Tank leaking, but I can’t tell where
- Thread starter Mmonk005
- Start date
- Tagged users None
where is the water resting?
in cabinet?
On floor outside?
on botton of tank?
in cabinet?
On floor outside?
on botton of tank?
is this an AIO tank or a sump system?
OP
OP
Mmonk005
Community Member
Bottom of tank around edge of stand. Stand is now warped. I’m afraid it is coming from the bottom.
Joe31415
Valuable Member
Or at least be ready to do it in a hurry. Maybe lower the water level to take some weight off it and so you have less water on the floor if something does happen.
As for trying to find the source of the leak, my question is, then what? If you're going to repair it, that's one thing, but if it's more about being curious where it's leaking from, I wouldn't worry about it.
I'm assuming it's not leaking from one of the corners/sides or you'd see it. Further, I'm guessing it's a rimmed (at least on the bottom) tank, which is hiding the leak. Without easy access to the bottom, I think your best bet is to move the substrate away from the sides and, if you're lucky, maybe you'll be able to see it dripping.
But keep in mind that if you have to drain it to fix the leak, you might as well replace the tank at that point. A new 40g tank is likely cheaper than the damage it'll do (both to your house and your livestock) if it gets worse and dumps all the water when you're not around to catch it.
Couple other things. If you have an ATO, remember that it's going to replace lost saltwater with freshwater and lower your salinity. Maybe turn that off. And until this is resolved, I wouldn't go without, at least, 20g of fresh saltwater ready to go, maybe even keep it heated.
The only fix I can think of, especially not knowing where the leak is, is to slather all the inside/bottom seams in a thick coat of reef tank-safe silicone. But check to see if that's something you can do with the livestock and water still in the tank. If you have to empty it to do that, again, just pick up a new tank.
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