How to Fix a Leaking Aquarium Tank

According to the Newser website, in February 2010, "A Dubai aquarium was evacuated when a mammoth shark tank cracked and gushed water in downtown Dubai. The 2.5 million gallon tank holds some 33,000 sea creatures, including hundreds of sharks." Finding a leak in your aquarium can be an alarming discovery. However, your beautiful fish and plant life might just live to fight another day. Unless you have a crack in the glass and water gushing all over the floor like it did in Dubai, aquarium leaks are a straightforward fix.

Things You'll Need

  • Silicone sealant
  • Second tank or suitable container
  • Single-sided razor blade
  • Tape
  • Paper towels
  • Rubbing alcohol
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Instructions

    • 1

      Run a dry finger along the seals on the edges of your aquarium until you feel water; this is where the leak is.

    • 2

      Wipe the glass dry with paper towels. Tear off a piece of tape and stick it to the glass as a marker of where the leak is.

    • 3

      Remove your fish, filter pump and heater, and place them in a suitable container with some water from your leaking tank.

    • 4

      Remove the water from your leaking aquarium until it is a few inches below where you found the leak. Dry the area with paper towels so that there is no moisture left at all.

    • 5

      Look for where the silicone is damaged inside the tank, using the tape you stuck to the glass earlier as a guide. Scrape away the damaged silicone until the area is clear, using the single-sided razor.

    • 6

      Clean the area with rubbing alcohol to ensure all the silicone sealant is removed. Dry the area with paper towels again.

    • 7

      Apply fresh silicone sealant to the area you've just cleared. Allow the silicone to dry for 48 hours.

    • 8

      Refill the tank completely. Do not put your fish back in until two hours have passed, to ensure that the leak is completely repaired.