear of another disappointment. I know you've been hoping all would be well this time around. I'm really not positive what is going wrong, but I do know that a small bead of silicone when applied correctly is probably much more effective than just layering it on heavily. Just take a look at the corners of your tank and you can see how little they really use to assemble a tank with. If you don't decide to give it up yet, good luck to you.


Jim

---

Water, taken in moderation, cannot hurt anybody. -- Mark Twain

It all started off with thin and what i thought was good nice seal with silicone but I was wrong and look where thats got me. Look at the link and tell me how I can make a nice seal itd be helpful.Thanks

Take a peice of cardboard or something with stiffness, and cut a corner off just the tip.
Then right after you have made your bead run it up the side of the tank.

If you need further explanation, just ask..

Angel Eel
EDIT:the problem may also be the old silicone isnt completely off making it hard to seal.

Last edited by angeleel at 29-Mar-2005 19:02

try aquarium sealent instead of silicone
its like 10 bucks a lil tube but it works great
jsut give it a day to dry n itll more then hold the weight of ur land n stop leaks
its what i use for building tanks

I never even caught on to that that would do wonders


Angel Eel

Aquarium sealant IS silicone, if I'm not mistaken. They just put the name on it so they can sell it for 10 times as much as regular silicone from a hardware store.

What I'd do is just put the tank away for a bit. If it is causing you this much stress, maybe you just need a break for a bit. Then in a week or so, when you feel like it, try again. Being so frustrated can't have helped the quality of the work you do on there.

---

They shade the glow of it with their mossy-misty costumes,
They wear masks of silk, porcelain, brass, and silver,
So as not to mislead with their own, ordinary faces.

At this point Im just weighing all my possible options for the tank.

Just take your time you can tell it will be very nice when completed..

If you have more problems do this......


1234,4321,1234,4321,1234,4321 say it out loud lol

I hope you can finish, I'd love to see the finished project.


Angel Eel

I HOPE I can finish too. Like i said , I cant wait until this paludarium is complete, its going to be sweet. Im just lost on how to seal the darn thing to stop leaking. I'm gonna within the next week, strip the seals and try sealing again with what I have and if this fails, I plan on just welding the edges together.

Yea, I am sure you will finish.
Just take a break if you get frustrated, if not your work will show it.

Wouldn't want that to happen

Strip it right down where there is no old silicone at all...like none at all youll get a better seal. Do a fine nickel line (like welding if you can weld) then take a peice of cardboard cut off the corner and run it up the sides of where you are. If its a small space use smaller peices with the corner cut out.

That should get rid of any access silicone, but do not scrape it to the glass, im sure you know, but don't goop it up either it affects your drying time by a large amount, and well it looks bad.

When you start if you need more help ask, if you got pics of your doings along the way, that may help.

Hope this makes sence...it was wrote quick

Angel Eel

Is the silicon smooth???

When you are putting it on wet your finger (as the silicon won't stick to it then) and use your finger to smooth the seal. This helps as it then becomes smooth and should help.



Also what is stopping you from adding another layer to the already existing layer???


Good luck. Looks great.

There already is a lot more from the last , and what i thought would be, final seal of the tank.