artzechic
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Hi there!
I'm really scared and have noooo idea what I should do at this moment.
About 5 days ago I got a free 30 gallon tank from my friend. She's had it for about 10 years, but it's been empty for about 6 of those years. The silicone was old and crumbly, and when we water tested it outside, there was a leak on one side edge of the tank so I knew I would need to reseal it. Well, I got it home, dried it out, cleaned it out, etc. Then, I went to Lowe's and bought some Loctite aquarium safe Silicone sealant http://www.loctiteproducts.com/img/products/big/cntct_silicone.png This is a pic of the stuff I used.
Ok, soooooo I came home, got all the old silicone out with my razorblade and such, and I went ahead and resealed ALL of the edges sides and bottom. THe frame around the edge they originally said in the tutorials to take off, so I had run a knife up under the edges of the frame and tried to pull it off, but I couldn't get the top of the frame up, so I gave up and left it. Ok, sooooo I resealed everything and ran my finger in the groove to smooth out the silicone etc, and then I left it alone to let it dry for 24 hours. After 24 hours, I moved the still curing tank from the floor where I had sealed it to the wooden stand. *deep breath*
THEN I left it for another 2 days (a total of 3 days it was left alone to dry even though the time said it only needed 48 hours to be safe, 24 at the least), So I waited 72. Ok, so after the 3 day, I felt the stuff, and it felt like new rubber should but it wasn't sticky and it had stopped smelling. SO, I took it outside, and put it on my concrete back porch. It was at a slant a bit, but I couldn't level it out anywhere else. I filled the whole 30 gallon tank FULL of regular cold water from the hose outside and left it for about 5-6 hours while I slept. I woke up, and the tank was fine, no cracks, leaks, etc. I then proceeded to empty it out and I moved it back inside to the wooden tank stand. Ok, soooo TODAY after I got off work, I was going to fill the tank up with water now that it is in the house and on the stand. Then, I was going to let it sit for about 12 hours before putting the gravel, decorations, etc in it.
Ok, so I start filling it up with water (The water was hot, not sure if that matters) and everything is fine until I get the tank about halfway full. At that point, I am hearing a very slight crackling (Like the crackling you would hear when ice starts spider webbing from warm water) I freaked out and stopped pouring the water, and when I did, the crackling immediately stopped. I waited and looked around the tank, but there isn't any cracked glass, and there isn't any water leaking. I can't see anything wrong with the glass or tank, so I start pouring water again, slowly to see what happens. I start to hear it again after a second or two and so I stop. I leaned on the tank to put some pressure on it and see if it was the tank, but I didn't hear anything, and I put my hands on the inside of the tank and pushed on the sides with my hands to try and put a little pressure on them and again test and see if there would be crackling, but no noise. I even rocked the tank back and forth a little bit on each side, but no crackling noise. Only when I pour water into the tank do I hear any noise. Does ANYONE have any ideas on what could be going on? I've thought of some possibilities maybe. Please let me know what you think. I don't want to keep going if it is going to bust, and I would MUCH rather do a BUNCH of tests to check and make sure the reseal I did is good enough because I can always reseal again with the GE sealant everyone recommends that I found out about AFTER the fact. Ok, soooo my thoughts are:
Could it be:
1) The wooden stand creaking? Let me know if I can test the stand somehow. I did already sit on it and put my full weight on it without any noises or movement happening (I weight 175lbs)
2) The aquarium sealant coming loose from the glass? How can I test THAT? I don't want to fill it with water, have it last a week and then...KERSPLOOOSH!!! NOOOOOoooooo...
3) The glass itself? I felt the glass panes that had some smudges/lines on them to see if they were cracks, but I don't feel anything but smoothness.
4) The fact that I was pouring hot water into an aquarium with cooler glass?
These are all the things I've thought of and I'm out of ideas. Please help meeeee!!!! Waaaaaaah!!!! Any ideas you have PLEASE tell me a way to test out your theory!!!!!
~Very sad fishy owner~
I'm really scared and have noooo idea what I should do at this moment.
About 5 days ago I got a free 30 gallon tank from my friend. She's had it for about 10 years, but it's been empty for about 6 of those years. The silicone was old and crumbly, and when we water tested it outside, there was a leak on one side edge of the tank so I knew I would need to reseal it. Well, I got it home, dried it out, cleaned it out, etc. Then, I went to Lowe's and bought some Loctite aquarium safe Silicone sealant http://www.loctiteproducts.com/img/products/big/cntct_silicone.png This is a pic of the stuff I used.
Ok, soooooo I came home, got all the old silicone out with my razorblade and such, and I went ahead and resealed ALL of the edges sides and bottom. THe frame around the edge they originally said in the tutorials to take off, so I had run a knife up under the edges of the frame and tried to pull it off, but I couldn't get the top of the frame up, so I gave up and left it. Ok, sooooo I resealed everything and ran my finger in the groove to smooth out the silicone etc, and then I left it alone to let it dry for 24 hours. After 24 hours, I moved the still curing tank from the floor where I had sealed it to the wooden stand. *deep breath*
THEN I left it for another 2 days (a total of 3 days it was left alone to dry even though the time said it only needed 48 hours to be safe, 24 at the least), So I waited 72. Ok, so after the 3 day, I felt the stuff, and it felt like new rubber should but it wasn't sticky and it had stopped smelling. SO, I took it outside, and put it on my concrete back porch. It was at a slant a bit, but I couldn't level it out anywhere else. I filled the whole 30 gallon tank FULL of regular cold water from the hose outside and left it for about 5-6 hours while I slept. I woke up, and the tank was fine, no cracks, leaks, etc. I then proceeded to empty it out and I moved it back inside to the wooden tank stand. Ok, soooo TODAY after I got off work, I was going to fill the tank up with water now that it is in the house and on the stand. Then, I was going to let it sit for about 12 hours before putting the gravel, decorations, etc in it.
Ok, so I start filling it up with water (The water was hot, not sure if that matters) and everything is fine until I get the tank about halfway full. At that point, I am hearing a very slight crackling (Like the crackling you would hear when ice starts spider webbing from warm water) I freaked out and stopped pouring the water, and when I did, the crackling immediately stopped. I waited and looked around the tank, but there isn't any cracked glass, and there isn't any water leaking. I can't see anything wrong with the glass or tank, so I start pouring water again, slowly to see what happens. I start to hear it again after a second or two and so I stop. I leaned on the tank to put some pressure on it and see if it was the tank, but I didn't hear anything, and I put my hands on the inside of the tank and pushed on the sides with my hands to try and put a little pressure on them and again test and see if there would be crackling, but no noise. I even rocked the tank back and forth a little bit on each side, but no crackling noise. Only when I pour water into the tank do I hear any noise. Does ANYONE have any ideas on what could be going on? I've thought of some possibilities maybe. Please let me know what you think. I don't want to keep going if it is going to bust, and I would MUCH rather do a BUNCH of tests to check and make sure the reseal I did is good enough because I can always reseal again with the GE sealant everyone recommends that I found out about AFTER the fact. Ok, soooo my thoughts are:
Could it be:
1) The wooden stand creaking? Let me know if I can test the stand somehow. I did already sit on it and put my full weight on it without any noises or movement happening (I weight 175lbs)
2) The aquarium sealant coming loose from the glass? How can I test THAT? I don't want to fill it with water, have it last a week and then...KERSPLOOOSH!!! NOOOOOoooooo...
3) The glass itself? I felt the glass panes that had some smudges/lines on them to see if they were cracks, but I don't feel anything but smoothness.
4) The fact that I was pouring hot water into an aquarium with cooler glass?
These are all the things I've thought of and I'm out of ideas. Please help meeeee!!!! Waaaaaaah!!!! Any ideas you have PLEASE tell me a way to test out your theory!!!!!
~Very sad fishy owner~