I bought clown loach Number 7

[NancyD]

If you prepare the seams with masking tape, resealing isn't so bad. It helps to practice with the silicone sealer + caulking gun on a piece of cardboard, you will need to work quickly but not in a panic. I've done it several times over the years, but not on such a big tank. Good luck!

[Loachloach]

Thanks Nancy. I am almost ready to start. I just need to go over cleaning once more.

[NancyD]

That's always a good idea! I just use a wet finger (w/short nails, lol) to smooth the silicone (make sure it's "tank safe"; no mold inhibiters). Don't get so carried away with "prep" that you razorblade into the seal between the panes of glass or acetone them, that SHOULD be ok in all I've done. Be sure to let it cure until the vinegar smell goes away (might be a few days). Then water test. Again, good luck.

[Loachloach]

Thanks for the "finger" tip Nancy. I'll do that. This is actually the part I am most worried about, whether I'll smooth it right and quick enough.
I tried not to go in between the glass. I did by accident on one side but I'll try pushing the silicone in. I'll let you know guys how I get on. I'll give it plenty of time to cure just in case.

[NancyD]

Have a small cup of water nearby to re-dip as needed, you want moist but not too drippy, flick off excess. Do 1 entire length of each seam at time. Corners are more difficult to make neat but your substrate will cover any "less than" areas. Tape ~1/4 inch (1 cm) away from all joints but not into the 4 corners where 3 panes meet. This is my hardest part. Re- tape as needed, really it's key to success. And don't forget to remove tape before silicone skins over too much. You want to get a nice smooth, even bead touching both planes without bubbles...that's why I suggest practicing.

If you have to have a re-do, wait until silicone cures & start over with total removal, there is no "patching" or fixing it if didn't work right the first time. New caulking will not stick to cured, securely, ever! It sounds much more difficult than it really is...you can do it!

[Maarten B]

The enzymes in human spit prevent sticking of silicone glue very well, better than water in my experience. I always spit on my finger when sealing enginesumps etc at work, a trick used by most mechanics.
On youtube you can also find a lot of usefull tips for resealing glass tanks. Look for the king of diy.
And, like NancyD said, be quick, but stay calm. And do not touch the glue when halfway cured.
Good luck. And some photos when you are done please.

[Loachloach]

Thanks guys.

[Loachloach]

Hey,

I did the reseal. I am not sure I did it right. I've got to wait a week to check
It's actually more difficult to clean it than to apply the silicone. My partner helped out so it didn't take long. It's easy between two people. Now that I have the first experience, if it didn't work out, I'll clean again and give it another try.

[Bomberman]

Just read the 7 pages, very good thread, so how is it going now days, all loaches happy?

[Loachloach]

Hey, the tank reseal worked out and it wasn't as difficult as I thought but two days after I refilled the tank, it cracked right in the middle of the bottom from back to front. It seems a middle leg collapsed or so which could have been the reason for the initial leak. So my loaches have been living in a crowded 5f tank until I am able to afford a large tank.

It was a nightmare worrying about them but they seem settled and happy.

Loach number 6(my largest) sleeps in the same cave he used to before even though I put it right in front of the tank to discourage him staying on his own. The other 6 stay together as usual.

Baby clown is still very friendly, comes out when I pass by the tank and still joins the bunch of platies at feeding time. He drives the other two smaller loaches out with him too these days. I normally feed early in the morning when lights are off but in the evening I drop a smaller amount of food for the smaller fish because in the morning the loaches and plecos mop everything up. A few seconds after standing in front of the tank baby loach lines up with the platies begging for food as usual and these days he snaps the food from the surface. He is totally not bothered by my presence, my hands and such but I haven't got time these days to hand feed him... Two minutes later the same two clowns from the other bunch appear. They seem to have learned his tricks. It's like playing the same movie again and again every day.
It's possible that the smaller loaches can't get enough in the morning because of the larger ones, hence I feed a second time now . Even the corys have learned to eat left over cucumber and zucchini that I hang on the glass for the plecos so I'd imagine they stay on the hungry side these days and so must any smaller fish.

It's interesting though that although the clowns ate all snails, there are still plenty of shrimp surviving and growing in the tank. They must be too fast for them.

One of my other loaches has got quite large two and I sometimes confuse "her" with loach number 7.

As a bunch, they are all out normally in the morning until lights on at around 3pm. This tank is in a dark pitch place as there are no windows so it's night time for them until that time. . I haven't seen them dancing up and down the glass since. The tank in which they are now is shallower than the other and it seems that makes the difference in behaviour, especially for the large loach who would make one flap and be out of the tank. 50cm height take a few cm is not enough. Well, hopefully one day in a year or so I can get them a better larger place to live.

[Loachloach]

Yesterday I tried to hand feed the small clown loach for the first time in over half a year. It took him about 5 minutes to get over his fear but he eventually came to my fingers. He started biting my hand from all sides, wasn't really sure where the food is exactly so I lost patience and dropped it.. It doesn't hurt when they bite.... It's amazing that he hasn't lost the habit. It seems clown loaches are like puppies. If you teach them a new trick while young enough they don't forget.

[NancyD]

That's too bad about your tank breaking. Lucky you were able to rescue your fish AND had a big tank to put them in.

It's cool your baby clown hand feeds again. I tried many times with mine but the closest they came was a few inches away from a thawing cube of bloodworms. Nice to know it doesn't hurt, lol, I was a tiny bit nervous.

[Loachloach]

Thanks Nancy.

Don't blame yourself. Some loaches are just a bit nervous around people. My older bunch was and still is. I don't think they'll ever learn to hand feed. They'd come a couple of inches away to snap bloodworms but that's about it.
Perhaps the success with the small loach is because I initially kept him alone, without other loaches that he can copy and surrounded by extremely friendly fish. And he was very small too, hadn't learned to hate human beings yet . Once he got over the fear of my hand, he came every single time afterwards. So the first time is the hardest. You need to have a lot of patience and keep your hand still. Make sure not to drop any of the food while you are holding it as they'll go chase it and lose interest in the hand.