Help! I think our sump has a small leak!

[ShirleyM]

There's a small leak somewhere under our 120G reef, on the plywood floor of the Oceanic stand....it's enough of a leak that the carpet is getting damp...

Here's the deal...when we set this up almost 4 yrs ago, we didn't think much about future problems and such. We bought it used and set it up just like the first person had it...20-gal. sump sits in the stand, under the 120G tank, and can NOT be removed unless:

A) break it into pieces to get it out the cabinet door

B) take the 120G tank off the stand and lift the 20G sump tank up and out of the stand.

Steve is gone and will be back shortly to try to find the leak...Meanwhile, I'm shutting the return pump off and going to drain the sump completely. Also, making RO water now and just gave our last made-up water to friend with 20G reef...so we have no spare water at the moment except what's in the two 18G top-off tubs.

I see no water leaking from the bottom of the 120G predrilled holes or anywhere on that tank. So, I'm assuming it's coming from the sump. (All-Glass with two predrilled corner overflows)

WHAT NOW????

Listening to any and all ideas.....even the "How stupid could you be" ones, although we started thinking that about 3 months into the life of the tank....

TIA,
Shirley

[Spanky]

Shirley - the sump is a 20gal "glass" tank, right?

Can you get it dry and just re-silicone it?

[Junkzoo]

Well Shirley,,i'm sure you know this, but turn off all the electric to the tank , at least while you are checking into where the leak might be, don't want to lose a fellow Hoosier reefer! just in case water is getting near the wires etc.,,,best i can say is dry off what you need to , and i found a flashlite will tattle on a leak a lil easier,check your hose fittings,see if anything plugged up on you,start at the top , and work your way down ,dry off everything ,and start feeling around,,,probably did not offer anything in the way of help here that you already did not know,,,,but i had to offer something, i'd come on down to help , but my wife just got down there in Indy to visit family ,,if i went down there, i'd have to visit the "in'laws" too good luck! and let us know what ya find,,,,really though, i'd come down if you needed help from me,,,,

a fellow Hoosier reefer,,,,

[Junkzoo]

Originally posted by Spanky
Shirley - the sump is a 20gal "glass" tank, right?

Can you get it dry and just re-silicone it?

Jerel mustsa been outside warming his brain,,,,
good one Jerel, i missed that tip/help,,,,
get your UV to fire back up?,,,i can come down and help you , after Shirley,,,on the way to the Indy airport .LOL
just have my name right on the tickets that'll be waiting for me LMAO.
i can be down there quicker than a gull dive-bombing on a french fry at the Tavernier BK!

[ShirleyM]

Thanks so much, Jeff and Jerel!!!!

Yes, the saltwater and electricity was scaring me to death, and I'm usually fearless...so That's turned off now.

Yes, it's a glass tank...

If I let it dry and resilicone it, then our tank would be running on powerheads only and no GenX Mak 4 return or Mag 5-driven Skimmer...I do have a hang-on fairly powerful canister filter that I could put charcoal in and run it, or just leave it bare and run it for more water movement...

I could hook up Troy's Bib Mombasa hob skimmer...just thought of that one.

And Thanks, Jeff, for the offer to come down. I sure do hope you know we'd come up there in a heartbeat to help you, too! With birds or tanks!

Thanks again, I'll keep you posted....

Shirley

[Spanky]

Shirley, I don't think anything will hurt for a day or two. I would hook up the skimmer anyway though. Do like Greg did and silicone the heck out of it.
___________________________
To Jeff --->

ROTFL

Jeff, run by Shirley and Steve's then head this way!

I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP THIS TIME

for at least two weeks

[ShirleyM]

OK, but it will take awhile to get dry enough, right, and then doesn't the silicone have to cure for 2-3 days??

The good news is, Steve is on Fall Break from school and we aren't going anywhere!

He just finished the last of putting in new windows on our house and is at the dump right now getting rid of the old ones....should be back shortly....

I'm draining the sump as I type this, and I'm saving the water just in case...

And THANKS AGAIN!!!

Shirley

[Junkzoo]

geez,,,the wife is gone til Monday,and all i wanna do is leave the house! i'm so pathetic!
well i DID go to my local Petsmart and scarf up the three 200g buckets of IO they had,,,(still $29.99, plus my 15% discount)
geez again, now i'm bragging i got more salt , so i can do more w/c's,,,save money AND create more work for myself.
well the 4 doxies ain't gonna get washed, and the house ain't gonna cleaned with me sitting at the comp all day.
hmmm,,,,mebbe they got new DVD's at the video store
i know,,,back to work,,,,,

Shirley, seriously,,,good luck , and let us know what ya found, hope it's not a biggie problem

[Junkzoo]

Originally posted by ShirleyM
Thanks so much, Jeff and Jerel!!!!

And Thanks, Jeff, for the offer to come down. I sure do hope you know we'd come up there in a heartbeat to help you, too! With birds or tanks!

Thanks again, I'll keep you posted....

Shirley

hmmmm,(wood burning smell,,,Jeff is thinking) isn't a old Indiana law the only people with salt water tanks are the only one legally able to move aquariums?i would not want to be a law-breaker and have non-reefers move my 200 to the basement . plus i'd rather feed AND give frags to the movers,,, just kidding Shirley, i know you all would be up here if needed,,,,i'd even waive the entrance fee to our "zoo" for ya!LOL

[ShirleyM]

You provide great comic relief, Jeff!
Steve is back, sump is drained....Trevor's bathtub looks funny once again....

Oh, it's mag 7, not 5, not that it makes a difference.

So, are you moving a 200G tank to the BASEMENT???????

Trevor and Steve have strong backs....I make good Cafe au Lait...yell if you need help!

I'll get back with an update as it happens...
Shirley

[Junkzoo]

___________________________
To Jeff --->

ROTFL

Jeff, run by Shirley and Steve's then head this way!

I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP THIS TIME

for at least two weeks [/b][/quote]

Ummmm,,,might regret this ,,,wat ya need in the way of my help ,Jerel?
>da Bomber needs barnacle scrapping again?
>you bug bombed the apartment, and ya need me to see if the poison cloud is gone?
>da Bomber does not plane out, and you need me as ballast again? LOL
> you want me to help put the Eagle back in one piece ? i tol' ya ,,,,one chain fall and reef glue ain't gonna get the job done!
>it ain't "skeeter season" so it ain't me sticking my head outa the door of the plane to see if they get too close to the palms (i STILL got frond bruises from the last time)
> i know! it's Rum-Runner contest time at Holiday Isle,and we need to train,,,
i give ,,,,what could lil'(haha) ol' me be of help to "The man who lives on a rock"

[Junkzoo]

Yup Shirley, the 200g Oceanic i got for a song,,will be going from the garage to the basment. it oughta be "easy" from just in side the garage door to my pick-up,drive it around the the back deck, 5 ft and 2-3 stairs to the back door,down the basement stairs(right at the backdoor)hopefully slide the tank SLOWLY down the stairs, pick it back up,and 10-15 ft to the awaiting stand. i've done it so many times in my mind,it's turning out to be a snap! except for the picking up the tank part i think having reefers move the tank makes more sense,'cuz they know what it is and how to treat the tank,,,plus we can tip the tank over to one side, and let the air out of it , so it'll be lighter LOL!

[Junkzoo]

I know,,,,Jeff! SHUT UP!!!!!

[ShirleyM]

I'm laughing my head off!!!!!! Tip the tank to let the air out! RIGHT!!

Found the leak!

Steve propped the sump tank up with two 2x4's laid underneath and across the floor of the stand.

He put 2" water back into.

drip, drip, drip, about that fast, too, in the rear right corner bottom glass.....

SO, do we only need to silicone that part, or the WHOLE THING?

Mabye the whole floor? Sides too??

Thanks...
Shirley

[Junkzoo]

TADA!!!!! glad ya found it Shirley,,,go get ya the caulking gun size of aquarium sealant, if the caulking gun will give you fits as far as moving around under the stand,,get a couple o tubes of the lil' stuff then(i think you posted the 20g ain't coming out with taking the main tank out or using a hammer) and silicone your behind off! i'd do all the seams while you are at it IMO. plus it's in the stand, so neatness does not count as if it was the main tank. i believe vinegar(sp?) is the cleaning soulution of choice. don't think you want to use anything along the lines of a thinner so close to the tank, i'd throw a fan around the sump while it cures, just to expell some of the fumes that'll be given off. been many of moons since the last time i 'coned a tank, so mebbe someone else can offer a expert how-to on this,,,,