Frauley Elson wrote: > > As an aside, I just had my third 33 gallon tank lose its silicone seal and empty this > year. It had never happened to me before, in 34 years of fish-keeping, and now three > eight/nine year old tanks have popped since June. Today's victim was sp. Sao gabriel > lyretail, a beautiful apisto. What is this world coming to? > -Gary > Hi Gary! What silicone do you use? Is it a brand name or the cheapest possible? There is/can be a big difference in lifespan between the two. I have DIY tanks (20-40gal, 80-150 litres) more than 15 years old that still are going strong. Another aspect is how much strain you put on the seal itself. A tank were the silicone only seals corners lasts longer than a tank where the silicone also acts as "cement" and holds the tank together. Shame about the fish though, hope you find them again. /Fredrik ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is the apistogramma mailing list, apisto@listbox.com. For instructions on how to subscribe or unsubscribe or get help, email apisto-request@listbox.com. Search http://altavista.digital.com for "Apistogramma Mailing List Archives"!