Old Fish Tank Started Leaking Advice

[creg]

the silicone sealant is in really bad shape all down the one side, a couple small holes appeared near the top about a week ago so i emptied the tank till the water line was below them but now its leaking from about half way down

 

[SchottayB]

Can you empty the tank, store the fish in something and re-silicone the one side thats leaking?

 

[drobbyb]

Funny you say this as my old 30 gallon sprung a leak the other day. I had a tube of aquarium sealant lying around so I decided to repair it. All I did was to get rid of any loose sealant along the inside of the seam, clean the glass and seal using vinegar (this softens silicone sealant), wait for it to completely dry and run a bead of sealant all along the seam (make sure you wet your fingers when you smooth it into the seam). I let it cure for 24 hours and filled the tank with water.

It didn't cost me a penny since I had the sealant, but you can get a tube of 100% silicone at your local home improvement store. It's a great way to save an aging tank.

 

[creg]

only trouble is i have nowhere to put my fish while i do this, i cant leave them in a bucket for 24 hours

 

[liserini]

My fish are currently in my bath as my tank sprung a leak on Thursday!

 

[creg]

My fish are currently in my bath as my tank sprung a leak on Thursday!

i couldnt go that long without a bath, ive found a large bucket though that looks as though it holds about 50 litres