Aquarium leaks may cause the water from the fish tank to either drip if it is a small hole or to flow if it is a gaping hole.
In both cases they both need to be attended to quickly for the sake of your furniture and the fish themselves.
A slight crack must also be dealt with as it will succumb under the pressure and cause the water to come gushing out.
If you are not a D.I.Y sort of person, you can take your fish tank to your pet store dealer or even get an ordinary person who deals with glass professionally to come have a look at it.
This will assure that the problem has been dealt with and that it will no longer persist. If you decide to do it yourself you may aggravate the problem further until a new tank is required.
Sometimes leaks occur because of the tank’s location. If you put the tank in a busy place then the chances are that every one will come into contact with it and even cause damage.
To avoid leaks place the fish tank out of reach of children as they may feel the need to throw things at the fish.
If you have chosen to do it yourself, you must begin by identifying the exact location of the leak. Gravity will cause water to flow downwards but do not confuse this for the leak.
Also check the joints and the seam as the possible source. First try to repair the leak from outside but if it fails you may have to try it from the inside.
When you have located the source of the leak, mark it with something that will not be moved by water and then reduce the water in the tank until the leak stops. Make sure the surface is dry as most chemicals will not work on water.
Scrape the silicone that was originally there and an extra one inch around the leaking area. Over the scraped area clean it with acetone and let it dry. Be sure to not over pour the acetone until it contaminates the fish tank.
Apply the silicone sealant to the cleaned area. Note that not all sealants are suitable for freshwater aquarium use. Use the non toxic sealants for the health of your fish.
The silicone must be left to cure for twelve hours and twenty four would be highly recommended. Replenish the tank and check if your mission is successful.
