Repair Leaking Aquarium
Leaking%20Aquarium

Whether the aquarium that you've bought is a recycle aquarium or a new one, usually the shelf life for it, is about six to seven years. To prolong the aquarium usability, there are several things which you can do such as ensuring that the aquarium sits on a level surface. Make sure that your fish tank comes with a Styrofoam slab which you are supposed to use as a base for it to sit on the aquarium stand. Try not to empty your fish tank for a long time. Usually people who has extra tanks which they use as hospital tank to treat tropical fish disease, often leave them empty lying around. If possible make sure that the aquarium is filled with water to cover the silicone seam.

However despite all your effort and still your aquarium leaks, then there are things which can you do. Leaky aquarium is often a disaster waiting to happen and once the whole aquarium cracks, you could be heading for a major trouble. Once you have detected water starts to drip out from the glass to glass seam area, you should act fast to rectify the situation or it could be too late. Let's learn how to repair a leaking aquarium seams. First you will need to get all the materials. Get it all from hardware shops like silicone sealant, razor blade, pure alcohol like acetone and finally hair dryer.

Prepare a temporary fish tank for your pets and then move them to their temporary home. Remember not to throw away all your water because it contains your stock of beneficial bacteria. Next, drain the aquarium until it is empty and then let it dry completely. Use a cloth to suck out the balance aquarium water. By using a hair dryer, point it to the seaming area which you found the leak and wait for at least 10 to 15 minutes. This will help loosen the silicone seal. Then using a razor blade, carefully scrape off the seal extending to the whole glass piece area.

During the process, add some alcohol and gently rub it and then repeating the scrapping. This will ensure that the removal process goes much faster and easier. Remember, your objective is to ensure that the area is completely free of the old silicone. After you have completed, now is the time to apply new layer of binding material that you have purchased earlier. Follow the instruction indicated by the manufacturer on the tubing pack. Apply gently covering the whole area. For better seaming strength, wait 2 days for the new silicone seal to dry and then reapply the second layer.

Repeat the steps and finally you can then test it out by filling with new water. Once you are satisfied that the leak is no longer there, you can start to move your tropical fish back into the aquarium.

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