120 sprung a leak......
- Thread starter stik6shift98
- Start date
If the tank is slightly crack and leaking. Get rid of it and get another.
If it's because of old or poor seal you might try to use some aquarium silicone. You can use GE I window and door brand silicone at Home Depot also. If it's leaking bad, you might want to take off all the silicone with a razor blade and dry the area. Let the silicone set for at least 24 hrs. This takes a lot of work.
If it's because of old or poor seal you might try to use some aquarium silicone. You can use GE I window and door brand silicone at Home Depot also. If it's leaking bad, you might want to take off all the silicone with a razor blade and dry the area. Let the silicone set for at least 24 hrs. This takes a lot of work.
Hay so I am new here and don't know exactly how to post a question so I am doing it in this question. So my mom had been smelling this moldy smell but I could not find it. Well when I left for a competition my mom found it. You know what it was? My tank had been leaking for months and had caused my carpet to mold. But when I was gone my dad filled my tank for three days and no water left it. So I don't think it was my actual tank. I do be leave thou it is my filter. This is because it is a cheaper filter and I have had many problems with it in the past, like, molding, clogging and not filtering correctly. In the end, I would like to know if you be leave the filter to be the problem. And also, does anyone know of a not too expensive filter that is reliable and does not break down easily? Please help I really do not want to ruin my floor again. (oh and yes the fish are all fine. Except I forgot to tell my mom that the Danios like to jump and that she needs to put a lit on. I found him the next day all dried up.) Please Help!
Hello; Here is a revised old post of mine about sealing a tank with silicone. Resealing a tank can be a chore and may not work the first time, but if you get a good seal it should last for years.
I have found that trying to run a line of silicone only on a portion of a tank often to not work out very well. If a tank leaks, I find it best to reseal all the corners and sides at the same time.
-(In my experience the silicone needs to be applied in all corners while it is still tacky so that it will bond to itself at the apex of each side.)
-(New silicone does not seem to bond to old silicone very well)(Some have posted that it will stick better to the old if the old is well cleaned, I have yet to test this myself.)
I also cut out the existing silicone with a utility knife from all corners before trying to seal with new stuff. I find a shop vacuum a handy way to remove the bits of silicone. If the first application of new silicone does not seal the leak, I cut out all the silicone that I have just applied and seal the whole thing again. I also find that the silicone tubes that fit in a caulking gun to be the handy way to apply silicone. The tubes of silicone that you squeeze with your fingers are just too hard for me to control and I have not tried to use them in years. You can plug the end of a big tube of silicone with a nail or something round to keep it from curing too quickly, as you may need it again.
-(Note – When you cut the end of a silicone tube, make the first cut near the end so as to have a small opening. You can always cutoff a little bit more if the bead of silicone is too small.)
Some additional pointers. I usually give a tank a good cleaning before applying the new silicone. I use a paste made from ordinary table salt (Without iodine) and a soft sponge.
-(I do not use a sponge or cloth that has been used with soap or chemicals.)
-(I have buckets and sponges that are used only for my tanks.)
The salt paste does not scratch glass and does a fair job at removing the deposits from the surface of the glass (be sure the sponge or cloth used to apply the paste with is not coarse enough to scratch the glass on its own and watch for bits of gravel that seem to jump into the salt paste.) (Letting the salt paste dry to a haze should desiccate most critters if you want to disinfect a diseased tank.)(Note- wetting the glass will soften up the deposits somewhat.) (Also for stubborn mineral deposits, a razor blade in a holder that gives a firm grip is useful. Use a shallow the angle on the blade and keep an eye on the corners of the blade. The corners sometimes get bent and will scratch a thin line. Rinse the salt paste out and let the tank dry well.
Once the tank is clean, I think it needs to be completely dry before applying a bead of new silicone. Dampness tends to hide in the very small seams and in the corners of a tank. I suspect that dampness prevents the silicone from bonding properly to a surface and may result in a leak in a good looking seam. (note- this is not real critical, but try to have the tank in a place where it can sit for a day once the silicone has been applied, so you do not have to move it until the stuff can cure some. Silicone labels often say that it will cure enough in two days to add water. (While I have gotten away with around a two day cure with thin beads in small tanks, it seems prudent to wait a few more days to be sure. Some experienced people have suggested seven days for a full cure.) Thicker beads of silicone in large tanks will likely take the additional time to cure. Silicone will skin over and harden from the outside in. Push on a thick part of a bead with your finger to see if it feels firm and solid.
If you manage to lay down a decent bead of silicone try to resist poking at it in an attempt to smooth out a bump or irregular spot. I usually only try to smooth out the glob where the corners meet at an apex. You may get away with wetting your finger tip lightly with water and gently touch it. (Water on the outside of a joint should not cause a problem if you use just enough to dampen the tip of the finger and not enough to drip off.)(Does it sound like fun yet?). You will want several paper towels or cloths handy to keep the silicone wiped from your fingers. It will get on everything if you don’t and it is a real pain to clean off. If you use a cloth to wipe silicone the stuff does not come out, so do not use mom’s favorite towel
If you happen to mess up and need to clean up a smear,( and find that the more you wipe it, the more it smears.) it may be easier to let the silicone set up so that it is no longer gooey. It can then be rubbed off with a cloth or your fingers.
I try to test the tank in a place where a leak or having to empty the tank will not be a problem. I also allow a resealed tank to sit full of water for a few days to be sure the tank does not leak before moving it into the house. Good luck with whatever procedure you decide to use.
I have found that trying to run a line of silicone only on a portion of a tank often to not work out very well. If a tank leaks, I find it best to reseal all the corners and sides at the same time.
-(In my experience the silicone needs to be applied in all corners while it is still tacky so that it will bond to itself at the apex of each side.)
-(New silicone does not seem to bond to old silicone very well)(Some have posted that it will stick better to the old if the old is well cleaned, I have yet to test this myself.)
I also cut out the existing silicone with a utility knife from all corners before trying to seal with new stuff. I find a shop vacuum a handy way to remove the bits of silicone. If the first application of new silicone does not seal the leak, I cut out all the silicone that I have just applied and seal the whole thing again. I also find that the silicone tubes that fit in a caulking gun to be the handy way to apply silicone. The tubes of silicone that you squeeze with your fingers are just too hard for me to control and I have not tried to use them in years. You can plug the end of a big tube of silicone with a nail or something round to keep it from curing too quickly, as you may need it again.
-(Note – When you cut the end of a silicone tube, make the first cut near the end so as to have a small opening. You can always cutoff a little bit more if the bead of silicone is too small.)
Some additional pointers. I usually give a tank a good cleaning before applying the new silicone. I use a paste made from ordinary table salt (Without iodine) and a soft sponge.
-(I do not use a sponge or cloth that has been used with soap or chemicals.)
-(I have buckets and sponges that are used only for my tanks.)
The salt paste does not scratch glass and does a fair job at removing the deposits from the surface of the glass (be sure the sponge or cloth used to apply the paste with is not coarse enough to scratch the glass on its own and watch for bits of gravel that seem to jump into the salt paste.) (Letting the salt paste dry to a haze should desiccate most critters if you want to disinfect a diseased tank.)(Note- wetting the glass will soften up the deposits somewhat.) (Also for stubborn mineral deposits, a razor blade in a holder that gives a firm grip is useful. Use a shallow the angle on the blade and keep an eye on the corners of the blade. The corners sometimes get bent and will scratch a thin line. Rinse the salt paste out and let the tank dry well.
Once the tank is clean, I think it needs to be completely dry before applying a bead of new silicone. Dampness tends to hide in the very small seams and in the corners of a tank. I suspect that dampness prevents the silicone from bonding properly to a surface and may result in a leak in a good looking seam. (note- this is not real critical, but try to have the tank in a place where it can sit for a day once the silicone has been applied, so you do not have to move it until the stuff can cure some. Silicone labels often say that it will cure enough in two days to add water. (While I have gotten away with around a two day cure with thin beads in small tanks, it seems prudent to wait a few more days to be sure. Some experienced people have suggested seven days for a full cure.) Thicker beads of silicone in large tanks will likely take the additional time to cure. Silicone will skin over and harden from the outside in. Push on a thick part of a bead with your finger to see if it feels firm and solid.
If you manage to lay down a decent bead of silicone try to resist poking at it in an attempt to smooth out a bump or irregular spot. I usually only try to smooth out the glob where the corners meet at an apex. You may get away with wetting your finger tip lightly with water and gently touch it. (Water on the outside of a joint should not cause a problem if you use just enough to dampen the tip of the finger and not enough to drip off.)(Does it sound like fun yet?). You will want several paper towels or cloths handy to keep the silicone wiped from your fingers. It will get on everything if you don’t and it is a real pain to clean off. If you use a cloth to wipe silicone the stuff does not come out, so do not use mom’s favorite towel
If you happen to mess up and need to clean up a smear,( and find that the more you wipe it, the more it smears.) it may be easier to let the silicone set up so that it is no longer gooey. It can then be rubbed off with a cloth or your fingers.
I try to test the tank in a place where a leak or having to empty the tank will not be a problem. I also allow a resealed tank to sit full of water for a few days to be sure the tank does not leak before moving it into the house. Good luck with whatever procedure you decide to use.
Hello; Having had similar experience it is now my considered opinion that tanks and carpet do not mix. Water is going to find a way onto the floor around tanks somehow, it always has around my setups.
I removed the carpet from an area where my tanks sit and put down vinyl tile squares. I put plastic quarter round along the edge of the remaining carpet and sealed it down with silicone to help keep water away from the carpet. I also have a hole in the floorr in a corner behind the tanks to give water a way out if a lot is spilled.
I removed the carpet from an area where my tanks sit and put down vinyl tile squares. I put plastic quarter round along the edge of the remaining carpet and sealed it down with silicone to help keep water away from the carpet. I also have a hole in the floorr in a corner behind the tanks to give water a way out if a lot is spilled.
I know that some will spill but a lot has so I am a little more concerned that there is a bigger problem. I have to refill my tank about three more inches every two days. But when my dad left it by itself for four day completely filled, it stayed full! So that is why I am thinking it is the filter. Thank you for the idea for when I put wood floors in. I might put a strip of vinyl where my tank is just to be safe.
Hello; Back on topic
Here is a link to a video that may be helpful in sealing a leak
HOW TO: Reseal an aquarium - YouTube
Here is a link to a video that may be helpful in sealing a leak
HOW TO: Reseal an aquarium - YouTube
If you don't have a lid on your tank you could have that much evaporation. Also you don't say the size of your tank or the type of filter you are now using. I have been using Aqueon filters on all five of my tanks and am very satisfied. My largest tank is 30 gallons. One other thing - mold doesn't form in a couple of days - it would probably take weeks before you could actually smell it. BTW why don't you start a new thread of your very own as this thread if from 2003. Oh, and welcome to the forum!
Oh okay I did not know how to post my own thing thank you. Oh and it is a ten gallon tank. I have a lid on it. Oh and I just found the mold but it has actually been there for months with out me knowing it. And my filter is a cheep aqua-tech power filter for a five - fifteen gallon tank. And when I added the lid it did not make a difference to how much is coming out of the tank. Oh, and thank you so much on telling me how I can post my own problem. I realy appreciate it!