A LEAK!! grrr

[littlelil]

I picked up a 10g tank from the auction and just got around to setting it up. I tested it when i first got it, but i only filled it 1/2 full, and no leak! woot. So then i washed it out last night with dilute bleach, rinsed a few times and then filled it. I went out last night and when i got home this afternoon it had leaked everywhere!!

I'm thinking that the only thing that could have happened was that i hit the bottom corner a little hard when i was picking it up. Tat might have shaken the tank up a little. I emptied the tank as best i could and i have an idea of which area the leak is coming from, but i can't find out exactly where or how or why!

How should I deal with this? I have silicone and have used it to build walls and stuff, but i just don't know what/how I should repair it. Any suggestions or hints?? please help!

thanks

[Heidi]

You'll want to use silicone that is aquarium safe!! Most stuf fyou use on your house is NOT aquarium safe. Check the label. If not you can go to any aquarium store or I have found it in small tubes in Canadian Tires, aquarium sealant or silicone. Try the tank out on the inside. scrape away the old silicone and just reseal the tank. Either that wall but you may want to do the whole thing. If the one seam gave way - it may mean they can possible me all weakened. Look at the silicone on the inside of your tank - you can see where it has been peeled away or worm away. if it looks questionable - you may want to put a layer of sealant on just incase. I have some tanks that are completely water sound but if you look at the seals on the inside you would wince!!!

Good luck....

[dan2x38]

I went to a Tank Resealing Workship presented by Babblefish. It was awesome and very informitive. There are things you need to be careful of when removing the silcone or you can make yourself a ton of work. You can't reseal over top of old silcone. If you want to wait bring the tank to the next meeting. I would look at it for you and point out the things to watch out for OR maybe a Real Pro would?  Either way be patient...

[AdamR]

I have resealed a few tanks in the last year, when you count the cost of silicone, baldes and your time I would give the tank away and buy a new one.

[littlelil]

I have resealed a few tanks in the last year, when you count the cost of silicone, baldes and your time I would give the tank away and buy a new one.

I was actually thinking the SAME thing!! LOL

I have resealed a tank before and it was NOT fun (display tank sprung a leak at christmastime with the WHOLE family staying the week!).

I have the silicone from my little projects here and there. I was hoping for a quick-solution so that I didn't have to take all the contents out! grr. i had JUST set it up last night and it looks so good! Currently I have it sitting on a couple 2 x 4's on an angle. I am wondering if I could just cut the silicone at a spot (ie, 2 inches in to one side and 2 inches into the opposite side) and then take out the whole side that is leaking. Will this cause a leak at the parts where i cut?

ps, i took drew this picture to illustrate what i'm taking about and then i took a picture of it because I got this new MacBook and it doesn't seem to have a "paint"-equivalent to the one on Windows. And then i overlooked the part that pictures are backwards.. THe red will be the new silicone..




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[Brine]

New silicone won't adhere to old silicone with any predictability. It might work but I would not even try it. Replace all the silicone (I know that means you've got to empty the tank that looks so good) or get a new tank.

[dan2x38]

There are 2 seals on a tank. The ends of the glass butt together this is the mechanical seal. That seal is the one you do not want to damage when removing the interior silicone which is called the hydraulic seal. That seal is easy to replace. You'd have to remove all the hydraulic seal silicone and the one pane that is leaking. Reseal the mechanical seal on the one pane & then reseal the entire hydraulic seal. For a 10g it is likely not worth it. Unless you want to practice... 

Babblefish if your reading did I get that right?

[KLKelly]

I was thinking the same thing.  The cost of the silicone, the time to reseal, the worry I didn't do it right = $15 spent at bigAls plus ovas discount - worth not resealing.

It would be fun to do though after seeing everyone do it at the tank resealing workshop.  If I had one of those wierd bubble front tanks I would do it in a heartbeat.

[mila]

To reseal 10g will take you 30-40 mins and cost $5, but you have to empty the tank.
Good cleaning of old silicone is the key to success.

There should be another resealing workshop soon, right BF?

[littlelil]

  $%%^$. i guess the fish are going to have to deal with a downsize for a little while. grrrrr...
THanks for all the tips!  much appreciated
lil.

[damarech]

For all the time and labor that it takes you can buy a new 10 gal for 10 or 11 bucks at your LFS

[Brine]

On the other hand it is the perfect size to practise on so save it for the next resealing workshop.

[littlelil]

oh, don't you worry, i've got leaky 10gallons comin out the wazoo....

i'm trading it with my bf who keeps crickets in his 10g. I'm pretty sure it's water tight from the last time i tested it. but then again, i tested this one, too.