URGENT Tank Advice Needed - LEAKING!

[W31Olds]

Nim, I'm not entirely convinced this is on Red Sea. Looks a lot like physical damage, not the typical separation you see in these tanks and not in the typical area that normally occurs in the front. If you can post a shot of the front of the glass at the back that would be informative but access could be difficult. That seam doesn't appear to be bulging and if it was splitting the glass would be bowed.

 

[Ziggy17]

Nim, I'm not entirely convinced this is on Red Sea. Looks a lot like physical damage, not the typical separation you see in these tanks and not in the typical area that normally occurs in the front. If you can post a shot of the front of the glass at the back that would be informative but access could be difficult. That seam doesn't appear to be bulging and if it was splitting the glass would be bowed.

I’m leaning that way as well. That’s why I’m curious if it’s a new tank that’s never moved or a used tank.

The more I dig into the RS threads, the more I see seam failures in used tanks. At least the ones that will admit it. My failure was on a tank I bought used.

I just can’t wrap my head around it being faulty silicone and not every tank from that generation failing. If it’s faulty on one, it’s faulty on all of them, and they would all fail. It could be manufacturing defects that only affect some, but because of the sheer numbers that RS sells, we see more of them. That’s my guess. And that’s why RS isn’t recalling, but just replacing affected tanks.

Also a likely culprit…. When the tanks are shipped new, the packaging is hefty. When we show up with a truck and a buddy to buy used, it’s not as elegant and structurally damage can be done without knowing until down the road.

just my Theories, no evidence to support it either way.

 

[nim6us]

Nim, I'm not entirely convinced this is on Red Sea. Looks a lot like physical damage, not the typical separation you see in these tanks and not in the typical area that normally occurs in the front. If you can post a shot of the front of the glass at the back that would be informative but access could be difficult. That seam doesn't appear to be bulging and if it was splitting the glass would be bowed.

Here are some more pics now that I have the strap on it. I put a little white bit of tape to show were on the silicon it was leaking from.

 

[Ziggy17]

Here are some more pics now that I have the strap on it. I put a little white bit of tape to show were on the silicon it was leaking from.

Question answered:)

 

[nim6us]

Also not to be a Red Sea apologist, but this is a RS Reefer 425XL G1, that has been up for 6 years, and that I bought from someone second hand, unsure how old it is. It could just be it's time.

 

[nim6us]

I would drain the water to below the leak, and use the ratchet strap at the water line…

Don’t make the ratchet strap extremely tight; that will just put more stress on the seams!

— move any bio media in the sump to the display, an just let the sump sit shut down… — alternatively, temporarily plumb your return pump to your filter sock/roller chamber so the sump just recirculates into itself, keeping everything in it alive!

I think this is the route I'll take.

I can get a little pump to pump water from the display back into the weir box and leave the water level where it's at.

It may be tricky dialing the pumps in so neither is too fast, but it's 6:30pm here and I don't have a lot of options until tomorrow.

 

[PopBot16]

Please empty the tank today. Get some plastic storage containers from Home Depot, the thicker (HDX) ones. Very cheap (relatively). You will be purchasing a new tank.

 

[W31Olds]

I would just start filling it back up and see if the leak improved. If it's just an occasional drip, tape a towel to the glass or a large dish on the floor under that corner. I'd be more worried about your stock than the tank busting.

 

[nim6us]

This is it, I'm more worried about all my tank inhabitants. Things will for sure die if drain the tank I move everything to 5L buckets overnight. Those rock arches are cemented together and have coral all over them. I would have to hammer and chisel things apart to fit into buckets.

If I can get through the night, I have a pond equipment place up the road I'm sure I could get something from them to transfer everything across to.

I've got a water sensor alarm, a wet vac on standby, and x6 5L buckets, if the worst does happen I can jump into action. I just gotta make it through the night.

 

[nim6us]

So trying to match the pump going into the weir box with what my return pump was spitting out was a losing battle, just impossible to match perfectly.

Which means it’s a sumpless tank. I’ve got MP40s going to keep circulating.

I’m going to head down to a pond supply place in the morning and get something I can transfer it all over to.

The thing I’m really on the fence about is the new tank. I thought when I finally replaced it I would have time to design a new scape, make some changes, get everything just right. Instead I’ll be setting up a new tank under duress. Racing to get it assembled and just move everything across.

There’s a part of me that says screw it, find new homes for all the fish and coral and really take my time with a new tank. But some of the fish, and corals, I have a real attachment to. I can’t imagine just flushing it all away and starting completely fresh.

Upgrading your tank is supposed to be the fun part! But it looks like the next week is going to be very expensive, stressful, and back breaking.

My nerves are a bit shot, hopefully I’ll have a bit more clarity in the morning. Thanks for all the feedback.

 

[UncommonSense]

So trying to match the pump going into the weir box with what my return pump was spitting out was a losing battle, just impossible to match perfectly.

Which means it’s a sumpless tank. I’ve got MP40s going to keep circulating.

I’m going to head down to a pond supply place in the morning and get something I can transfer it all over to.

The thing I’m really on the fence about is the new tank. I thought when I finally replaced it I would have time to design a new scape, make some changes, get everything just right. Instead I’ll be setting up a new tank under duress. Racing to get it assembled and just move everything across.

There’s a part of me that says screw it, find new homes for all the fish and coral and really take my time with a new tank. But some of the fish, and corals, I have a real attachment to. I can’t imagine just flushing it all away and starting completely fresh.

Upgrading your tank is supposed to be the fun part! But it looks like the next week is going to be very expensive, stressful, and back breaking.

My nerves are a bit shot, hopefully I’ll have a bit more clarity in the morning. Thanks for all the feedback.

A large stock tank is the same size, or larger than your current tank!

It may not be pretty, but it can happily house your livestock indefinitely! — or at least until you’ve taken your time deciding the next step!

 

[Troylee]

Regardless that tank is junk one way or another.. any photos of the silicone from the inside? Does it look clear and shiney almost chrome? That will help if it’s gonna hold with a strap or not for a couple days.

 

[W31Olds]

Nim, if I were you, I would use a razor blade and scrape off some of that black vinyl from the rear glass and clean it then take a pic and post the appearance of the seal. I would also fill it back up and see if it leaks. You could add another strap at the top and if it's not leaking you can look for a replacement / upgrade at your leisure.

 

[nim6us]

Regardless that tank is junk one way or another.. any photos of the silicone from the inside? Does it look clear and shiney almost chrome? That will help if it’s gonna hold with a strap or not for a couple days.

Post 9 I've got some video of the inside if that helps.

I'll try to cut back a bit as suggested tomorrow, but right now I'm fried, and so are the fish, think we all need lights out. Just need to setup the water sensor then punching out for the evening.

 

[nim6us]

Nim, if I were you, I would use a razor blade and scrape off some of that black vinyl from the rear glass and clean it then take a pic and post the appearance of the seal. I would also fill it back up and see if it leaks. You could add another strap at the top and if it's not leaking you can look for a replacement / upgrade at your leisure.

Oh and I did fill it back up past where it was leaking. When I was trying the option of pumping water in the weir box. I let the water sit about 2 inches aover where it was leaking from for a good 20min.. no leaks.

I'm still to nervous to fill it all the way back up, especially as I head to bed.

We'll see what tomorrow brings.

 

[nim6us]

A large stock tank is the same size, or larger than your current tank!

It may not be pretty, but it can happily house your livestock indefinitely! — or at least until you’ve taken your time deciding the next step!

And yeah I don't need pretty, just functional, thanks for the good advice!

 

[Reef Jedi]

Contact RedSea and start a warranty claim. Not sure how long you’ve had it but if you registered it with them then you have a 5 year warranty and this is a covered defect. They’ll ship a new one.

 

[JayM]

Your best bet is to get yourself a roll of Eternabond tape and cover the seam from top to bottom. It won’t be pretty, but it will buy you time to get a replacement.

I cannot stress enough how impossibly good this stuff works.

 

[rtparty]

I’m leaning that way as well. That’s why I’m curious if it’s a new tank that’s never moved or a used tank.

The more I dig into the RS threads, the more I see seam failures in used tanks. At least the ones that will admit it. My failure was on a tank I bought used.

I just can’t wrap my head around it being faulty silicone and not every tank from that generation failing. If it’s faulty on one, it’s faulty on all of them, and they would all fail. It could be manufacturing defects that only affect some, but because of the sheer numbers that RS sells, we see more of them. That’s my guess. And that’s why RS isn’t recalling, but just replacing affected tanks.

Also a likely culprit…. When the tanks are shipped new, the packaging is hefty. When we show up with a truck and a buddy to buy used, it’s not as elegant and structurally damage can be done without knowing until down the road.

just my Theories, no evidence to support it either way.

If you understand how a 2 part silicone works and how human error mixes in, it’s not at all difficult to see why some fail and others don’t.

If the hardener portion of a 2 part silicone isn’t mixed in PERFECTLY, it will not adhere and cure properly. Total example and not real numbers, if employee A is supposed to mix 10 grams of hardener into solution and mix it for 2 minutes before using but decided that 9.5 grams and 1 minute 45 seconds is “good enough”….well now you introduced an issue that will only effect a certain percentage.

 

[Ziggy17]

If you understand how a 2 part silicone works and how human error mixes in, it’s not at all difficult to see why some fail and others don’t.

If the hardener portion of a 2 part silicone isn’t mixed in PERFECTLY, it will not adhere and cure properly. Total example and not real numbers, if employee A is supposed to mix 10 grams of hardener into solution and mix it for 2 minutes before using but decided that 9.5 grams and 1 minute 45 seconds is “good enough”….well now you introduced an issue that will only effect a certain percentage.

Even then, I think we would be seeing way higher failure rates. I doubt they are mixing the silicone to order. Unless someone knows otherwise.