Teamsherman Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 Title changed so I don't need to start a new thread!Hey guys,I've finally re-homed a few fish and stripped down my 4' display tank ready for its Lake Malawi make over!I've just now got to try to get the mustard coloured foam backing out before I can vinyl the back of it black. The foam backing has been glued in place in a few places which I can't get to via the front but can easily see them through the rear of the tank and I'm wondering if I were to use a heat gun to heat the glass and glue from the outside just in the sections where the glue is do you think I will be doing any damage or weakening of the glass? My idea is to heat the glass so it transfers to the glue and softens it so the backing can easily pull away without having to hack it all up from the front. I'm not really fussed if I can save the backing but it would be nicer if it came away clean instead of in a million foamy pieces. Any ideas? I'm planning on staying well away from the edges where the tank itself is siliconed together, I just want the middle dabs of glue to loosen enough so I can atleast get to the edge bits of glue with a blade or scraper. Cheers,Alan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Link2Hell Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 no heat gun on the glass !!if you spot heat it the glass will have a good chance of crackingjust cut what you can out in pieces then use a razor knife to cut theglue spots after that is a matter of scraping any silicone away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisho43 Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 I agree with Link2Hell, no heat gun it could crack the glass. Just cut it around the glue spots and remove foam then get some solvents and apply to any foam that is left, this should dissolve the foam and soften the glue to remove. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckmeister Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 Have a crack...I know bad joke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simy696 Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 now your just cracking me up chuck. sorry thought id join in with the bad ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamsherman Posted September 14, 2015 Author Share Posted September 14, 2015 Last thing I want is to get my crack out. I'll cut the stuff out then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intangcity Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 did you have a crack at it?howd ya glue.was it fun scraping the foam of the sheet?bwahah yeh it sounds bad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamsherman Posted September 15, 2015 Author Share Posted September 15, 2015 Used an oscillating tool to cut the stuff out. I just have to scrape away the glue sections now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamsherman Posted September 15, 2015 Author Share Posted September 15, 2015 Nearly there!You can see the spots where it was glued in! I'm so glad they were tight with the amount they used or it would have never come away! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamsherman Posted September 15, 2015 Author Share Posted September 15, 2015 Now to put the backing on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamsherman Posted September 16, 2015 Author Share Posted September 16, 2015 So I have put the vinyl on but I have found three little creases in it where there are some small gaps! Would it be worth it to make a tiny incision in the creases to flatten them out then stick on some spare vinyl over them to stop any air getting under there over time or should I just live with them? They really are small but my OCD knows they are there!! LoLAnd I did it on the front as some suggested, but how am I now going to see the fish??? ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckmeister Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 ah-oh you need to grow much longer legs now I'd just pop the holes with a pin and squash them down. When you have water in the tank you wont even be able to find the spot anyway.Its coming together really nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ged Posted September 16, 2015 Share Posted September 16, 2015 Looking good Alan. Using pin should allow you to flatten the creases out sufficiently that you will not see them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamsherman Posted October 3, 2015 Author Share Posted October 3, 2015 Hi folks,So I turned the tank around to have it facing the right way and have set up the coral that I will be using as the ornaments in the tank. I will be adding a few clay logs and some nice driftwood as well but I'm just after opinions on what folks think of my rock placements.I'll be going with an assortment of blue, yellow, white and black Malawi species and using crushed coral sand as substrate.Here are a couple of pics of how they are set up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamsherman Posted October 19, 2015 Author Share Posted October 19, 2015 So I've finally got some of the fish I wanted and they are now happy as Larry in their tank and in yet to get two more types in there with them. The ones in there now are Saulosi, Acei Msuli, Hongii and two Lionheads. They are hungry little buggers and there is a male Saulosi and Acei Msuli both colouring up nicely. My next two I want are mirrorball haps and lithobate moonlights. I'm also yet to get some custom lids made up and a 4' LED light system to enhance their nice colours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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