How To Repair Fish Tank

Download Commodity

Download Commodity

A leaky aquarium tank tin be a big problem, peculiarly if you accept a very large aquarium. Most leaks are on the seams and just spill a trivial water at a time. Withal, if this problem isn't fixed, it can pb to the whole aquarium breaking or a large amount of h2o leaking into your home. If you suspect that your aquarium has a leak, you lot should take steps to fix it as soon as possible. With some grooming and the proper supplies and techniques, most small leaks in aquariums can exist fixed relatively hands.

1. ane

   Drain some water from the aquarium. Drain the h2o low enough to allow room to clean and dry out the area effectually the leak. Yous can use a loving cup, bucket, or other container to remove the water. If the leak is at the bottom of the aquarium, you will demand to remove all water and aquarium rocks from the tank.

   • If the leak is very low in the tank, y'all may have to move the fish and aquatic plants into a temporary container or other aquarium while repairs are made.
   • Keep in mind that the sealant you seal the leak with will have to cure before refilling the tank, so plan accordingly to continue your fish and plants healthy.

2. 2

   Remove the onetime sealant. Scrape abroad the onetime sealant effectually the leaking expanse with a razor bract scraper. You want to brand sure to remove silicone from the leaking area but you don't desire to remove the silicone from between the drinking glass panes. The means that y'all are only removing the silicone bead on the inside corner of the tank.

   • If you didn't drain the entire aquarium because the leak in high upwards on the walls of the aquarium, be careful non to allow any of the sometime sealant to drop in the tank.
   • Silicone sometimes does not bond well with old silicone. You lot may end upward having to remove a lot of the silicone on the inside of the tank and then resealing all the seams at one time. If y'all are already draining, drying, and scraping silicone, you might as well do the whole thing.

   Advertisement

3. iii

   Clean the area. Wipe the area with a clean cloth dampened with acetone. This will remove any remainder and other foreign material from the leak area. Dry out with a paper towel and allow to completely air dry, which unremarkably takes about xv minutes.^[ane]

   • Having a clean area volition assure that the new silicone that you apply will hold to the drinking glass and you will non end up with another leak in the virtually futurity.

Advertisement

1. 1

   Utilise nontoxic 100% silicone sealant to the leak area. Run a bead of silicone along the leak area using a caulking gun. Then smoothen that bead out, with a damp finger or a caulking tool, so that the silicone is smoothed out and it completely covers the seam that leaked.^[2]

   • Cheque with a professional aquarium supply for recommended repair products. Brand certain that if you lot use silicone, it is labeled "nontoxic" and "100% silicone". Likewise make sure that the silicone sealant has NO fungicide in information technology and is a High Modulus production.
   • Y'all may be tempted to endeavour and repair the leak from the outside of the tank, but usually the repair is more than effective if made on the inside. A repair on the within will hold better, since water pressure will "tighten" the seal pressing the silicone against the glass. If it is practical on the outside, the water pushes the silicone away from the glass.

2. 2

   Allow the sealant to dry. Silicone needs to dry and cure for a minimum of 24 hours. If you are applying it in a cool and dry environment, y'all may need to await closer to 48 hours. This time will let information technology to set completely, assuring that it attaches properly to the glass and does non leak.

   • You lot may use a heat lamp or other portable estrus source to assistance cure the sealant, but practise not heat in a higher place 110 degrees (F).

3. 3

   Inspect for leaks. Refill the tank enough then that there is some water in contact with the repaired seam. Expect a few hours and so fill the tank fifty-fifty farther and then look for leaks. Finally, make full the tank all the way and and then look for leaks. Take a close await at the expanse that was leaking and wait awhile to make sure that the water pressure within the tank doesn't reopen the leak.^[three]

   • Endeavour taping a paper towel to the outside of the tank where the leak was and leaving it there for an hour or so. If the towel remains dry, your leak is fixed.
   • Proceed towels and a bucket nearby, in case of continued leaking. This will allow you to rapidly remove the water from the aquarium once over again.

4. 4

   Fix the tank back up. If you lot have removed everything from the tank, including gravel, fish, and plants, you will need to supercede them when you are confident the leak is repaired. Begin with the gravel and so add together other objects on the aquarium floor. Add any chemicals to the water that are needed and so return whatever plants and fish back into the tank.

   • This is a really expert time to brand sure everything you put back in the tank is thoroughly cleaned before you put them back.

Advertisement

1. 1

   Pay attention to the water level in your aquarium. In some cases, you will first spot a leak in your aquarium by noticing that the water level is dropping. While there is ever some evaporation in fish tanks, whatever noticeable level drop could be due to a leak.^[four]

   • If you have a astringent leak, the location volition likely be very evident and you will be able to find the source from a quick glance effectually the tank.

2. 2

   Expect effectually the aquarium for wetness. If the leak is not obvious, you may first suspect one if at that place is unexplained water around the outside of your tank. Even a small corporeality of unexplained dampness could bespeak a problem.^[five]

   • If you have changed a filter, added items into your tank, or otherwise interacted with the tank recently, h2o outside of the aquarium may exist due to your activities. Try drying it upwards and and so keeping an center out for additional water pooling up. If the water returns, then you have a leak.

3. 3

   Inspect the tank for the leak location. If yous suspect there is a leak, merely its location is not axiomatic, then you lot will demand to do a bit of investigating. Look for metal corners that appear to be separated from the glass, and for sealant protruding in the corners. These are tell tale signs that the aquarium has a problem.^[vi]

   • Also, experience effectually the edges. If yous feel water, movement upward from that location, until the surface feels dry. The furthest spot towards the pinnacle of the tank that is wet is likely to be the leaking area.

4. iv

   Mark the location of the leak. If y'all notice the location of the leak, or you have an area where you suspect the leak is, you should mark that area with a felt tip pen. This will allow you to proceed track of the area once your tank is empty and you begin repairs.

   • Most felt tip pen marks can exist easily removed with glass cleaner after you finish your repairs.

5. v

   Know what leaks cannot be repaired at domicile. Leaks along the seams of your aquarium are relatively easy to set up because they are usually caused by a failure in the silicone, and silicone tin be easily replaced. However, if the leak is due to a cracked side or lesser of your tank, that is non as like shooting fish in a barrel to repair. Replacing a whole piece of glass will take a lot more fourth dimension, expertise, and free energy. Basically, replacing a glass console of an aquarium will probable require the skills of a professional.

   • If one of the sides or the bottom of your tank has cracked, information technology is likely that the whole aquarium will fail. A scissure in the glass will spread due to the pressure of the h2o and in one case it spreads far enough, the glass console volition collapse.
   • Sometimes it's meliorate (and easier) to just replace a leaking aquarium instead of trying to set information technology.^[seven]

Advertizement

Add New Question

• Question

  My leak seems to be in the bottom corner of my tank. Do you recommend resealing the whole thing?

  

  I would definitely reseal the entire tank, merely in case you had more than i leak.

• Question

  I have a 250 gallon glass tank. I have resealed it several times now. This last time, equally I was taking the former sealer off, I noticed that the drinking glass itself was separating on one of the corners. Is this repairable?

  

  Since it's such a big tank, it's probably all-time handled by a professional person. If what yous mean is the glass is separating from the sealant/other drinking glass, then all it needs is new sealant.

• Question

  Tin a 4'x2'x2.five' tank be repaired with silicon sealent if it has adult a fissure from top to bottom along the rounded edge?

  

  Since the size that you mentioned is big, if it has a crack or a lick at the lower side or at the bottom, information technology is a good idea to accept a complete re-sealing on the inside. Only pare off all the old silicone using a sharp pocketknife and clean the residue with acetone or thinner and re-silicone that.

• Question

  When can I put fish back in a repaired tank using marine sealer?

  

  As soon as your sealant dries, let information technology sit for a twenty-four hour period. Then ready upwards the tank and permit it to bike for at least a week, and then yous may add together your fish.

• Question

  How practise I seal the gap betwixt glasses in an aquarium due to poorly cut pieces of glass? What blazon of mucilage should exist used?

  

  Use aquarium silicone. There should be no gaps. A millimeter tin can cause the tank to burst. If it's a bad cut, don't use it.

• Question

  Where do I get the trim that holds the aquarium drinking glass together?

  

  Aquarium trim is available for purchase from aquarium suppliers online. Still, in many cases the trim that you can buy online does not actually concur the aquarium together. This blazon of trim is made for tanks in which the silicone connections hold the tank together. Brand sure you are buying the correct type for your tank!

• Question

  My tank has a leak at the rear corner. Would it be worth repairing the rear panel or should I just practise the whole tank?

  

  If the leak is on the joint, and so strip that pane off and re-silicone it. If it'south a scissure in the pane, get a new tank.

• Question

  I accept an octagon tank and its leaking somewhere. Is it the same to repair as a foursquare tank?

  

  Aye, it is exactly the same. If the leak is large or the glass becomes unseated, you demand to go professional person help, due to the difficulty of resetting the glass on an octagonal tank.

• Question

  Can a 100 gallon tank be fixed if at that place are 2 small leaks at the seam?

  

  Raya Bastian

  Community Answer

  It's would exist wiser to merely buy a new tank, simply if you are drastic, it's possible to seal the leaks with silicone. You have to continue in heed that yous will have to purchase another one eventually though. Yous tin can put it off now and keep the tank for a few months, or buy another 1 now.

• Question

  How do I find leakage?

  

  Pour some water into the tank on a surface that shows h2o easily. Don't let any splash over the sides. Motion the tank (exercise not to spill any water) and meet if there's any water on the surface of the place y'all put the tank. If you spill water, it won't piece of work.

Come across more answers

Enquire a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to become a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

Video

• Do not attempt to motility an aquarium that is filled with water. The movement may cause the seams to distort and the aquarium to leak or burst apart.

Advertisement

Things You lot'll Need

• Razor bract or razor scraper.
• Acetone.
• Silicone sealant.
• Temporary container or aquarium for your fish.

Almost This Article

Article Summary X

To repair a leaky aquarium, showtime by draining the water low enough to clean and dry the area around the leak. Adjacent, remove any erstwhile sealant with a razor blade scraper, clean the area with a cloth dampened with acetone, and dry with a paper towel. Then, use a bead of non-toxic, 100% silicone sealant and shine it out over the leak. After that, allow the sealant to dry for 24-48 hours. Finally, fill the tank upwardly to the seam with water and wait a few hours to see if it leaks. If it doesn't leak, fill it the rest of the fashion to ensure the leak is fixed. For more tips, like how to locate hard-to-detect leaks, read on!

Did this summary help yous?

Thank you to all authors for creating a page that has been read 320,485 times.

Did this article assist you?

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Repair-a-Leaky-Aquarium

Share this post