Emergency Tank Repair Options!

[FerocactusLatispinus]

I have a very old, hand-me-down, 47 gallon bow front glass aquarium. For a crisis, I have no other tank, just 5 gallon buckets. The sealant job on the sides of the tank was terrible and I'm surprised it's lasted this long! It isn't leaking yet, but I'm certain there isn't a long time to wait till it starts. There is absolutely no way I can repair my tank normally, so I have to find a suitable fix for the outside of the aquarium. I've thought of using acrylic 90 degree angle siding with silicone sealant, but that would be too difficult to apply, especially since this is a bow front. The only long-term solution option I have thought of is to use some kind of tape.

Is there any way I can reinforce my tank? If so, I desperately need to know what others have done in this predicament! The thought of my fish dying all over the floor is unimaginable.

Please, any viable solution is immensely appreciated! Thank you!

[Dave Rinaldo]

Simply... I don't think there is an 'outside' solution.

You need to drain, dry, remove old sealant and reseal.

Or, get yourself a new, bigger tank!!

Then you will have time for the reseal project.

I hope this is helpful! Good luck!

Edit: You might be able to find someone with a spare tank while you are repairing yours.

Someone to help guide you with the project will be helpful, as resealing a tank for the first time won't be easy!

Maybe there is a contact from The Central Wisconsin Aquarium Society.

[FerocactusLatispinus]

Money is tight these days. I wish aquariums weren't so expensive, but there's the whole supply and demand gig, so... I suppose I'll have to figure out some way to put siding braces on the tank. But then, preparing the glass surfaces would really stress the fish out, with all the scratching and such. Hmm. I guess there really isn't much I can do, except use a ton of duct tape. It'll be fine so long as the tank stays together...

[Bas Pels]

For a tank no outside solution will work.

Perhaps placing a few clamps used to assist glue might halp - a bit, but basically when the glue does not hold anymore, the tank will drain

Rapidly

[FerocactusLatispinus]

There really aren't any sources available other than the LFS. So eventually I might end up selling/giving away my fish or someone may miraculously donate a tank (like my ancient tank from our public school).

If the economy turns around..., right..., I'll get a new tank!

[Narwhal72]

The tank is not leaking now correct? Then there really isn't anything to be panicking about.

The primary seal for the water is on the inside of the tank. The silicone between the corners of the glass is to hold the panels together. A bowfront tank will not have as smooth an edge as a rectangular tank because the corner of the bowed glass does not sit flush with the side glass.

As has been stated before there is nothing you can do to the outside of the tank that will make it any better than it currently is.

Andy

[Viktor Jarikov]

Agree with all the above. Only from the inside would you be abe to do anything.

A new standard 55 gal runs under $100. On Craigslist, used ones are commonly sold for much less or nothing. Granted many of those probably require a resealing but if you are lucky and persistent and have some time, you can find a used one for (almost) free.

[FerocactusLatispinus]

That's quite right; thankfully the tank isn't leaking yet. I had the idea to try building my own acrylic aquarium, but that is pretty over-ambitious. It would be an interesting project. Thank you all for your feedback! I'll just have to keep on looking for a decent tank, and resealing the new one would likely be better than trying to get all the materials from scratch.

For now, Flapjack and Scooter have a full belly of steamed carrot, and are happily lounging around... except at night.

[FerocactusLatispinus]

I can't see why siding wouldn't be a valid outside fix. Even if the original inner sealing wore away, there would be even more surface area of glass sealed than the 1/4 inch original. I would think an inch of bracing width stretching onto both sides of the four adjoining panes would more than make up for the loss of the inner height seal. I was thinking of using silicone sealant of course and four pieces of acrylic siding to apply to the four edges of the tank's height. Two 90 degree angle strips and somehow two custom strips for the bowed front and it's adjoining panes. I am not sure how this couldn't work, providing the base and top frame inner sealing remained stable. Fluorescent light couldn't significantly affect the base seal because of the 2 1/2 inch sand layer. The top seal either, because it's also virtually out of the light.

In short, I believe this technique would work. There would definitely be a whole lot more surface area for the sealant to work on. If my physics here is off, please let me know. Otherwise, I plan to carry out this project. I am still convinced there is a viable outside solution to this problem! From Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew", Gremio illustrates my feeling. He says, "There must be such a man. There must be such a man!" Indeed, there must be such a solution.

[Viktor Jarikov]

I think one (main?) reason is the original seal is pushed into the crack and also pressed against the glass (outside of the crack between the panes) by the water pressure. It is not the adherence forces at all that prevent leaking but this tremendous water pressure put to work for the seal. For your outside seal, it is the opposite. You will be relying on the adhesion forces to prevent a leak. It will not work as the water pressure force is orders of magnitude stronger.

But no one can really stop you from proving us wrong and teaching a lesson

[Scleropages]

If you are really in a bind and need to empty the tank, get yourself two new (and clean them well) 30+ gal rubbermaid garbage cans. Transfer all of the water and inhabitants from the tank to the garbage cans along with an air-pump/airstone and heater. If you have a canister filter, use that on the garbage can. You can keep your fish in the garbage cans for a few days while you do the repair work on your tank. This will definitely be cheaper than buying another tank and you can use the garbage cans for other uses. However, I recommend keeping one only for your fish--keep it clean in case you need it in the future.

This is what I did with my S. lucipinnis during our last power outage (due to Hurricane Sandy)--I moved them to another house with power and kept them alive in the rubbermaid garbage can for ~1 week.

[FerocactusLatispinus]

I don't know, this whole aquarium business has me all worked up. Stinking sealant... Looking up and studying on how to build an aquarium, how to repair one, even trying to find aquarium services anywhere near this backwater town is driving me nuts! The aquarium hobby is probably just too much for me to deal with. I'm no good with my hands and I don't have much dough, so I'll probably just let the tank go with the flow... As soon as it leaks, I think I'm just gonna sell/give the fish away. I'll just wash out the sand for growing more cacti. That and collecting minerals are my two hobbies left. At least neither of them require a ton of money to invest in or fall to pieces when the slightest thing goes wrong! Oh well, if I happen to come into money, I'll be able to afford to keep this hobby up. This is really getting to be a big, uneeded stress in my life, and I'm surprised at this. This hobby is supposed to, and to me used to, be relaxing and a source of pleasure. I hate to give all of it up, but the repairing of an aquarium just doesn't compensate for the loss of one's sanity.

As Dr. Leo Marvin from "What About Bob?" says, "More fish, anyone?"

[Coriequest]

Sorry for your difficulties. The first year is often the hardest. It was for me. Hoping something improves and you get to enjoy your fish.

[Viktor Jarikov]

Any hobby is not devoid of challenges. Life's full of struggles big and small but one has to weigh them reasonably. If I could not feed myself or my children or had no roof over my head or no heat in winter, or lost my job, or fell seriousky ill, etc. etc. etc., that'd be worth worrying much about. A (potentially) leaky aquarium is nothing to worry about on the grand scale. Cheer up, friend. We are all in this together.

[joefish72b]

I just saw this thread and I can say if your tank is that much trouble sell it now. You can't fix a tank from the outside just like Viktor said the forces are too great. I repair tanks all the time, and the proper way is to drain them and do it from the inside. Also if one seal leaks the whole tank needs to be resealed because it will just be a matter of time before one of the other old seals lets go.

[FerocactusLatispinus]

I guess I might just purchase a new tank one of these days. I'll have to find a bow front 47 gallon acrylic aquarium. These things being one whole solid piece, having no sealants, and just being acrylic means they are much stronger than glass. Plus, acrylic, being light-weight and a lot more heat efficient, having almost no bending of light, and now, no yellowing with aging, outweighs its high price and scratch susceptibility in my opinion. Their being expensive IS the one hang-up, though.

[2wheelsx2]

I guess I might just purchase a new tank one of these days. I'll have to find a bow front 47 gallon acrylic aquarium. These things being one whole solid piece, having no sealants, and just being acrylic means they are much stronger than glass. Plus, acrylic, being light-weight and a lot more heat efficient, having almost no bending of light, and now, no yellowing with aging, outweighs its high price and scratch susceptibility in my opinion. Their being expensive IS the one hang-up, though.

Cost is one problem, but it's not true that there is not bending of light. That's only true when viewed directly orthogonal to the pane. Have a look at an angle, like seated on the floor. It makes me almost dizzy when I view an acrylic tank that way. The refraction through the acrylic is pretty extreme at lower angles of incidence.

[Viktor Jarikov]

Although some report almost no/little problems with the soft and, hence, quite scratchable acrylic, most say they have to be really very careful around it, so careful that it is awkward and outweighs all the advantages of acrylic.

I am not arguing pro or con, just conveying my personal impression. I hope you are making an educated decision and have been reading around stuff like this http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forum ... VS-ACRYLIC and a miriad of other threads and sites on acrylic pros and cons.

[bassgenie]

All you need is a tube of silicone, razors, rubbing alcohol and elbow grease. If you dont have extra elbow Grease, Call the nearest petco and ask when they are running their Dollar gallon sale. I got a New 40 Breeder and 20 Long for $60.

[FerocactusLatispinus]

Thank you for clarifying the bending of light. I did say that there is some bending of light, though. I've studied up on acrylic and its use in aquariums in the recent past, and it is really amazing that it possesses all these qualities! I've seen warning labels depicting a person swinging a baseball bat at a glass aquarium, shattering it, but that might not do it if it's an acrylic aquarium.

[2wheelsx2]

Thank you for clarifying the bending of light. I did say that there is some bending of light, though. I've studied up on acrylic and its use in aquariums in the recent past, and it is really amazing that it possesses all these qualities! I've seen warning labels depicting a person swinging a baseball bat at a glass aquarium, shattering it, but that might not do it if it's an acrylic aquarium.

Ah...ok. I do a lot of photography of the fish and I find I have a lot of trouble getting a good shot in a lot of acrylic tanks. But you're right, they insulate tons better and are virtually shatterproof. I'm likely going acrylic with anything 100 gallon or bigger in the future also, for those 2 reasons.

[MatsP]

I looked up prices on acrylic tanks, and just buying a sheet (of correct thickness, 1.5x the glass thickness) cost more than I paid for my entire 4ft x 16" x 2ft tank. I'm sure you can find it a little cheaper, but that was the best price [pre-cut] that I could find on the internet.

--
Mats

[FerocactusLatispinus]

It's more cost effective to use acrylic in building large aquariums, but I really like the idea of a solid, one-piece aquarium. That'd bring me peace of mind all right! Ah well, wishes, wishes, wishes... It's nice to think about, though!

I also like to think how nice it would be if aquarium fish wouldn't be susceptible to disease. I think it's a beautiful thought: all captive creatures of the aquarium living happily to old age. In the wild, of course, that would be an absolute environmental fatality! Hmm... I can just picture an old, bearded B. yarelli slipping in a set of dentures! I sure can't say that would be a pretty sight!

[FerocactusLatispinus]

To my shock, I've just found that the center brace on my aquarium is still attached but is pulling the frame behind it out to about an inch! With the two cracks in the front corners of the frame and this, my tank is definitely just about to burst. Instead of 90 degrees on the lip of the tank, it's now in an outward curve and is cracked all the way across its joining to the center brace! I HAVE to get a new tank and quickly! I'm rushing to get an acrylic tank of the same dimensions. I don't know how this is going to work out...

[FerocactusLatispinus]

This is impossible. There's no way to find an affordable aquarium of these dimensions of any kind anywhere. Custom aquariums are just going to take too long to order and are insanely expensive. It's all over for these fish. I can't afford a new stand and light fixture on top of a new aquarium. Any smaller the tank size and the fish won't have enough room. There's no one that can repair my tank here. It really is hopeless. Being poor sucks.

[corielover]

This is impossible. There's no way to find an affordable aquarium of these dimensions of any kind anywhere.

Would it have to be the same dimensions, or couldn't it be just the same capacity?

[JamesFish]

Having looked around for a new tank I picked a 2nd hand one and it cost me dearly in repairs to kit. Perhaps I was just unlucky but a few Gems I am sure do exist.

In the UK we have free cycle although largely smaller tanks come up on it you may be able to house your fish in smaller tank(s) if you can pickup 2-3 or get a reduced price one from ebay or gumtree(UK website don't know if it exists in states)

Or see if you can find a friend who is upgrading and will look after your fish briefly. They get to enjoy looking at your fish and you get a week or 2 to repair your tank.

Fish are a great pleasure to watch and when everything works very nice to have. When things break or disease enters its a stressful hobby as anyone who cares about their pets is going to worry about getting them back healthy.

Aquarium kit is by no means cheap to buy or run so budget is always an issue but keep your eyes peeled your tank is not leaking yet and may not leak for a long time. I hope this advice helps and good luck on your searching.

[FerocactusLatispinus]

Thank you all! I've been looking around on Craigslist; it's a miracle: I've obtained a 50 gallon tank and stand from a couple that lives about an hour from here! The best part is that it wasn't terribly expensive: only $175. It also came with a complete assortment of equipment (which I didn't need, though). It doesn't have or need a center brace, and there's even more surface area for the catfish to dig around in! I just finished getting it all set up and transferred everything today. The center brace on the old tank bowed about 1" downward after all the water was removed; the only bit connecting it to the rest of the back frame was a 1 cm long, thin segment of white, stressed plastic. Everything's done and the fish seem happy. I'm happy as well for all this that's happened. It's unimaginable relief. That tank would have busted any day now, and I'm baffled that it hasn't in the recent past.

[FerocactusLatispinus]

I managed to put the filter in the back center of my new tank w/ the air stone tube below the heater behind the filter intake tube: it's somewhat a "venturi" now.

[Viktor Jarikov]

I am thinking pics would help us visualize your "battles" better.