Not super urgent, but FML

[C0lin]

So, I kept feeling wet carpet around my tank, but chalked it up to me moving stuff around and having the water fall on the carpet. But tonight, I figured it was way too bad to be that, so I started checking, and sure enough, a seam on my sump is coming apart.

 

Garrett told me to get some weldon, so I'm off to Lowe's. Any pointers for the actual fix when I get back?

[larrybeck]

I'm not at all sure that you'll find weldon at any of the local hardware stores. I suspect you'll have to get it from a plastics supply house, such as TAP Plastics. Sorry man. :( You may be able to "borrow" enough for the repair from someone in your area though.

[C0lin]

I found some epoxy that says it works on acrylic, so that will hopefully help me out, at least temporarily.

[larrybeck]

*crosses fingers*

[Bigjohnwoody]

That's a bummer. I hope it worked for you.

[frlejo]

yeah, let us know

[Mr S]

Most glass places sell Weldon. I would check there also. I know I bought some at Smith glass in Albany. Spendy stuff but works really good. It just wicks right into the crack like water.

[C0lin]

So far, so good. I used the epoxy, then put some silicone on the inside seam, just to be sure. It just came at a bad time because I'm broke, and had to drop $20 for the repair. I might go take the clamp back, but shhhhhhhhhh.

[Burningbaal]

for people's future reference, I found weldon at a local hobby store (think model trains and planes). It's technically not weldon brand, but it's got the same key ingredient - methylene chloride (aka dicholoromethane, or DCM).

 

for the record, people (this is the scientist in me): DCM is actually pretty nasty stuff. in labs we must use it in osha approved fume hoods and with all safety gear. true the exposures repairing are small, but still...be careful. also: latex gloves do literally nothing to stop the stuff, it just soaks right through them, often melting the latex itself (same reason it works so well on acrylic). nitrile gloves aren't much better, but a little. rule in lab work: if it gets on you glove--even a tiny drop--remove and throw away the glove immediately and grab a new one. if you get it on your skin (through a glove or direct), it will probably feel cold for a few seconds and a minute later it will feel warm...very strange, but true.

 

also, do it with good ventilation. the stuff is bad for pretty much every organ in your body (kidneys, liver, sensory nerves, etc) and is listed as a probable carcinogen by the EPA (can cause cancer).