Tank Crack??????
- Thread starter asdf
- Start date
Tempestuousfury
Fish Aficionado
Are all leaks attributed to cracks?
I know for certain that seams can be mended...
I know for certain that seams can be mended...
Grim Reaper
Fish Addict
if its a leak u can use this guide which was given to me by semper fi
you will need:
aquarium sealer or (i reccommend) 100% silicone caulk. this can be found at any hardware store
a caulk gun
razor scraper
knife
white vinegar
round peice of plastic (margarine tub lids work best)
scissors
small round object (penny works best)
pencil
sponge
paper towels
bucket of water
empty and clean the tank thoroughly. if the tank was in use, place the gravel with tank water covering it in a bucket. do not clean the gravel, you will remove the beneficial bacteria that is living in the gravel. you can use this to restart the tank. make sure that the tank water covers the gravel by about an inch. also if you can reserve as much of the water as possible.
determine at what joint your leak is at and with the razor scraper and knife remove as much of the silicone as you can. try not to get too deep between the two panes of glass. you will need to have ventilation at this point of the repair. with the white vinegar and a sponge, clean the area trying not to get the vinegar on the silicone on the other joints. the vinegar is an acid and will remove the residue left by the old sealer. wipe up any extra vinegar and again rinse the tank in hot water several times to ensure that the vinegar is thoroughly removed. let the tank completely dry for about 1-2 hours.
you will need to make a spreader with the margarine tub lid. clean the lid in hot water to remove any food particles. let dry. with your scissors cut the edge of the lid off. cut the lid in half and in half again. at the pointy end, place the penny to give a curve about a 1/3" from the end. mark the curve and cut.
if you are using silicone make sure that it is 100% silicone and clear. additives can leach harmful elements into your tank causing fish loss. with either the aquarium sealer or the silicone in a caulk gun, run a bead of silicone from one end of the repair to the other. take the spreader that you made and with the sides against the glass of the tank, run this along the bead of caulk. you will want to press the spreader into the silicone to remove any air bubbles and get a good seal. the spreader will also remove the excess caulk. you can also use your finger, but this is messier. wet your finger and pressing firmly run along the bead of caulk. wipe away any excess caulk with the paper towels.
you will need to let the caulk or sealer cure for 72 hours. after this time, rinse the tank thoroughly and check for leaks. if there are no leaks you can refill the tank with the reserved water and gravel. if you do detect leaks you might have an air bubble which has left a hole in the repair. if so, you will need to repeat the process again.
jas i said i have used this method to repair many tanks, including replacing a broken peice of glass in two of them.
hth
you will need:
aquarium sealer or (i reccommend) 100% silicone caulk. this can be found at any hardware store
a caulk gun
razor scraper
knife
white vinegar
round peice of plastic (margarine tub lids work best)
scissors
small round object (penny works best)
pencil
sponge
paper towels
bucket of water
empty and clean the tank thoroughly. if the tank was in use, place the gravel with tank water covering it in a bucket. do not clean the gravel, you will remove the beneficial bacteria that is living in the gravel. you can use this to restart the tank. make sure that the tank water covers the gravel by about an inch. also if you can reserve as much of the water as possible.
determine at what joint your leak is at and with the razor scraper and knife remove as much of the silicone as you can. try not to get too deep between the two panes of glass. you will need to have ventilation at this point of the repair. with the white vinegar and a sponge, clean the area trying not to get the vinegar on the silicone on the other joints. the vinegar is an acid and will remove the residue left by the old sealer. wipe up any extra vinegar and again rinse the tank in hot water several times to ensure that the vinegar is thoroughly removed. let the tank completely dry for about 1-2 hours.
you will need to make a spreader with the margarine tub lid. clean the lid in hot water to remove any food particles. let dry. with your scissors cut the edge of the lid off. cut the lid in half and in half again. at the pointy end, place the penny to give a curve about a 1/3" from the end. mark the curve and cut.
if you are using silicone make sure that it is 100% silicone and clear. additives can leach harmful elements into your tank causing fish loss. with either the aquarium sealer or the silicone in a caulk gun, run a bead of silicone from one end of the repair to the other. take the spreader that you made and with the sides against the glass of the tank, run this along the bead of caulk. you will want to press the spreader into the silicone to remove any air bubbles and get a good seal. the spreader will also remove the excess caulk. you can also use your finger, but this is messier. wet your finger and pressing firmly run along the bead of caulk. wipe away any excess caulk with the paper towels.
you will need to let the caulk or sealer cure for 72 hours. after this time, rinse the tank thoroughly and check for leaks. if there are no leaks you can refill the tank with the reserved water and gravel. if you do detect leaks you might have an air bubble which has left a hole in the repair. if so, you will need to repeat the process again.
jas i said i have used this method to repair many tanks, including replacing a broken peice of glass in two of them.
hth
If it's a seem leak , you may be able to fix it with the last posts instructions , if it's cracked , the crack will most likely travel [ get longer ], under the pressure from the water inside pushing out , and could burst [ or just leak out ]causing you more problems then it's worth [ esp if you're not around when it happens].
You can remove the cracked glass and replace it , this too is not without risk however .
Sorry , not many people have good luck with leakers , I'm not going to say not to try , you could be one of the exceptions .
I would suggest leaving it full of water only , after fixing , for like a week at least in a safe spot, like outside if possible .[ somewhere water damage wouldn't be costly ].
I honestly don't think a cracked tank is worth the time or expense .
They would make great reptile tanks though.
silicon sealer should be for aquarium use , some silicons made for home use contain mildew inhibiters that may cause harm to your tanks inhabitants .
You can remove the cracked glass and replace it , this too is not without risk however .
Sorry , not many people have good luck with leakers , I'm not going to say not to try , you could be one of the exceptions .
I would suggest leaving it full of water only , after fixing , for like a week at least in a safe spot, like outside if possible .[ somewhere water damage wouldn't be costly ].
I honestly don't think a cracked tank is worth the time or expense .
They would make great reptile tanks though.
silicon sealer should be for aquarium use , some silicons made for home use contain mildew inhibiters that may cause harm to your tanks inhabitants .
My opinion , I've been in the hobby since 1971 , haven't seen much luck with leakers that have cracks , they will eventually fail .I personally would pass them up or use them for reptileslucky62 said:If it's a seem leak , you may be able to fix it with the last posts instructions , if it's cracked , the crack will most likely travel [ get longer ], under the pressure from the water inside pushing out , and could burst [ or just leak out ]causing you more problems then it's worth [ esp if you're not around when it happens].
You can remove the cracked glass and replace it , this too is not without risk however .And easier said then done .
Sorry , not many people have good luck with leakers , I'm not going to say not to try , you could be one of the exceptions .
I would suggest leaving it full of water only , after fixing , for like a week at least in a safe spot, like outside if possible .[ somewhere water damage wouldn't be costly ].
B) I honestly don't think a cracked tank is worth the time or expense . B)
They would make great reptile tanks though.
silicon sealer should be for aquarium use , some silicons made for home use contain mildew inhibiters that may cause harm to your tanks inhabitants .
fufanu360
Cichlid KING
well it obviously cracked for a reason, unless that piece of the glass was hit with somthing, they all could be under stress
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