Gilliroo Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 My 90G glass tank has developed a slow leak. At first, I thought that I had just spilled some water and it pooled at the base. But no such luck. I dried it carefully, and there's a small bead forming again around the bottom edge. Sigh. I can't see any leaks from the underside of the tank, and the four corner seams all seem dry. There's just a little bead that forms on top of the piece of plastic that runs along the bottom edge. If I dry it off carefully and run a bead of silicone between the glass and the plastic strip, will that fix the leak? I'm not sure where it's coming from, exactly, and I'd really rather not tear the whole tank apart to seal it from the inside if I don't have to. Thanks for any advice you have! Gillian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnkrcklives Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Sealing it from the outside will not work. It will find its way out again. I have a non drilled glass tank I am selling if interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilliroo Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 Seriously? We have to take the whole tank down? For a tiny bead of water? Ok, starting to panic here. We would have to buy and drill a new 90G, plumb the dang thing, and move everything out of the old tank, re-aquascape, and move the livestock into the new tank. It's going to cause a heck of a cycle. We were just finally getting going with this tank again and enjoying some success. We just installed a new sump and skimmer last week. @#$% I think I'm about ready to throw in the towel this time. Anyone else have any ideas for us? Gillian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omarortiz Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 How old is the tank? Did you buy it new? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilliroo Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 How old is the tank? Did you buy it new? The tank is several years old- we bought the whole system second hand. We drilled and plumbed it. It's been set up and in its current location for about 18 months with no problems. Gillian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omarortiz Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Supposedly the seals deteriorate on tanks after about 5-7 years. I have never kept one long enough to find out about this because I have always been paranoid about tank failure. It's too much of a pain to deal with as you already know. One suggestion is to pinpoint the leak. You might have to drain the tank until it stops leaking to find it exactly because water travels along the seams and the brace. It could be somewhere other than where you are seeing the water drip down from if you are lucky and then you would only have to drain to that point to do the repair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald525 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Hey Gills don't get discouraged! At least it's a slow leak that you noticed right away. It sounds like Taylor (pnkrcklives) has a replacement for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanktop74 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Oh my..... Really.... there is your advantage to acrylic! I think the pnkrcklives is right, eventually it will find its way out again. You could TRY silicone..... but then again do you want to chance 90 gallons of h20 all over the dinning room floor? I would suggest getting a 90 gal tank.... lots of buckets, friends.... and take it down and set it right back up! Don't throw the towel in for this little drip of water.... would take a day of prep and a few hours of work... It can be done!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilliroo Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 There is no water coming from anywhere above the bottom edge of the tank. We put tissue paper along the four corner seams to be sure, and there is no moisture along any of those seams, or anywhere along the top edge. The water accumulates in that little gap between the plastic edging at the bottom and the glass. It appears to be seeping up from the seam between the bottom pane and the right side. We stuck little sheets of paper in the gap all of the way around and it seems to be coming from the right side. Of course, it could be coming from somewhere else and just pooling on that side. It's a very small amount of moisture. I can see the silicone seal all of the way around on the underside of the tank. There is no moisture here. There is nothing dripping anywhere. Just a little bead of moisture between the upper edge of the lower plastic edging and the glass. Gillian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilliroo Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 Kim and Beth, you want to come help me drill another tank? So, if the silicone starts to deteriorate after 5-7 years, do people really replace their tanks that frequently? Do acrylic tanks last longer than that? If they are only good for 5 years, there's no way I'll buy another secondhand tank. This is so depressing. Gillian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 i dont know a ton about it but i do know that if the leak is coming from the bottom you want to address it asap the lower on the tank the higher the pressure and with waters corrosive power it wont take long for a small leak to become a huge problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emerald525 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Sure Gillian we would love to come over! Beth loves to do that sort of thing! It will be fun! Beth can do the boring set up that she enjoys and I can be the entertainment! I know people who have had glass tanks last much longer.We have always just had acrylic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanktop74 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Kim and Beth, you want to come help me drill another tank? So, if the silicone starts to deteriorate after 5-7 years, do people really replace their tanks that frequently? Do acrylic tanks last longer than that? If they are only good for 5 years, there's no way I'll buy another secondhand tank. This is so depressing. Gillian Of course we will help!!! Yay another tank build!!!(clap)(clap) Wahoo!!!! Bring it on!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilliroo Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 How bad do you think the cycle will be? I suppose the nem can visit the biocube until the tank stabilizes... Hope the fish weather the storm ok- they are mostly too big to go in the biocube. Where do I go around here to get a 48 x 24 x 18 tank? I like my existing setup, with center overflow and returns on either side. I think I'd prefer glass, since we have little kids. But most important is that it not leak. Do you think we could reuse my Gl*******s overflow and the existing return plumbing? Or should I get something that's got a built in overflow? Can I throw a tank-swapping party? I can provide good food and quality beverages, and whatever bribes might be necessary. But I'm really tired of hefting buckets and mopping up water! Did I mention that we JUST swapped out the sump last weekend? Oy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilliroo Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 How bad do you think the cycle will be? I suppose the nem can visit the biocube until the tank stabilizes... Hope the fish weather the storm ok- they are mostly too big to go in the biocube. Where do I go around here to get a 48 x 24 x 18 tank? I like my existing setup, with center overflow and returns on either side. I think I'd prefer glass, since we have little kids. But most important is that it not leak. Do you think we could reuse my Gl*******s overflow and the existing return plumbing? Or should I get something that's got a built in overflow? Can I throw a tank-swapping party? I can provide good food and quality beverages, and whatever bribes might be necessary. But I'm really tired of hefting buckets and mopping up water! Did I mention that we JUST swapped out the sump last weekend? Oy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanktop74 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 its 48 long, 18 deep and 24 high... correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilliroo Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 Yes. Are acrylic tanks less likely to leak, do you think? I'm wondering if the seam opened on our tank because we live in an old house and the floor flexes a little when the kids go thundering by the tank. Maybe it would be smart for us to go with acrylic. Or buy a new house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derbird Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 If you do decide to go with a glass tank I would highly recomend buying new. It will come with a life time warrenty and if heaven forbid it were to happen again you just let them know and a shinny new tank comes home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilliroo Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 Good point! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefsickness Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Yes. Are acrylic tanks less likely to leak' date=' do you think? I'm wondering if the seam opened on our tank because we live in an old house and the floor flexes a little when the kids go thundering by the tank. Maybe it would be smart for us to go with acrylic. Or buy a new house. [/quote'] Acrylic tanks do not come apart and if you get one thick enough you can sand the scraches out when it gets so bad you can't see in it. With Glass Tanks once scrched there scrached forever. Glass is 82% clear Acrylic is 98% Clear on the clearity index Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilliroo Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 I am thinking that an acrylic tank might be good because it's less likely to leak (if I get a good one) even if stressed by the flex of the floors of an old house or a small earthquake. I'm pretty sure that two small boys are equivalent to a small earthquake. I'm worried about the inevitable scratches that will come when little guy drives his cars across the front. A legitimate worry? Also, I should probably find a stock tank, rather than a custom tank, since we do have a leak and should move quickly. Where in the Portland area is a good place to go for quality acrylic or glass tanks? We are looking for a 48 x 18 x 24 inch tank. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racefan Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 How bad do you think the cycle will be? I suppose the nem can visit the biocube until the tank stabilizes... Hope the fish weather the storm ok- they are mostly too big to go in the biocube. My 40B split a couple weekends ago.(bottom glass broke)I got another, drilled it real quick, moved my glass-holes overflow into it & scooped my sand into the new one & set it up & never had a cycle at all. Lucky? beats me (knocking on wood) I'd guess the sand sat for about 6-7 hours at room temp. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 what do you plan to do with the leaking tank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilliroo Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 I don't know. Do you want it to repair after we replace the tank? It's got a really nice overflow from Glass Holes that I will be sad to part with. I have half a mind to try to move the overflow to the new tank, but that will probably complicate things unnecessarily. Sigh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 i might be interested pm sent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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