removing silicone?

[sophie]

A friend has just acquired an aquarium which has some kind of backing
siliconed to the back wall - apparently it's black, looks a bit like
petrified wood and has "juwel" on the back. I haven't seen it myself,
but he says he hates it (from his description it's pretty nasty, but
this is his opinion only) and wants to take it off but isn't sure how
easy/possible it is to remove the silicone bonding. Does anyone have any
ideas?

many thanks,
--
sophie

[Desmond Wong]

Can't you just cut it off with a sharp razor? I recently did that to a whole
tank and resealed it, that was the quickest way to get rid of all the
silicone.

"sophie" > wrote in message
...
>
> A friend has just acquired an aquarium which has some kind of backing
> siliconed to the back wall - apparently it's black, looks a bit like
> petrified wood and has "juwel" on the back. I haven't seen it myself,
> but he says he hates it (from his description it's pretty nasty, but
> this is his opinion only) and wants to take it off but isn't sure how
> easy/possible it is to remove the silicone bonding. Does anyone have any
> ideas?
>
> many thanks,
> --
> sophie

[sophie]

In message >, sophie
> writes
>
>A friend has just acquired an aquarium which has some kind of backing
>siliconed to the back wall - apparently it's black, looks a bit like
>petrified wood and has "juwel" on the back. I haven't seen it myself,
>but he says he hates it (from his description it's pretty nasty, but
>this is his opinion only) and wants to take it off but isn't sure how
>easy/possible it is to remove the silicone bonding. Does anyone have
>any ideas?
>
>many thanks,

thank you Ali and Desmond;

this was what we had come up with too (although I'll have to tell him
that beer is essential to the process...) but he wasn't sure that he'd
be able to remove all the silicone with a blade - seems like a fiddly
process...

--
sophie

[NetMax]

"sophie" > wrote in message
...
> In message >, sophie
> > writes
<snip>

> seems like a fiddly
> process...

A very apt description. There is a chemical solution which dissolves
silicone (you would need to google it). Otherwise, it's elbow grease by
removing as much as possible with cutting implements (changing to
incrementally smaller blades), and then move to rubbing/abraiding the
remaining silcone off. You're reminding me that I have a 120g with a
split seam waiting for me in my basement :o(.
--
www.NetMax.tk

> --
> sophie

[sophie]

In message >, NetMax
> writes
>"sophie" > wrote in message
...
>> In message >, sophie
>> > writes
><snip>
>
>> seems like a fiddly
>> process...
>
>A very apt description. There is a chemical solution which dissolves
>silicone (you would need to google it). Otherwise, it's elbow grease by
>removing as much as possible with cutting implements (changing to
>incrementally smaller blades), and then move to rubbing/abraiding the
>remaining silcone off. You're reminding me that I have a 120g with a
>split seam waiting for me in my basement :o(.


:-( indeed. fortunately I don't have to do anything with silicone; I
only have to build a 4ft by 18" stand out of 4by2 and 2by2 this weekend.
The nice lady in the fish shop tried all her suppliers and they don't do
them (unless I want an immensely expensive cabinet, which she suggested
that I didn't, and I agreed) and the people who used to do "specials"
don't anymore. But she can get me a glass lid with sliding bits for £15,
which I'm quite happy with as I'm terrified of working with glass, and
her husband showed me how he makes all their stands (which are floor to
ceiling, so I'm fairly happy the same model should hold my one tank!) He
also suggested that breezeblocks can work very well, but I don't have
access to any and they're not exactly elegant. I think I have much the
easiest task ahead of me.

good luck with your tank.
--
sophie

[Geezer From The Freezer]

sophie wrote:
>
> A friend has just acquired an aquarium which has some kind of backing
> siliconed to the back wall - apparently it's black, looks a bit like
> petrified wood and has "juwel" on the back. I haven't seen it myself,
> but he says he hates it (from his description it's pretty nasty, but
> this is his opinion only) and wants to take it off but isn't sure how
> easy/possible it is to remove the silicone bonding. Does anyone have any
> ideas?
>
> many thanks,
> --
> sophie

I have that backing. It's a type of black foam - I like it gives a nice natural
look and algae can grow on it for all I care. It's made by juwel.
http://www.angliaaquatics.com/acatalog/Anglia_aquatics_accessories_163.html

[SamIam]

sophie > wrote in message >...
> A friend has just acquired an aquarium which has some kind of backing
> siliconed to the back wall - apparently it's black, looks a bit like
> petrified wood and has "juwel" on the back. I haven't seen it myself,
> but he says he hates it (from his description it's pretty nasty, but
> this is his opinion only) and wants to take it off but isn't sure how
> easy/possible it is to remove the silicone bonding. Does anyone have any
> ideas?
>
> many thanks,

Dow Corning makes a product call OS-2 Silicone Cleaner and Surface
Prep. ("OS" stands for "ozone safe"). While this won't remove the
silicone (nothing will) it will soften it considerably and make it
easier to remove. This product is available from power transmission
distributors such as Kaman Industrial Technologies, Motion Industries,
and Applied Industrial Technologies. Jamaica Bearings in New Hyde
Park, NY may take credit card orders over the phone but I'm not sure
though.