What to do, not a tank emergency...yet but something needs to be done.

[lilbitreefer]

Ok, so I think I caught a small sump leak this week. Noticed my salinity dropped from 34-32PPT suddenly, and appears to be slowly dropping since, 31.9 befor I finally did something. Though it was my probe I calibrated it and used a manual refractometer. Both said it was in the 32 area.

Today I took out my sump and noticed a damp spot. No standing water but it did feel a but damp. I am worried now that it may have leaked under the stand but I can't tell since I can't move the stand and I can't see the floor underneath. I inspected as best I could under the stand and did not see and saltcreep or obvious drips from the tank. I beleieve there is a small leak from the bottom corner of my sump. I used this time to buy the new Trigger 39 sump. It won't be in until the 27th. So now my tank looks like a bomb went off.

I need some help, with this sump removed I want to completly redo everything, but not sure if I should risk moving the tank as it has been in the same spot for almost 3 years and do not want risk a leak. I really just want to rebuild the stand as it is not level and the unevel waterline is driving me crazy. I am worried about the tank deceloping a leak after being releveled after it has time to settle. Any thoughts? And if I were to do that anyone know how I would be able to tranfer the tank easily?

 

[lilbitreefer]

 

[Flippers4pups]

New sump sounds like a plan. What size tank and is the stand DIY?

 

[lilbitreefer]

120g, diy sump, day stand.

 

[Flippers4pups]

120g, diy sump, day stand.

Can you shim the stand? Drain the DT down some and shim the stand level if you can.

 

[Dom]

Are you sure that the sump is leaking an not something else, like plumbing work?

Rebuilding the stand to a new location and moving everything over sounds more tedious than it really is. Where you are likely to run into complications is that things might not fit they way they did in the old stand. There may be plumbing and other changes that need to be made.

 

[lilbitreefer]

 

[Flippers4pups]

Yeah, you don't want to shim it that way. Under the stand is where you want to shim it.

 

[lilbitreefer]

My stand is already shimmed like crap. I think I just need to rebuild it. There is very little room in there. The new sumo will be shorter but still tight in there. I think I want to redo the wiring and put the apex in the right side

 

[KrisReef]

Is that salt creep or salt spray? Looks kinda like spray from bubbles bursting or water splashes in the sump, because it’s all around the sump and on that power supply but not under the sump. If you had a leak I would expect it to spread under the sump, but I don’t see that in your photo. My sump splashes too if I don’t use a sock on the inflow.

 

[WVNed]

I do not see any wet wood in your pics.

Tanks are tougher than you think. I moved one 5 hours away and the moved it back a year later. Re leveling the stand will not stress the tank as long as what it is sitting on is flat.

Ya shim it under the stand, not under the top. Is the top attached to the legs?

 

[lilbitreefer]

The dark corner is what is damp. But it’s only on one side of the tank which is the return pump side.

 

[lilbitreefer]

Where you see that power supply is all bone dry. On the other side of the tank it is damp and darker than the other areas.

 

[Saltyreef]

My stand is already shimmed like crap. I think I just need to rebuild it. There is very little room in there. The new sumo will be shorter but still tight in there. I think I want to redo the wiring and put the apex in the right side

Yes please clean up that wiring. Looks like a fire/shock hazard from here. Lol.
When you rebuild the stand, try to incorperate a somewhat isolated compartment for controllers and wiring. You'll thank yourself in the long run!