Tank leaking...

Ok so I guess its time to admit I have a problem. I have come to this realization because my landlord comes twice a year with a borough inspector to inspect the apartment, smoke detectors, etc, and I find myself wondering what he is going to think of the salt that accumulates on the side of my tank (I live on the third floor).

So here it goes: my name is gabby... and my tank has been leaking for about a year now. It is a 37g tall, and up until a few weeks ago it was minor leak from underneath the rim. It is getting worse. I have learned never to buy a used tank again, since this (along with the stand), is one of the MOST vital elements of a reef tank. The landlord comes tomorrow - I cleaned off the salt, and I was just going to turn off the sump and lower the water level to below the rim.

I have a brand new 90g tank, but I am not setting it up till next year when I graduate and move to a new apartment, because I doubt this floor will hold it. ANYWAY, is this a huge problem? A leak coming from underneath the rim? I would like to fix it rather than buy a new one... Is it a terrible idea for me to seal it with silicone (or anything else) while the tank is up and running (obviously keeping water below the level? Any advice? Will this not work with the evaporation from the tank? Or is it absolutely 100% necessary for me to buy a new tank (I would not go with a tall again for obvious reasons )?

 

As long as you can lower the water level long enough for the silicone to cure you should be able to fix the leak. I am assuming its coming from the upper frame? If so and you can lower your water level and give it a shot. As I am sure you are figuring out the tank is one of the cheapest pieces of equipment you buy for this hobby. Its also the most important. Used fish tanks send shivers down my spine.

 

when it comes to replacing silicon the only way to create a good seal is you have to replace the entire line of it so you would have to drain the tank and redo the entire corner.

do you have any pics of where exactly the leak is located?

^^^ aparettly I stand corectted I learn something new every day lol

 

Silicone is kinda tricky and leaks can be very hard to fix without tearing the tank apart. The main problem is silicone will not stick to dried silicone.However if its just leaking from the top moulding it may be possible to create a new line of silicone between the frame and glass without having to remove the moulding. I would say your chances are 50/50 but worth a try IMO.I would put a bead on the inside edge as well as the outside. Good luck.

 

I'm just trying to get this thing to hold up for another few months... Too bad I spent all my money preparing for this new tank!! LEDs I just wanted to make sure I wouldn't hurt anything (meaning coral) with the silicone fumes. I used it while building my sump, I remember it smelled. If it doesn't work, then I guess I'll figure it out. Sell some coral that isnt my favoritee I suppose..

Thanks guys, this helped

PS. Speaking of fumes.. there has been a skunk roaming around my apartment complex. Lol if it did happen to spray..knock on wood... I wonder what those fumes would do to the system. I'll wait for it to actually happen to start a thread lol

 

You will definitely want some ventilation to expell the fumes.Good luck!

 

how long should you wait after sealing it to fill the water up.. so you dont damage your corals and fish I guess.

 

Min 24 hrs, I personally would wait 48-72.

 

Id wait 48to hrs to be safe though 24 is probably ok

 

I had the same problem where the seal behind the rim were starting to deteriorate. The only thing was that my leak was on the bottom of the tank. I ended up emptying out my entire tank and resealing it with clear silicone. It took about 4 days to get my tank back up and running.

But if I were you I would just lower you water level, scrap off the old silicone (make sure that when you scrap off the old seal the shavings dont fall in the tank), reseal the tank, then give it 48hrs to cure. Good luck!