Crap! Help!!

[texhorns98]

I finally got the new tank up and running and now it's sprung a leak! It's in a corner seam about 5 inches down form the top. I've tried duct tape (why, I don't know) and nothing. I can get it to stop for a few seconds, but then it starts up again. It makes a little stream down the side of the tank. Chris, if you're out there now you can call me! Somebody, anybody, I'm so tired!!

 

[sailfish]

Maybe some aqua mend or putty you use for attaching corals might help in an emergency.

I would drain the tank below were the leak is if you can.

Joe

 

[skriz]

New tank? If it's new, it definately shouldn't be leaking. If you just bought it, exchange it for a replacement. If it's old (but just new for you), then you'll want to look into resealing the entire tank; there's no telling where it may leak next week.

Anyhoo, there's not much you can do with it filled with water, so go ahead and drain it and mark the spot where it's leaking.

 

[texhorns98]

It's new, new. I'm going to have to drain it down, I guess. Luckily, that will still be above all my corals. I can't run my return now, obviously. Should I just shut it and the skimmer down and leave my two Tunzes going?

 

[william1]

coral epoxy might work under water for an overnight seal until you have a better chance to drain and repair it. Sorry to here about the problem with the new tank.

 

[sailfish]

Thats what I would do.

If you are worried about flow and have another power head you can add it.

Joe

texhorns98;374048 wrote: It's new, new. I'm going to have to drain it down, I guess. Luckily, that will still be above all my corals. I can't run my return now, obviously. Should I just shut it and the skimmer down and leave my two Tunzes going?

 

[ster]

And yet another person learns the lesson of leak checking a tank for a week or two before setting it up.

 

[sailfish]

Well that was helpful anything else positive to add to a bad situation.

Joe

Ster;374054 wrote: And yet another person learns the lesson of leak checking a tank for a week or two before setting it up.

 

[ster]

sailfish;374055 wrote: Well that was helpful anything else positive to add to a bad situation.

Joe

There's nothing more to be added, the other posters already covered his options. My post is to help ensure that others don't run into a similar problem in the future. Thanks for being hostile!

 

[texhorns98]

Ster;374054 wrote: And yet another person learns the lesson of leak checking a tank for a week or two before setting it up.

I ran it for 6 hours with no leaks before the install, I thought that was sufficient. Who the heck runs a tank for two weeks to check for leaks?

 

[texhorns98]

Funny enough, the leak just stopped after I turned off the return and skimmer. The water didn't drop but about a half inch, but there's no more leak. I've never seen anything like it.

 

[skriz]

texhorns98;374048 wrote: It's new, new. I'm going to have to drain it down, I guess. Luckily, that will still be above all my corals. I can't run my return now, obviously. Should I just shut it and the skimmer down and leave my two Tunzes going?

Stop postponing the inevitable and break it down. Since it's new-new, take the thing back. Your coral will be fine for a couple of days with just flow and temp control.

 

[skriz]

texhorns98;374061 wrote: Funny enough, the leak just stopped after I turned off the return and skimmer. The water didn't drop but about a half inch, but there's no more leak. I've never seen anything like it.

A seam leak NEVER fixes itself. Make sure it's actually leaking from the seam, and not just water running down from some plumbing. If the leak was indead from the seam, don't risk it..it's not worth it.

 

[texhorns98]

Skriz;374062 wrote: Stop postponing the inevitable and break it down. Since it's new-new, take the thing back. Your coral will be fine for a couple of days with just flow and temp control.

Postponing the inevitable? Break it down? It's midnight and I JUST finished setting it up! It took me over 8 hours to swap everything over today, I would like to explore repairing this one before breaking the whole thing down. The leak is nothing more than a pinhole. For now...knock on wood.

 

[texhorns98]

Skriz;374064 wrote: A seam leak NEVER fixes itself. Make sure it's actually leaking from the seam, and not just water running down from some plumbing. If the leak was indead from the seam, don't risk it..it's not worth it.

I'm telling ya, it doesn't leak right now. I can press the back and fron glass towards each other and I get a tiny bubble. I marked that spot for now. Ever since I shut off the return, there's no leak though. I'm sure it was a seam leak because it was a tiny stream of water running down the back corner of the tank.

 

[skriz]

texhorns98;374066 wrote: Postponing the inevitable? Break it down? It's midnight and I JUST finished setting it up! It took me over 8 hours to swap everything over today, I would like to explore repairing this one before breaking the whole thing down. The leak is nothing more than a pinhole. For now...knock on wood.

Yeah, it's time to hit the sack. I'd drop the water level below the leak until the AM. Then, I would most definately break it down. It's just not worth the risk; trust me, I risked it once...it didn't turn out well.

 

[texhorns98]

Good question, dawgdude, but I have no clue. This tank is glass if that matters to anything. I'm going to give it an hour and see what happens, I guess. **** I'm tired though...

 

[texhorns98]

To add insult to injury, I have a small drip in my plumbing as well! DOH!!

It's on the return line (SCWD connection) so I'm hoping it will stop here soon since I turned off the return.

 

[skriz]

dawgdude;374068 wrote: Does glass or acrylic matter? I could see acrylic not continuing to split but glass pulling the seam apart more with the weight.

Acrylic usually can't come apart from the seam and it's chemically bonded together (if done correctly). Glass can since it is just silicone holding the two panes together. BUT, I wouldn't risk it with either; there's no good reason to risk dissaster.

 

[skriz]

dawgdude;374072 wrote: I would 100% agree with Raj about lowering the water level well below the week and honestly I would HIGHLY suggest lowering any corals high in the tank and lower the tank water down as much as you can. With it being glass it is a bond from the silicone btw the glass and not a mechanical fusion of the two pieces like with acrylic. I would hate to see a thread tomorrow of you waking up to the whole tank seam giving way.

+1

Yeah, take the water level way down to relieve the pressure. I hope it's not a glass cages tank..I've know a couple of people who watched a pane of glass FALL OFF :doh: It freaking fell off, not crack, FELL OFF! (Sorry, I know this isn't helping you sleep any)

If your plumbing is leaking too, now's the perfect time to repair it!