My Tank Is Leaking (i Think)

so today while doing a WC I kept hearing this sort of strange noise- I can’t quite describe it. The noise sounded kind of like when you take goggles off of your face after having them tightly on your face for awhile, except more of a water-sounding murmur. Anyway when I went to turn off the tank lights I noticed water on the aquarium stand. I know for a fact that water was not there after the WC. It’s also been many hours since the WC. I suspect my tank is leaking from the bottom. After wiping the water I noticed more was pooling out from under. I think the water somehow collected under my tank and is oozing out. Not sure how else to describe it. The bottom rI'm also feels very wet.

So in the morning I’ll check it out so I’m sure it’s a leak. Anyways, I’m wondering what to do if it is in fact a leak. It’s small enough I could probably do with it and the fish wouldn’t even notice, but the table is wood and so is the floor around it. The water will drip off the stand eventually and damage the floor and has probably already damaged the table. I’m hoping I can convince my parents to let me get a bigger tank, but playing it out in my mind I’m certain it will be a no. The Petco 1$per gallon will get me a 10 for cheap and I could just transfer the tank as if nothing ever happened, or better yet some aquarium sealant should do the trick. That also leads me to wonder if I could use any sealant. The leak is external, it’s on the bottom rI'm of the tank so the seal won’t interact with the inside of the tank

 

I wouldn't wait for anything to happen. I would get a new tank ASAP.

 

I wouldn't wait for anything to happen. I would get a new tank ASAP.

Of course, I will definitely fix it tomorrow. I just don’t have anything on hand as of now other than a towel, and it’s an hour to midnight so no pet stores open

 

No buckets?

 

so today while doing a WC I kept hearing this sort of strange noise- I can’t quite describe it. The noise sounded kind of like when you take goggles off of your face after having them tightly on your face for awhile, except more of a water-sounding murmur. Anyway when I went to turn off the tank lights I noticed water on the aquarium stand. I know for a fact that water was not there after the WC. It’s also been many hours since the WC. I suspect my tank is leaking from the bottom. After wiping the water I noticed more was pooling out from under. I think the water somehow collected under my tank and is oozing out. Not sure how else to describe it. The bottom rI'm also feels very wet.

So in the morning I’ll check it out so I’m sure it’s a leak. Anyways, I’m wondering what to do if it is in fact a leak. It’s small enough I could probably do with it and the fish wouldn’t even notice, but the table is wood and so is the floor around it. The water will drip off the stand eventually and damage the floor and has probably already damaged the table. I’m hoping I can convince my parents to let me get a bigger tank, but playing it out in my mind I’m certain it will be a no. The Petco 1$per gallon will get me a 10 for cheap and I could just transfer the tank as if nothing ever happened, or better yet some aquarium sealant should do the trick. That also leads me to wonder if I could use any sealant. The leak is external, it’s on the bottom rI'm of the tank so the seal won’t interact with the inside of the tank

It does sound like a leak, that sound you heard was the glass either cracking or the seal tearing. I would get the water asap, because it can pop and the bottom of the tank crack completely. If that happens the water will pour out, and it will not hold water at all. You may wanna get the fish in a different bin with you heater and an air pump if you have one. Get the water out, and lift it up to inspect. See if there is any debris around the edge causing a preasure point on the class, or causing the glass to contort.

If it's starting to crack, there isn't much you can do, however if it's a seal, you can buy fish safe silicone, and reseal the edges but putting a silicone down the inside and outside of the seam, and run your finger down to get the silicone pushed into the cracks. You can look up videos on YouTube.

If you're going to go that route, you buy 100% silicone. If it says anything about mold free, or 10xyear mold free, cthat means it also had fungicide in it that is toxic, so you literally need 100% silicone. It's super weird, some wl say 100% but then also have the fungicide, so just read through the label, and it won't mention anything about mold or anything like that.

I hope this helps!

 

No buckets?

The water isn’t that much. It’s been many hours since my WC and the amount of water that’s leaked is maybe enough to fill a drinking glass.

It does sound like a leak, that sound you heard was the glass either cracking or the seal tearing. I would get the water asap, because it can pop and the bottom of the tank crack completely. If that happens the water will pour out, and it will not hold water at all. You may wanna get the fish in a different bin with you heater and an air pump if you have one. Get the water out, and lift it up to inspect. See if there is any debris around the edge causing a preasure point on the class, or causing the glass to contort.

If it's starting to crack, there isn't much you can do, however if it's a seal, you can buy fish safe silicone, and reseal the edges but putting a silicone down the inside and outside of the seam, and run your finger down to get the silicone pushed into the cracks. You can look up videos on YouTube.

If you're going to go that route, you buy 100% silicone. If it says anything about mold free, or 10xyear mold free, cthat means it also had fungicide in it that is toxic, so you literally need 100% silicone. It's super weird, some wl say 100% but then also have the fungicide, so just read through the label, and it won't mention anything about mold or anything like that.

I hope this helps!

Now that you mention it, it definitely sounded like sealant releasing pressure from within the bottom rim

 

Update: so today I went to check on the tank.. and there was nothing. No water, no leak, everything was completely dry. I’m thinking I just spilled some water and I can’t remember

 

Update: so today I went to check on the tank.. and there was nothing. No water, no leak, everything was completely dry. I’m thinking I just spilled some water and I can’t remember

That is definitely awesome, I wonder what the sound was. Either way, I'm glad it's alright!

 

I don't think the tank is leaking, that sounds like something I have had happen to me which was not a leak, could the noise have been caused by the filter?

 

My guess is that you over filled your tank a little too much and had water seep out between the plastic top rI'm and glass.
My 65 gal. Does that if I over fill.

 

My guess is that you over filled your tank a little too much and had water seep out between the plastic top rI'm and glass.
My 65 gal. Does that if I over fill.

Yeah my mom told me that there was water coming from the top and when she removed some water it stopped. I had to remove the tank rI'm once to clean some grim, and I remember that corner got rubbed away on accident. I did fill the tank a bit more than usual since I had some left over dechlor water intended for another tank.

Anyway it was quite the scare so I’m relieved it wasn’t a real leak

 

Update: so today I went to check on the tank.. and there was nothing. No water, no leak, everything was completely dry. I’m thinking I just spilled some water and I can’t remember

Possibly if you have an airstone it may be throwing water out

 

Glad it wasn't a leak! With a leak, I'd never let it go overnight if you could help it. You'd be surprised how quickly a small leak can flood an entire room.

Got a leak in my apartment heater once. Not a lot of water, enough to clean up. Came home from work to my entire room flooded. Was lucky enough that all my electronics survived due to being far enough in the corner to be only mildly covered, but I lost a lot of books and important documents.