# Im going insain hearing a cracking noise from tank



## togdyslexia

Hey guys,

Sorry this is going to be a long post

So I need help...bad. I got an 86g tank that is about 1/4" uneven because the actual floor itself is uneven. I’m now hearing cracking sounds and well, it’s worrying me. Here’s the whole story on my adventure:

I bought the tank off of craigslist for $500 CDN and well, got screwed. I was told that all the accessories (2 fluval pumps, air pump, heater, and so on) worked but nothing actually did. Was told the tank and stand were purchased in the last 3 years and everything was good with no leaks. So I got it home, decided to silicone the tank to be safe (just put it over the existing silicon on the LFS advice) and set the tank up. I knew the floor was slightly uneven and was going to put the foam underneath it but was was talked out of it by the LFS because they said it will add stress to the bottom of the aquarium and increase the risk of the bottom failing and leaking. So I did not add foam...I set the tank up, spent an extra $500 on replacing the accessories and cycled the tank. No problems there. But now I’m hearing random cracking sounds. I researched my aquarium and found out it was discontinued about 10 years ago but didn’t find anything relating to defaults or recalls. I kept researching and found out that my bala sharks and clown loaches will click. I’ve heard the bala's click at the surface during feeding time but I’ve heard this clicking sound when my loaches and sharks are at the bottom of the tank. I have ruled out that it’s a thermometer or heater clicking the glass and I have done the tissue paper test and confirmed no water is escaping at this time. The only thing I see that concerns me is "air pocket" looking things on one corner of my tank under the silicone where the 2 glass pieces meet. 

I priced out a new tank and professional install/transfer (I don’t have the gear to safely exchange 86g of water myself) at $600. I’d just rather hear some more options on the matter before I drop that delightful news to the wife who is very aware I’m already $1000 over what I thought it would be.

So what do you think? Am I sitting on an 86g time bomb?


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## Alasse

My clown loaches click when they're on the bottom, noisy beasties too they can be


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## M1ster Stanl3y

My algae eaters are always moving my rocls agaonst the glass making a click on mine...do you have any burrowing fish that may be moving rocks against glass?


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## WhiteGloveAquatics

Id drain and level the tank out first(with tank off just stand at first) then put the tank on and check for levelness again.
1/4" is a breakable amount as on your low side you have alot more water pressure against it.


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## jrman83

Foam under the stand to even it out some would have been okay. If you don't see any cracks in the glass its probably not the aquarium. Is the stand open on the bottom where you can see the glass? All of mine are. You could get a flashlight and look real close. How about the stand? Does it seem pretty sturdy? Could it be that it is creaking? Does it happen when you get close to it or can you be 20ft away and it still does it? I walk close to one of my 125s and sometimes I get a strange creak noise that used make me think it was going to go through the floor (1400+lbs).

Not sure where you got your prices, but I paid less than $100 for a 75g tank that would work with your stand.


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## Auban

hmmm... it could be the bubbles between the two layers of sealant. i have heard cracking sounds while swimming underwater near small plastic/resin boats before. i knew someone who sealed a leak in a canoe with silicone, and when a small amount of water got between the sealant and the canoe it developed air bubbles. it seems carbon dioxide built up from organics that got trapped, and when he tapped his paddle on the edge of the canoe some of those bubbles would pop out, making a cracking sound, kind of like when you crack your knuckles underwater.


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## Mark13

Cracking noises can have a wide range of strange sources, and mine is no less strange. I recently was hearing a cracking noise from one of my tanks, and I thought I had narrowed it down to a defective heater. But, immediately after I upnplugged the heater, I heard the crack again. It was a drip of water running down a light cord into the plug strip. The electrical arc made a cracking noise while my hands were touching it.

Drip loops are something I am paranoid about, but I missed one. The noise was a cracking unlike anything I had ever heard. Check your cords for having proper drip loops, and for drips going directly into the wall plugs.


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## snail

I would have thought if it was the actual tank making that much noise it wouldn't still be standing.


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## fishcrazy104

i heard a a crackle noise coming from my aquarium. it appeared to be a small dripping leak. lets hope you dont have one


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## togdyslexia

so the tank started to give away and had to go into emergency mode yesterday. Brand new 90 gallon tank installed. I had to put down a 3/4 inch plywood base, shim the plywood and stand and got the new tank 99.7% level (maybe 1/16 of a inch off). Unfortunately i lost my 3 bala's and 2 tettra's but all the other fish seem to be in good condition. Was a stressful 6 hours that's for sure but the tanks up and running and a lot of worry is now off my mind.


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## automatic-hydromatic

give away?

what happened?


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## togdyslexia

the one side started to separate from the silicone and then leak. the weight was pushing the bottom of the side panel out


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## Price

togdyslexia said:


> the one side started to separate from the silicone and then leak. the weight was pushing the bottom of the side panel out


that would scare the crap outta me, glad you caught it! good thing you listened to the cracking!


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## snail

Lol, I guess I was wrong, I thought if it was something that wrong it would happen quicker, glad you caught it though.


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## HBCALI

It sounded like the tank to me. Acrylic / Glass will make a cracking sound when under "breaking point" pressure. I once had a chip in my windshield that I could hear cracking as the sun beat down on my car. It ended up splitting the glass in half (before it was replaced).

I would have said your symptoms were either:
1. The tank glass or tank seals
2. The stand breaking under the wieght of your tank

But it sounds like you already figured that out. Sorry for your trouble, that's a bummer...


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## swampcat874

new silicon doesn't stick well to old.. best to remove old and redo tank. have to clean glass with iso-propyl alcohol or other type cleaner to remove _all _ dirt, so new sticks perfectly


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