Repairing aquarium

[Dynamicfisher]

Hi Everyone,

I have a small 10 gal tank that began leaking through the bottom seals.
Can I just go to a Home Depot and purchase a clear silicon? Or what can I use?

I have a small 3 gal. bowl holding 7 adult platies !!! My Chinese algae eater already died. And I am hoping to keep that same fate from happening to my platies !!

Thank you

 

[brian1973]

Aquarium sealant is what you want to get..walmart sells it in the fish section. But the silicone costs about 5 bucks here and a new 10g is 10bucks.

 

[Dynamicfisher]

Thank you so much!
Will go to Walmart tonight .

I have asked my husband to get me a new 55 gal. tank for my birthday a few weeks from now. So I was just looking for a quick and very cheep fix.
Here a 10 gal. would cost $20.00. I am so hoping that the silicon does not cost that!

Of course, my tank had to leak NOW *laughingc !!!!!!

Thanks

 

[brian1973]

Thank you so much!
Will go to Walmart tonight .

I have asked my husband to get me a new 55 gal. tank for my birthday a few weeks from now. So I was just looking for a quick and very cheep fix.
Here a 10 gal. would cost $20.00. I am so hoping that the silicon does not cost that!

Of course, my tank had to leak NOW *laughingc !!!!!!

Thanks

Just a recommendation..you can usually find a good used 55g for pretty cheap on craigslist...give you more money to stock it up

 

[Lakea]

I reseal tanks all the time, well not all the time, but more often then I'd like. I just get some ge silicone from the hardware store, 100% silicone, make sure it doesn't have any extras like mildew protectant. The best way to do it is to strip out all the old silicone using a razor blade, then reseal it with the new silicone. But I will say I do find free 10g on craigslist all the time.

 

[Dynamicfisher]

Thank you Brian 1973, and Lakea ,

Brian 1973, YOU were right about the 10 gal. at Walmart. They were $10.58 !!!
Thank you for bringing that to my attention.

Now for the aquarium silicon, my Walmart said they discontinued it ! And they were out of the 10gal. ,of course at $10.00 each. Just my luck !

I am going to go out and try Lakea's suggestion of the plain silicon.

My platies are doing good, so far! I am doing 50% water changes daily. I have retired my turkey baster to the fish. Because I have so many fish in a small bowl there is a lot of waste. So I use the turkey baster to suck out the stuff on the bottom of the bowl. It's what I had, I have not purchased a siphon yet.

 

[jediinthedark]

Lowes sells "aquarium silicone". It is with the glue.

 

[New_To_Hobbie]

Iam going through this now too with a 30 gal tank. all my seals and black trim is leaking. So I never done this before but any help on walmart silicone if they dont got the aquarium stuff? Or if lowes dont got that we just got a menards.. so any help. On any plain jane silicone to use

 

[Orion]

Like was said in your other thread, 'GE Silicone I for Windows and Doors' will do the job. Don't get Silicone II, or the kind with any anti mildew or mold agents in it, as those are toxic to fish. I've seen this at just about every hardware store I've ever been too, and walmart most of the time unless they are out. It's 100% silicone and it's safe to use in aquariums. I would 'assume' that any 100% silicone with nothing added might be safe, however the GE silicone I is the only commercially, easily available product that I know of that's safe and does a good job of holding. It's been tested by hobbyists for years.

 

[Fishmonger70]

I would recommend geting the tube that fits in a caulking gun. I find that the small tubes you squeeze by hand are hard to squeeze and can be quite messy

 

[Dynamicfisher]

Thank you for so many helpful responses. I am truly grateful !

I have been checking out Craigslist, and have seen so many possibilities *BOUNCINGS !!

I can not wait to get my new tank !!!

 

[d3sc3n7]

I had to repair my 29gL once. I resealed the entire bottom. It held water just fine...however!!! somehow, in between fixing the bottom and refilling it 2 days later it decided to make another leak on the edge. So, I had to scramble to get another 29g. UGH!

Then again, now I'm addicted and have a 5g, 10g, 2x 29g, and a 55g tank. Stupid addictions.