Warning sign of impending Tank failure?

[neverwalkalone]

Hi,

I have a 2'x1'x1.5' planted (fresh water), 6mm think (normal LFS-made type)

To my horror, noticed that it was leaking very slightly at the last water change. It's about a drip every 5-6mins, so it's not noticeable until a puddle shows on the rack/floor.

It seems like the leak comes at the back end, and only with a 'full' tank (I did fill it a little higher than normal, almost to the top at the last change when this problem was noticed). I've since reduced the water, and it looks ok so far (no detected drips for >12hrs)

Is this a sign of impending failure of my tank?

I have heard horror stories of tanks bursting in the middle of the night; and with the tank in the living room right next to the TV, my wife is getting VERY paranoid.

Any thoughts on what is the potential problem, and how I might fix it? (hate to think of tearing down a stable mature tank..)

[troyz]

hi bro, silicone problem...

any other way you have to drain all water out, take out soil and etc.
i suggest you decom. the tank and get a new one...

second choice is do the decom. the tank, find out the leak are..
do another layer of silicone

[stormhawk]

troyz has listed all your possible avenues of repairing the leak. You cannot patch the leak from outside, without doing the same within the tank. Furthermore silicone takes approximately 24 hours to fully cure. In that time the water would probably have found a way through the new layer of silicon.

Rather than risk seeing the tank give way and destroying your furniture, and TV, among other things, it's better to tear it down and fix the leak.

[neverwalkalone]

Thanks guys. So I really have to decomm?

Ok, trying to look on the bright side.. perhaps it's time to get that 3ft that's sitting in the storeroom out "CO" is neutral to it, just wanted the 2ft problem 'fixed'.

Thanks again.
2nd question - where/who can fix the leak and what is the estimated cost?

[BFG]

Try not to use tanks that have been kept dry for a long time due to the silicone getting dried up and hardening. You will experience the same problem again down the line.

[neverwalkalone]

Try not to use tanks that have been kept dry for a long time due to the silicone getting dried up and hardening. You will experience the same problem again down the line.

Thanks BFG. Eh, so how long is long? The 3ft I have has been in 'dry clad' for about 1yr.. (does get pretty warm in storage) - so what do I have to do; add new silicon or discard it altogether? How do I test it to ensure the same problem doesn't occur again?

[stormhawk]

neverwalkalone,

You can fix the leak yourself using aquarium grade silicone. 2 maybe 3 tubes should be sufficient for your uses. Tear down the tank, then fill it water, preferably outside your house, and look for any sign of a leak. Make sure the outer surface of the glass is dry, otherwise any water droplets can affect your check. If you see cracks, discard the tank immediately. If it's a tiny leak and you have pinpointed the source, dry out the tank and apply a layer of silicone to the affected area. A little generous on the layer and you should be fine. Better still, just dry out the whole 2 ft tank and apply silicone to all the joints.

You can do the same thing with your 3 foot tank to test for leaks. Check the silicone layer as well. If you press it and the silicone feels spongy or is still flexible, there should not be any issues. If the silicone feels stiff, you might have to fix it yourself using the appropriate aquarium grade silicone.

IIRC, a tube of this silicone at the hardware store or LFS should be less than $20.

[BFG]

Thanks BFG. Eh, so how long is long? The 3ft I have has been in 'dry clad' for about 1yr.. (does get pretty warm in storage) - so what do I have to do; add new silicon or discard it altogether? How do I test it to ensure the same problem doesn't occur again?

Can't say for sure though as no one has a definite standard on the length of time a silicone is able to ' stay active '. I have heard of a tank that has last 30 odd years though but can't be sure of the claim. There is a silicone sold by Aquamarin that claim is able to be used underwater. Visit their website.

[neverwalkalone]

Stormhawk - thanks for the detailed instructions. Will decomm the tank and decide if it's worth the trouble to repair.
Testing the 3ft the same way will be a chore..

BFG - thanks for the inputs. Will give Aquamarin a check.

Appreciate all the help guys!

[stormhawk]

You're welcome. Well not much choice on where the 3 ft is concerned. Better to test first just in case. You never know when something might go wrong. As for the 2 footer, since the cost of a brand new tank might just be a few dollars more than the tube of silicone, you might be better off buying a new one altogether.

[neverwalkalone]

You're welcome. Well not much choice on where the 3 ft is concerned. Better to test first just in case. You never know when something might go wrong. As for the 2 footer, since the cost of a brand new tank might just be a few dollars more than the tube of silicone, you might be better off buying a new one altogether.

Ya, you're right - the 2footer should be 'condemned'.. Eyeing the one from Mizuworld currently on sale...

Thanks again.

[stormhawk]

Aiming for those ADA or CADE tanks? They're expensive but if you like the clarity of the glass, they're good too. For myself, Five Plan tanks are cheap and good enough.

[aquarius]

My advise is to get the tank from a reputable company which will last u a good couple of yrs and with ease of mind knowing that it's well made. It's one of the stuff in the hobby that you don't want to save on.

[aquarius]

Try not to use tanks that have been kept dry for a long time due to the silicone getting dried up and hardening. You will experience the same problem again down the line.

Great Advice! Some of us have tanks that were decom and left one side for a prolonged period of time and will use them again after leaving it dry for quite a long period of time without realising that the quality of the tank/silicon is already compromised.