I've had about 50 ten gallon tanks for up to 6-7 years and after about 5 years, several started springing leaks. Probably about 5-7 of them have had this happen. My solution is just to buy new tanks, which is fairly cheap since I reuse the old hoods. But it is really annoying. I've built my own stands and on some the surface the aquarium sits on is not perfectly flat. Could that have contributed to the problem? I also redo my tanks every year or two, by dumping a lot of bleach in them. I also wonder if that might be an issue.
leaky aquariums
Started by
Guest_Dan Johnson_*
, Nov 06 2011 11:43 AM
34 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_Usil_*
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Posted 06 November 2011 - 12:11 PM
I have never had a tank leak that was sealed with silicone. I would bet that the strong bleach is attacking the bonded area. I have seen clean silicone go white when hit with strong chemicals indicating a change of character and bleach would qualify in that category. It should not be too difficult to cut out the old and renew with more clear silicone.
Usil
Usil
#3
Guest_EricaWieser_*
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Posted 06 November 2011 - 12:13 PM
It's probably less expensive to reseal the aquariums with fresh silicone than it is to buy new ones. I mean, the glass is still intact, right? And 10 gallon tanks cost like $15 each, just for the glass. The silicone to reseal them costs less than that and you'd be able to use one tube for multiple tanks.
Here's a video on how to reseal your tank:
I don't know whether being at an angle or cleaning with bleach is causing your tanks to leak. I can say that this one time I cleaned an old tank out with boiling water, and it started leaking immediately. That's the only tank I've ever had that leaked.
Here's a video on how to reseal your tank:
I don't know whether being at an angle or cleaning with bleach is causing your tanks to leak. I can say that this one time I cleaned an old tank out with boiling water, and it started leaking immediately. That's the only tank I've ever had that leaked.
Edited by EricaWieser, 06 November 2011 - 12:15 PM.
#4
Guest_rjmtx_*
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Posted 06 November 2011 - 01:26 PM
In my experience, it's not worth the time to reseal a 10 gal. A big tank that is worth some money? Sure. When you factor in the cost of silicone with time prepping and sealing the tank along with the chance that it doesn't seal, $10 or $15 isn't bad for a new tank.
It's not wasteful if you pass the tank on for someone to use as a terrarium, or repurpose the glass for something else.
It's not wasteful if you pass the tank on for someone to use as a terrarium, or repurpose the glass for something else.
#5
Guest_EricaWieser_*
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Posted 06 November 2011 - 02:00 PM
I would normally agree, but he said he's got 5 to 7 tanks to reseal. That's $15 * 5 tanks = $75. Versus buying a single tube of silicone.In my experience, it's not worth the time to reseal a 10 gal. A big tank that is worth some money? Sure. When you factor in the cost of silicone with time prepping and sealing the tank along with the chance that it doesn't seal, $10 or $15 isn't bad for a new tank.
#6
Guest_fundulus_*
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Posted 06 November 2011 - 02:51 PM
For it to work you have to lay a near-perfect bead of silicone on an extremely clean surface of glass. It's definitely a high art that few are really good at. I guess that's why I'm still working as a busboy...
#7
Guest_Dan Johnson_*
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Posted 06 November 2011 - 04:46 PM
Thanks for the replies. After looking at the video, I think I'd rather buy new tanks. I guess it depends what you value more for the project: time or money. I agree that for a large expensive tank resealing probably makes sense. Thanks again.
#8
Guest_rjmtx_*
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Posted 06 November 2011 - 05:32 PM
I would normally agree, but he said he's got 5 to 7 tanks to reseal. That's $15 * 5 tanks = $75. Versus buying a single tube of silicone.
Yes, but the time it takes to do it makes it not worth the effort if you put a realistic dollar amount on your time. I've repaired some big tanks at the LFS I worked at years ago, and for what it takes to do it right, you'd have to pay me a lot to do it these days. Even after that, I wouldn't guarantee that it holds water.
#9
Guest_AussiePeter_*
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Posted 06 November 2011 - 07:33 PM
I don't know why anyone didn't point this out, but you are wasting your time if you don't put your aquarium on a flat surface. The fact that you have had several develop leaks is the give away. Tanks shouldn't leak, even quite old ones that have been taken care of.
If you can't make the surface pretty flat that put the tanks on polystyrene sheets at least.
Cheers
Peter
If you can't make the surface pretty flat that put the tanks on polystyrene sheets at least.
Cheers
Peter
#10
Guest_Skipjack_*
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Posted 06 November 2011 - 07:57 PM
I don't know why anyone didn't point this out, but you are wasting your time if you don't put your aquarium on a flat surface. The fact that you have had several develop leaks is the give away. Tanks shouldn't leak, even quite old ones that have been taken care of.
If you can't make the surface pretty flat that put the tanks on polystyrene sheets at least.
Cheers
Peter
This is gospel!
#11
Guest_gzeiger_*
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Posted 06 November 2011 - 09:46 PM
I've never heard of a 10 gallon tank leaking before. It must be either the leveling or the bleach, or a combination. Why are you using bleach?
#12
Guest_EricaWieser_*
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Posted 06 November 2011 - 10:24 PM
Oh no. My 55 gallon tank is not perfectly level (the water is about an inch higher at the front than it is at the back). Should I completely empty it and try to relevel it with styrofoam somehow? What are the odds it'll develop a leak if I don't?
#13
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Posted 07 November 2011 - 06:51 AM
Oh no. My 55 gallon tank is not perfectly level (the water is about an inch higher at the front than it is at the back). Should I completely empty it and try to relevel it with styrofoam somehow? What are the odds it'll develop a leak if I don't?
Well, the foam is so that if there are imperfections in the surface of the stand, for instance a bow or twist.As the tank fills its weight will cause it to slightly compress the foam. This helps for even weight distribution. I kept foam under all of my tanks, largely because my tanks were mostly on homemade stands, that were certainly imperfect. It is good a good practice for sure. Sounds like your floor is out of level, which is not ideal, but will not be solved by foam alone, the base of the stand would need to be shimmed. If it is a well built stand, it may be fine the way it is, but....
#14
Michael Wolfe
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Posted 07 November 2011 - 07:58 AM
Sorry for stating the obvious... but water is heavy... and aquariums were not designed for un-even loads. If it were my aquarium, and my fish, and my floor, I would make sure that the aquarium was level. An inch height difference in water level, particularly front to back, particularly on a 55, sounds like a lot of extra water pressure pushing on the large front wall of the tank, to me.Oh no. My 55 gallon tank is not perfectly level (the water is about an inch higher at the front than it is at the back). Should I completely empty it and try to relevel it with styrofoam somehow? What are the odds it'll develop a leak if I don't?
I would level it somehow... what is it sitting on? Could you level the stand itself, say from underneath... like door shims or something under the feet (obviously you would want to lower the tank level alot... say take 80% of the water out...then maybe you could shim the whole thing).
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#15
Guest_frogwhacker_*
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Posted 07 November 2011 - 08:18 AM
I resealed my 45 gal. The worst part was cleaning the old silicone off. It's very time consuming and there's no good way to get to a lot of it. I used a blade from a utility knife to get most of it off. I worked on it in small increments for a week or so, but it could probably be done in a couple days(1 for cleaning & 1 for drying and sealing) if it wasn't so hard on the fingers and back. I definitely wouldn't fool with anything any smaller. My silicone bead isn't real pretty either, but it does hold water.
Steve.
Steve.
#16
Guest_AussiePeter_*
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Posted 07 November 2011 - 09:30 AM
Oh no. My 55 gallon tank is not perfectly level (the water is about an inch higher at the front than it is at the back). Should I completely empty it and try to relevel it with styrofoam somehow? What are the odds it'll develop a leak if I don't?
Besides the issues pointed out by others relative to pressure from tipping, the main thing is that the base of the tank is on an even surface. If it is not, then the whole tank is twisted which will likely result in a leak or crack eventually. Thus if the surface is even then you are probably ok (are you really sure it is an inch of tilt? Surely, it can't be, a one inch gradient across 15 inches of width sounds huge). Does your aquarium have a brace or two in the middle? That can help provide a lot of support.
Cheers
Peter
#17
Guest_EricaWieser_*
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Posted 07 November 2011 - 09:36 AM
My aquarium has one brace across the middle. Yes, it's an inch of tilt. The floor is really uneven. The tank itself is even; it's the floor that's tilted. There is a dresser under the 10 gallon tank that sits next to the 55 gallon tank, and its drawers roll open because of the tilt.Besides the issues pointed out by others relative to pressure from tipping, the main thing is that the base of the tank is on an even surface. If it is not, then the whole tank is twisted which will likely result in a leak or crack eventually. Thus if the surface is even then you are probably ok (are you really sure it is an inch of tilt? Surely, it can't be, a one inch gradient across 15 inches of width sounds huge). Does your aquarium have a brace or two in the middle? That can help provide a lot of support.
I guess that based upon all your comments, I should go out and buy a one inch by one inch, four foot long piece of wood from Home Depot and stick it under the front board of the stand. Shouldn't be too hard if I take all the stuff out of the stand and mostly empty the tank of water. I'm glad I mentioned it, because in my mind it wasn't that big a deal and I was just going to leave it like that. But I guess I should do something about it. Thank you everyone for letting me know.
#18
Guest_EricaWieser_*
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Posted 07 November 2011 - 11:05 AM
I just e-mailed a physics professor at my school, because I wanted to know about why the tilt is generally acknowledged as causing so many problems.
Here's my question and here's the response:
"Is the pressure upon a piece of glass greater if the glass is at an angle than if the water is perfectly perpendicular to the glass? I am asking because my tank at home is unlevel, and the front glass has water one inch higher than the back pane."
"No, it actually does not depend on the angle, it only depends on the depth (and rho and g). The pressure is all around. Perhaps a way to think about this is, when you dive down in a pool, the pressure on your head (or sinuses, or googles on your eyes) does not depend on your position in the water (holding your nose, so that no water goes up your nose), only on how far you are under the water."
This person has a Ph.D. in physics, so I kind of believe them. I'm leaving my fish tank at an angle, and I'll report back here if it develops a leak. If it does you can all tell me you told me so.
Here's my question and here's the response:
"Is the pressure upon a piece of glass greater if the glass is at an angle than if the water is perfectly perpendicular to the glass? I am asking because my tank at home is unlevel, and the front glass has water one inch higher than the back pane."
"No, it actually does not depend on the angle, it only depends on the depth (and rho and g). The pressure is all around. Perhaps a way to think about this is, when you dive down in a pool, the pressure on your head (or sinuses, or googles on your eyes) does not depend on your position in the water (holding your nose, so that no water goes up your nose), only on how far you are under the water."
This person has a Ph.D. in physics, so I kind of believe them. I'm leaving my fish tank at an angle, and I'll report back here if it develops a leak. If it does you can all tell me you told me so.
#19
Michael Wolfe
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Posted 07 November 2011 - 11:26 AM
Proof of two things...
1) You can get the answer you want if you just ask enough people.
2) Never ask a scientist an engineering question.
Happy mopping...
1) You can get the answer you want if you just ask enough people.
2) Never ask a scientist an engineering question.
Happy mopping...
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#20
Guest_EricaWieser_*
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Posted 07 November 2011 - 11:42 AM
Ah, drat. You make me want to level the tank just to play it safe. *sighs* Okay, I will.Proof of two things...
1) You can get the answer you want if you just ask enough people.
2) Never ask a scientist an engineering question.
Happy mopping...
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