HELP! I think we have a leak!

[frizzlefish]

I can't figure out what's going on! It's not a gush kind of thing, just seems to have water at the bottom edge of the glass, and at the base where the tank is sitting on the stand. We can't wipe it away to clean it off, which leads me to believe it's leaking and not a spill from the water change last night!

What do I do first?????


GAH!!!

[frizzlefish]

OK, seems like the top edge of a corner has a bit of missing silicone. we took a few bottles out and it's stopped.


Whew! I was thinking - what a crappy way to start mother's day!!

[Lady Hobbs]

Just went thru the same thing myself. After spending hours adding silcone to the outside of the tank with no successes, I run a bead of silcone to the inside (back seam) and that took care of the problem. I should have known better, really, since the water was coming out from under the tank. duh!

[johnicd]

I'm a little confused. Did you guys drain your tanks then add the silicone or is it possible to add it with water/fish in it?

[gm72]

The silicone can be toxic to the aquarium inhabitants until it is cured, usually about 24 hours. Until then it can leach solvents into the water. You can drain some of the water since your problem is at the top of the aquarium, thoroughly clean the area to be "patched", then seal.

[frizzlefish]

The silicone can be toxic to the aquarium inhabitants until it is cured, usually about 24 hours. Until then it can leach solvents into the water. You can drain some of the water since your problem is at the top of the aquarium, thoroughly clean the area to be "patched", then seal.


That's the plan. It looks like just the very top corner of the tank has a bit of boogered up sealant and the water was just drip, drip, driping one little drop at a time down the edge and then along the bottom front of the tank between it and the base. It was just a smidge fuller than we had it before too, so I originally thought it was coming up over the top but it wasn't.

During our next water change we're going to only refill high enough to have the filters and such running but low enough to use some sealant to patch it up.

[Lady Hobbs]

I'm a little confused. Did you guys drain your tanks then add the silicone or is it possible to add it with water/fish in it?

Her top leak prevented her from draining her whole tank. Mine was a bottom leak so the whole tank had to be drained.

[Incredulous_Ed]

Hope everythig works out well! I can't imagine how stressful a leaking tank would be.

[MacAnthony]

If you are doing this with water still in the tank, the humidity from the tank is likely gonna slow down the curing process. Just be aware of that before you decide to fill it back up to see if your patch works.