Emergency leak

[rickb]

Woke up this morning to a small flood. There is a 1/4 inch spot in the seam that is leaking about 5 inches from the top of the tank.

Its starphire glass with black silicone.

Patch it? With what? Tear down tank?
Get back to me ASAP

 

[rickb]

So right now I have it drained 4 inches below the leak with a power head running. I have 5 gallon refugium up top and and a 60 gallon sump below.

 

[dherrera83]

You might need to keep it that way tilll you can seal it with silicone... Good thing its at the top.

 

[rickb]

Got some silicone and cleaned it a bit and filled it. You could see right through but i could not seal it form the inside because of my rock wall. I'll give it time to dry and then fill it back up

 

[NL146]

Sorry to hear about your dilemma. Remember though that new silicone doesn't bind well with old.

 

[lfsmarineguy]

Who made the tank and how old is it?

 

[rickb]

Glass Cages. A Year and half old.

I'm just not sure if this is just the beginning of major problems or some freak leak. I guess I'm more worried about plugging the leak, I cant really get into taking down the tank to rebuild it. Its built into a cabinet so if I take it down I'll probably shut it down for good.

I'm just not sure what the seam hole 'means'. Does that mean the tank is coming apart or that there was never a good seal in that spot?

 

[MatthewScars]

Glass cages is so hit or miss. Since it's at the top like that, it just seems like a bad silicone job near the top. Just fill it the best you can and hope for the best. Thats about all you can do man.

 

[rickb]

I think one possibility is some caulerpa got into my main tank and its growing in the corners? I think it might be getting into the corners. What fish can I buy that will eat it all already, I have a 90 cube?

 

[MatthewScars]

I dont think Caulerpa can penetrate Silicone, dude.