# EMERGENCY! Tank Leaking!!!!



## iamdixen (Jul 19, 2011)

I got home today and I found out that the front part of my 20 gal tank is leaking. It leaks from the top (in the picture with the part that is highlighted in red) but the thing is, it's hard to tell where the leak is coming from. Sometimes it drips on the left side, sometimes in the middle and sometimes on the right side. So for quick fix I lowered the water 2 inches below the rim to see if the dripping will stop. Now the filter makes so much noise that I had to put a sponge in between the filter and the water(Picture included). What kind of silicone/gasket should I use that is safe for my fishies and the quick fix that I did with the sponge, is that safe?

Oh and btw the left corner of the plastic rim has a crack =s Is it time to get a new tank?









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## Manafel (Sep 4, 2011)

I would just fill it up just right below where it is leaking for a temp. fix, and idk about the sponge, I know some sponges come with soap in them, it depends on what you have been using the sponge for I suppose


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## iamdixen (Jul 19, 2011)

Manafel said:


> I would just fill it up just right below where it is leaking for a temp. fix, and idk about the sponge, I know some sponges come with soap in them, it depends on what you have been using the sponge for I suppose


The sponge used to be inside my penguin filter that seized. I rinsed it with the water that I took out from my fish tank.


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## Manafel (Sep 4, 2011)

> The sponge used to be inside my penguin filter that seized. I rinsed it with the water that I took out from my fish tank.


Then I can't really think of a reason why it would be a bad temporary fix, but I'm sure it will get in the way eventualy  sorry I can't help more ^_^;;;


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## iamdixen (Jul 19, 2011)

Manafel said:


> Then I can't really think of a reason why it would be a bad temporary fix, but I'm sure it will get in the way eventualy  sorry I can't help more ^_^;;;


I appreciate the reply, so thank you! =)


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

If it leaking around the rim then it should be completely removed and resealed. You could possibly get away with putting sealant where water is coming out, but that wouldn't be the proper way. Your local fish store should sell some aquarium safe stuff. There is a type of sealant you can get at a place like Lowe's for a lot cheaper, but not sure of the type. I have seen susankat post that info....she'll come along soon.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

If it leaking around the rim then it should be completely removed and resealed. You could possibly get away with putting sealant where water is coming out, but that wouldn't be the proper way. Your local fish store should sell some aquarium safe stuff. There is a type of sealant you can get at a place like Lowe's for a lot cheaper, but not sure of the type. I have seen susankat post that info....she'll come along soon.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Tanks can be fixed/re-sealed and quite often it works perfectly. Other times, it's like a band-aid over a gaping neck wound - it just depends on the leak. You'd have to re-seal it from the inside, keeping the fish in a bucket with a heater and filter until all the sealant is dry.

If you can afford a new tank, I'd just get one - but that's just me... I don't have room to keep fish in a bucket until a tank is fixed. You can put the fish in a bucket, move all the substrate, plants and decor over, then fill the tank and put the filter on. Put the fish in after that. The tank shouldn't go through a cycle since you have all the original gravel, substrate, filter media and some of the old water.


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## Pigeonfish (Jun 23, 2011)

You should just buy a new tank at Petco, they're having their dollar per gallon sale.


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## iamdixen (Jul 19, 2011)

holly12 said:


> Tanks can be fixed/re-sealed and quite often it works perfectly. Other times, it's like a band-aid over a gaping neck wound - it just depends on the leak. You'd have to re-seal it from the inside, keeping the fish in a bucket with a heater and filter until all the sealant is dry.
> 
> If you can afford a new tank, I'd just get one - but that's just me... I don't have room to keep fish in a bucket until a tank is fixed. You can put the fish in a bucket, move all the substrate, plants and decor over, then fill the tank and put the filter on. Put the fish in after that. The tank shouldn't go through a cycle since you have all the original gravel, substrate, filter media and some of the old water.


I found a good deal and it's a 30 gal too! So how much water from the old 20 gal tank will I transfer to the new 30 gal tank? I was also planning on replacing my substrate to a finer one but I plan on keeping the filter, plants and driftwood. Does that mean that the tank needs to go through the cycling process again? thanks!


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Nice on the extra 10 gallons!!!

You technically don't _have_ to use any of the old water, since most of the bacteria is in the gravel and filter media as well as on the decor. You can just use what ever water is in the bucket that you are keeping the fish in if you want and then fill the rest of the tank with new, conditioned water.

You can change the substrate, it shouldn't be a problem, just DON'T clean anything in the filter for a few weeks! That and the decor are going to be the only things with the good bacteria on them until the new substrate can re-grow it. Take a nylon stocking and fill it with gravel from the 20g and leave it on the floor of the 30g for a week or two... even wring it out in the tank a bit... that will help seed the new substrate with good bacteria.

You should be ok, just test the water each day/every other day to make sure the params stay normal. If you notice big ammonia or Nitrite spikes, then do large partial water changes. It could do a mini cycle, but shouldn't have to do a whole big cycle again.

Is your filter big enough for a 30g tank? (Usually you want one that is for above what your tank size is - ex: 30g tank so have a filter rated for a 40-50g tank.) If it's not going to be big enough, get a bigger filter and run the old one along side it until the new filter is full of good bacteria. If you can't run 2 filters at once, at the very least put the old filter media into the new filter (along with the new filter media) so that the old can seed the new.

Even though your fish are going to be in the same water they've always been in (your using the same water source I'm guessing,) having mostly new water could be a bit of a shock, so just acclimate them slowly. You can drip acclimate them, or add small amounts of new water from the tank to the bucket over an hour or two, then put the fish in the tank. (I've switched fish from one tank directly into another tank before with no problems, but I just don't want you to run into any problems doing that, and end up with dead fish.)

Post pics when you get it all switched over and set up! We'd love to see the new tank!


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## iamdixen (Jul 19, 2011)

holly12 said:


> Nice on the extra 10 gallons!!!
> 
> You technically don't _have_ to use any of the old water, since most of the bacteria is in the gravel and filter media as well as on the decor. You can just use what ever water is in the bucket that you are keeping the fish in if you want and then fill the rest of the tank with new, conditioned water.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the tips Holly, Now I am more excited about getting my new tank. The filter in my 20 gal is actually a Penguin 200 which is up to 50 gallons so that will probably do. I can't wait to get my tank(it's actually tomorrow) and I will post pics ASAP. Thanks everyone!! =)


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Well, if it's a 30g tank with a filter rated for a 50g tank, you're doing fine. (Is the flow rate adjustable? If it is, try to keep it on the highest flow rate, as that is where you will get the 50g rating from.)

Is your heater enough? How many watts? I have a 150watt in my 20g and a 200watt in my 36g. (You'll know if your heater is enough, if you put the heater in one back corner and put the thermometer in the opposite, diagonal corner and it reads what you have thermometer set for.) Ex: Heater in _back right_ corner and thermometer in _front left_ corner. (Farthest away from the thermometer to be sure all areas are getting heated.) but you probably already know that, lol. Sorry!


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## iamdixen (Jul 19, 2011)

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Finally got my new tank! It's actually a 29 gallon not a 30. But yeah, came with the stand and everything. Still in the process of transferring fish, plants and decors, but I can't wait til' all of them gets transferred. Just an update. =D


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Very nice! Can't wait to see it when it's finished!


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