Need Help QUICK!!!

[tmcgee]

I just woke up to a leaking fish tank. It isn't like it is busting out fast leaking but there is water all over the floor and isn't holding!!! Where should I put my fish for now?? Oh yeah. It is a 55 gallon with about 13 cichlids 2-3 inches and one 6-7 inch pleco... I'd put them in the tub but that may have soap residue!! HELP PLEASE!!!! 8O 8O 8O TIA

 

[mr funktastic]

try sealing the srack with something. anything at all try playdoh or gum or justanything to slow down the leak. if u haveany buckets start emptying the tank into the buckets and putting a few fish in each one. the tub would be your best bet but the sosp is kijnda high risk. hth sorry i cant think of anything better

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Is it a corner seam? or is it a plate of glass that's cracked?

For either you can use a long peice of duct tape (use a couple) to hold the spot together. Then you may need to pick up a new garbage can or storage bin to hold them in while you fix their home.

 

[tmcgee]

yeah.. it is a corner leak.. the tank is almost empty from me draining it. I put them in a big utility sink in the laundry room that really never gets used except for my water changes so tehre is really no soap in there. I just hope it holds the water. I'll have to go to walmart and get a big tub though till i get their tank fixed or a new one. I just hope the loss of fish is minimal.

 

[tmcgee]

Well, its off to work. Hopefully they survive the day.. Thanks everyone for the quick responses!!

 

[BrianNY]

This scenario is always one of my biggest fears. The safest thing to do is simply buy another tank. To properly repair a leaking seam, the tank needs time to dry and that may be too long to leave your fish in a sink.

 

[tmcgee]

Well, I called the LFS and it looks like I may be upgrading!! I possibly can get a 75 gallon for $100. She only has a kit but she said she might be able to split it up and just give me the tank. We'll see when i get there what she has to say.

 

[Meredith]

Oooh! That would be nice. Good luck tmcgee!

 

[fishylittlenemo]

Thats not bad, 75 gallon, bigger better hehe...hope you make out alright. lol

 

[tmcgee]

Well a little update. All my my fish survived. They are doing pretty well considering. It is a pretty big sink/tub though so they should be alright yet. I'm going to go tomorrow and deal on that tank. Of course bigger is always better but it is more money .. lol. The things we do for our fish. Everyone at work thought I was nuts today. They didn't know how I could care so much about fish. Oh well. They'll never understand!!

 

[tropicfishman]

go to walamrt and buy one of those huge 20- 30 gallon plastic onatiners with lids, take some water from the tank and put it in there, add a bubble tube if you have one for oxygenation, place all fish in there, drain tank completely, wipe down to dry it, clean the inside with hot water, use a razor to remove the old silicone on the leaky side and apply a new bead, allow 24 hours sto completely cure, add some water from the bucket the fish are in back into the tank and refill what ya have left like you normally would with a water change

 

[tmcgee]

I would try to fix it but this is the second time that this particular tank has leaked on me. I caulked it really well last time so I just don't wanna mess with it again. I am up for a new one now. I will be picking up the 75 tomorrow since I had to work extra today. All will be well. I am going to keep this tank though and when I am ready to get my 120+ gallon a year or so down the road (when I find a more stable living arrangement and not moving for a long while) I'll figure out how to make a sump out of it. I was thinking maybe putting a pane of glass diagonally across that corner and caulking the crap out of it. I dunno yet. I have time to devise a plan for the 55 gallon.