NOt sure if this is the correct area to put this post in but I sorta desperate at this point.

Perhaps this post could be usefull for all others who have ran into this problem themselves throughout the hobby.

here goes:

I had recently got a 75 galon tank all seemed well in the begiinning no leaks!! once I filled it up after an hour it started pouring out from the corners, front/ and back RAPIDLY :Sad: Pretty much ruined my day....

So putting that all aside I managed to get most of the water out before all went onto my floors yikes THANK GOD FOR PYTHON SYPHONS!!

Tank is completly dry now and I wanna know how I can fix it like to re-silicone it?? Do I need to take of the old silicone? and then apply the new? and how can I ensure no neaks at all...after fixed?

PLEASE HELP

Rob

Ok Well first off you need to remove the old silicon first.Go buy Aquaruim safe silicon.Go to Canadian tire and buy the Mastercraft window and door clear silicon.(its a blue and white container and says "safe for aquaruim use I think its around $4 a bottle)Clean the aquaruim well and remove all the old residue from the silicon.put the bottom brace and the glass together recilicon the inside of the glass (keep your thumb wet on the silicon to make a nice bead when your spreading the silicon) I also silicon the inner edges of the glass together too.When all the glass and bottom has ben completed then put the top brace on and silicone it as well to the glass.Flip the tank over and silcone the bottom brace as well.Let is sit for at least 48 hours more is better .Refill / Enjoy

Hope this helps

Derek

Very helpfull!!!

I read just now on the internet people using Acetone? to remove old silicone residue? is this nessicary? and if I need to can I use nail polish remover?

Thank you very much derek for your help, and in such short notice as well GREAT!! Good Job

I personally never use any chemical in/on my tanks.Despite your best efforts you will never remove all chemical traces as it seeps immediately in the the glass.A good sharp blade(like painters use)and a little elbow grease and patience will clean it up better than any chemical will and its safer for the fish when you put them back in

PS Cichlid Haven is all about Aquarist helping Aquarists and friends helping friends, no need to thank me

Good luck

Derek

hey rob, just a hint for when your re applying (if im not too late). The silicone can be very messy and you can save yourself hours of cleaning up the beads, by applying painters tape on either side of where your putting the beads. just make sure you peel it off as soon as your done appying the silicone, or itll peel it back from the glass....or you can wait until its dry and cut it off.

Good luck

Great tips!!1 and desite the fact that we all help each other out here and are friends im still gonna say thanks for all the helpfull tips.

LOL Andrew nope it is not to late I did not start the re-siliconing. Unfortionatly this disater happened today, and belive it or not it was the 75 gal that I had to set up to the Longior in...Im still gonna buy them off you I just need to keep them in my 20 gallon in the mean time until tank is fixxed and filled again..

Lazy man's question: Any way you can take it back to the private party or store from whom you bought it and get your money back?

Or was this one of those "Would you like a free tank -- it's just been in my garage for 12 years" aquariums?

Wow, I AM starting to sound like Frazier! (At least that's better than sounding like Cliff, as Derek said the other day!) you maka me laugh

Nope well I bought if offline from some dude well more like I traded somthing for it... I contacted him letting the guy know about what happened, and he was like OMG im so embarrassed ill come pick it up now and give you yuor traded item back. Im like no its okay don't worry about it the fix is cheap just take a bitchin long time. that and the item I traded him was trash and i don't need it.

This tank is a Hagen 75 gallon SOLID A** tank with no center brace since glass is so much thicker. they don't make these anymore

My next quesition is this....Dex wrote in the above response to take off Center brace and re-silicone the side n such..I forgot to mention above that this is a hagen with no center brace, and that only the bottom of the tank started to leak when I fill er up....

Do I still need to Re-silicone the entire Tank? sides botton, inside and all??

I certainly would re-do the whole tank once you have a go at it anyway. You got excellent advise here from Derek and Andrew. There is only one thing I do different. After I cleaned all the old silicone off, I apply straight alcohol to the joints to get rid of any greasy spots. It makes the silicone stick better to the glass.

Good luck Good Job

Rubbing alcohol?? or Vodka? lol gett m fish a little trashed....:Pn On the Floor Laughing

Clearly i've never done this before

When I remove the top brace of the aquarium wont the tank fall apart??

Forgive my Noobness

Rob

Rob, you're not being a Noob. This stuff is not only all over my head, I'd be terrified to try what you're trying!

I see you as being bold, daring and adventurous. Which makes Derek, Klaus and the others advising you into Yoda, Obi-wan et al.

I'll leave it to them to figure out who is Yoda and who is Obi-Wan... and did they serve Melafix in the Star Wars bar? you maka me laugh

Im down for Obi wan!!!

Giggly

So basically my tank is complety apart right now, I am doing the tedious job of scapping the last little bits of silicone off the glass edges and tommarrow i shall procced to puttin err all back together (yn) <---fingers crossed I fixx the problem instead of making it worse LMAO

Quik quest, As I was pulling the tank apart I guess I handled it a little rougher than i thought and a few of the panes of glass have small chips in the corners like 3 corners to be exact. Is my tank Useless now because of this?? please tell me its not, lol

yikes

Good Job rob, like suggested above, wether its rubbing alcohol or soap and water, important thing is to have the glass clean and free of oils. Save this step for the end, till your just about to put it together, giving it enought time for whater u used to clean to evaporate.

here is a very useful link to help you get it back together. Id also suggest that you build that tank outside the frame then add it afterwards. I helped a friend recently redo a 120, and we tried to be 'smart' and build it in the frame. As much as it helps to hold it together, its really not needed to do this, and only got in the way while trying to position the glass.

Good luck

Click Here!

I wish I saw this a couple of hours ago...DAME LOL I had already put the dame thing together...Im pretty sure I did it wrong to. We'll see in a few days time when shes curred and ready to add some water in. My biggest concern right now is the chips on the corners of the glass that occured prior to RE CONSTRUCTION..

I have a feeling that im gonna have to take it apart again and start over, but this time following the giudlines that you and ur buddy used.

Thanks Andrew, very helpfull

Rob

Like I say, you should get a medal for bravery for just TRYING this!!!

Cheers!!! THanks

hows it working out rob? have u tested it yet?

Thanks for asking Andrew!

And yes it seems to hold water I filled it to the top and kept it filled for about 5 hours not a single leak.

so does that mean if it does not leak for 5 hours then it wont leak at all anymore??
am I in the clear??

Rob

well.....thats kind of an open Q. Really, you can never 'been in the clear' newly sealed or new tank.

Ive had a brand new tank not even 6months old, leak.

However, Id give it 24hrs full, if it holds that long, chances are its goin to hold for a good time. Just keep a good eye on it for a while afterwards.

Then longer its up, Im sure the more confident youll feel about it. Keep in mind, generally tanks just dont split apart, or shatter out a pain of glass (tho of course both are possible), its more likely youll find it dripping first if there is a prob. So really...dont worry too much about it :)

now come pick up your damn fish!! On the Floor Laughing

Wow... you rock, dude! the Clap the Clap the Clap

Congrats, Rob! the Clap

Post some pics of it when you get it set up with
andrew's fish in it! Now this should be good!

Wiggle it just a little bit! Thanks DUDE it looks like crap...and I got the white silicone instead of the clear dumb dumb LOL

oh well most will be covered by the gravol and such once all set up with fish inhabiting pics will be up :)

Thanks for the support guys

Rob