Wow, my tank is leaking.

andyjh said:
Are you sure the leak is actually at the bottom corner, and not dripping down the side and appearing to come from the bottom corner? I'd dry the tank out and start filling it carefully a few gallons at a time to better pinpoint the leaking area. Many here would probably suggest completely removing all the silicone from all joints and resealing the whole tank. I'd be afraid to "spot-repair" this, as whatever condition caused the leak in that particular area may soon affect another area. 72 gallons is a lot of water to be taking a chance with.
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Yeah, I don't want to take a chance. I will just test with a few gallons first to double check if it really is a leak.
 
goalieman59 said:
how long has the tank been sitting?
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It has been sitting in my (heated) house on a large stand.


I just filled the tank up 10%(right above the plastic trim/factory silicone. I can feel no leaks/holes in the silicone. But, when I first saw the leak, It was under the base piece of glass(the tank was upside down drying on my porch). It has been 15 minutes since I filled it 10%, and I can't feel/see any water outside the tank.
DOING GOOD SO FAR :D

in case it starts leaking,

I will just reseal the whole base(I DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY CHANCES WITH MY FISH/INVERTS AT ALL)

DOES THIS VIDEO LOOK RIGHT/GOOD WITH PROPER STEPS, ETC???

link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-gS7gp-ehM

thanks
 
Leaks are a super fast fix. Don't sweat it man. Leaks are easy to fix and is really not a big deal. Just pull out all the sealant near that spot and redu the sealant on the seam. Very easy.
 
I am still not sure now on whether my tank is leaking OR not leaking? I filled it up with about 8 gallons yesterday after I dried it. The water level was 1 inch above the black plastic trim, and 2 inches above the old factory silicone. It has been sitting like that for over 15 hours.
THERE HAVE BEEN NO LEAKS SO FAR, SO SHOULD I START UP THE TANK NOW SINCE IT ISN'T LEAKING???

any suggestions on stocking

so far I am thinking of....
1 large emerald cory(already own)
2 long fin albino corys(already own)
4-6 corys(probably pandas) need to buy
1 BN pleco(already own)
2 SAEs(already own)
3-4 pairs of angelfish need to buy

I need ideas on what tetras to get...
Which ones would be best, or should I get 2 groups of different species.

I also need to know if I can keep dwarf cichlids with the angelfish.....
any recommendations?

thanks

I will stock slowly like....
max of 1 group every 2 weeks like....
week 2(after cycling)
week 4 put some platys/danios to help cycle
week 6 put panda corys in
week 8 put tetras in
week 10 take out platys/danios and put in angelfish
week 12 put in plecos/rest of corys
week 14 put in dwarf cichlids

that is something like what I would do, but since I am only 14, I will probably add each new fish group every 3-4 weeks unless my parents help me with my funds:)
i will convince them somehow because this is a show tank, and they want it to look really good
 
jetajockey said:
you need to fill it up all the way and check for leaks. The added water puts a lot of pressure on the glass so you could have a leak that only develops when the tank is filled up.
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I did that on my porch yesterday, but there were no leaks. But when I emptied it, it looked like it was leaking from the bottom corner.MY DAD AND I WERE HOLDING IT ON ONE CORNER(IT WAS TILTED). IS THAT WHY IT LOOKED AS IF IT WERE LEAKING BECAUSE IT WAS SLANTED WITH LOTS OF REMAINING WATER DROPLETS IN/OUTSIDE THE TANK.
I WILL FILL IT UP COMPLETELY AND LET IT SIT FOR A DAY BEFORE I START IT UP, maybe I will let it sit filled to top for a week as I am in school and participate in many sports/music/etc. That way I will be positive about no leaks/cracks at all. So, if all goes well, then I will start my tank next weekend. :D

I will post pics of the stand/tank filled later this afternoon.
 
Yeah, fill it up and let it sit for a few days. If it is going to leak it will do it then.

If you have a leak do not try to patch it, you must remove all the old silicone and reseal. Since new silicone will not stick to old silicone there is no way to just remove a section because to get the new section to seal it has to stick to the old section. It will almost certainly leak at that very spot within weeks of setting it up.

I also suggest you let the new silicone cure for a full week before filling. It will feel dry long before then but the inside of the seams will still be wet where you can't feel them. Then you will get a slimy layer on top of the silicone that will slough off and eventually get a leak months after setting up. Plenty of examples of that in the archives, just search for "slimy layer on new silicone" if you don't beleive me.
 
its easy to remove a chunk of silicone too, just cut either side with a razor, then scrape under it, and peel it up, and then scrape the rest off
 
prober said:
Yeah, fill it up and let it sit for a few days. If it is going to leak it will do it then.

If you have a leak do not try to patch it, you must remove all the old silicone and reseal. Since new silicone will not stick to old silicone there is no way to just remove a section because to get the new section to seal it has to stick to the old section. It will almost certainly leak at that very spot within weeks of setting it up.

I also suggest you let the new silicone cure for a full week before filling. It will feel dry long before then but the inside of the seams will still be wet where you can't feel them. Then you will get a slimy layer on top of the silicone that will slough off and eventually get a leak months after setting up. Plenty of examples of that in the archives, just search for "slimy layer on new silicone" if you don't beleive me.
Click to expand...

I did fill it up 2day, and there are no leaks so far. I put in 140lbs of eco-complete, 20lbs smooth river stone gravel, 20lbs fine black gravel, and ~30lbs large rocks(for decor).

SO FAR SO GOOD!!!
:D
will post pics
 
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