James_R
New Member
Hi everyone,
I came home today and noticed that my 75-gallon rimless aquarium suddenly started leaking as I was sitting on the couch next to it. The leak came from the corner/side of the tank, where the silicone that connects the two glass panels had separated. I quickly drained as much water as possible using an electric pump, a 17-gallon tote, and buckets, but about 20-35 gallons of water still escaped onto my wooden floor. The water leaked down through the ceiling and wall into my basement.
This isn’t the first time something like this has happened—my SunSun canister filter leaked about 10 gallons while I was away about 6 months ago, which also went through the floor into my basement. Thankfully, my stand seems fine, and I dried it off immediately with no visible damage (I had coated it with poly when I built it). Now I have my filters in a tote to prevent it.
I’ve now moved all my fish to a 30-gallon HDX tote, filled about 3/4 to minimize bowing. I’ve also removed all the sand, driftwood, and water from the tank. Upon inspection, I can clearly see the silicone has ripped apart, going down about halfway along the seam. I bought this tank used (I believe it’s a Deep Blue model), and based on the silicone, I suspect it was resealed at some point before I got it—the rest of the silicone looks very well-flushed.
I need some advice on what to do next. I’m planning on buying a new used tank from Facebook Marketplace that has a rim on both the top and bottom and is in excellent condition. I’m debating whether I should try to reseal this old tank myself, leak test it, and then either sell it or switch back.
For now, my fish in the tote have 5x the dose of Seachem Prime for nitrite, a heater, and an airstone. I also have my canister filters running separately with a heater and an airstone, and I’ve added Dr. Tim's ammonia to help the bacteria survive.
If I do get a new tank, would it be safe to place it in the same spot? I realize I might need to consult an engineer or contractor to assess, but I’d appreciate your thoughts. I’ve attached pictures of the tank, the damaged silicone, the basement ceiling, and the tote setup.
Thanks so much for any help!
I came home today and noticed that my 75-gallon rimless aquarium suddenly started leaking as I was sitting on the couch next to it. The leak came from the corner/side of the tank, where the silicone that connects the two glass panels had separated. I quickly drained as much water as possible using an electric pump, a 17-gallon tote, and buckets, but about 20-35 gallons of water still escaped onto my wooden floor. The water leaked down through the ceiling and wall into my basement.
This isn’t the first time something like this has happened—my SunSun canister filter leaked about 10 gallons while I was away about 6 months ago, which also went through the floor into my basement. Thankfully, my stand seems fine, and I dried it off immediately with no visible damage (I had coated it with poly when I built it). Now I have my filters in a tote to prevent it.
I’ve now moved all my fish to a 30-gallon HDX tote, filled about 3/4 to minimize bowing. I’ve also removed all the sand, driftwood, and water from the tank. Upon inspection, I can clearly see the silicone has ripped apart, going down about halfway along the seam. I bought this tank used (I believe it’s a Deep Blue model), and based on the silicone, I suspect it was resealed at some point before I got it—the rest of the silicone looks very well-flushed.
I need some advice on what to do next. I’m planning on buying a new used tank from Facebook Marketplace that has a rim on both the top and bottom and is in excellent condition. I’m debating whether I should try to reseal this old tank myself, leak test it, and then either sell it or switch back.
For now, my fish in the tote have 5x the dose of Seachem Prime for nitrite, a heater, and an airstone. I also have my canister filters running separately with a heater and an airstone, and I’ve added Dr. Tim's ammonia to help the bacteria survive.
If I do get a new tank, would it be safe to place it in the same spot? I realize I might need to consult an engineer or contractor to assess, but I’d appreciate your thoughts. I’ve attached pictures of the tank, the damaged silicone, the basement ceiling, and the tote setup.
Thanks so much for any help!
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