how important is the plastic band around tank edges?

[kimura]

i have a 40 gallon breeder size tank thats been down for about 2 years. unfortunately i left it outside in the sun and the plastic edges have cracked and split on the top and bottom. how important is that for structural integrity? is there anyway i could repair or replace it? maybe some kind of metal band around it or something? i want to thin out my 75 gallon tank and make this primarily a striata tank with some 6 or so ghost catfish but i dont want a disaster. any advice would be appreciated. this might not be the best forum but it is for loaches and this group has some really experienced and insightful members so i figured i'd get a valid answer.

[Graeme Robson]

Do you have any pictures of the tank in question? Normally the the plastic edging is a decorative addition on some tanks, but this depends on what we are looking at.

Silicone sealing is another matter.

[Diana]

The plastic trim might be important. A substitute would be to silicone a glass band around the inside, near the top (perhaps 1/2" down). I think tanks in the UK are often made this way.
The other alternative is to contact the manufacturer and get a replacement.

The 40 gallon is a shallow tank, so there is less water pressure on the sides and corners than the taller tanks. Still, better safe than sorry!

[qumqats]

How UV sensitive is silicone? If the plastic rims have deteriated I'd be worried about the silicone.

It might be easier to junk the tank and just get a new one.

Otherwise to be safe and sure I'd think you'd need to strip the tank down to the bare glass panels, get a new pair of plastic rims that fit, a couple of BIG tubes of aquarium safe silicone, and reassemble the tank from scratch.

[revhead]

Hi there. If the tank was an older style one with the metal angle on the edges, it is very important for the structural integrity of the tank. The plastic angle edges fitted are merely to hide the silicone bead from the outside, thus adding no strength. As previously mentioned though, i would be concerned about the possible deterioration of the actual silicone bead holding the corners in place. If it leaks, the strength of the silicon has been compromised & therefore should not be trusted.
Fill the tank to the brim with water & leave it a few days (outside). If it is going to burst, it should do so within a relatively short period of time. If it survives a week i would trust it.