For the second time within 3 years my aquarium is leaking.
A couple hours after water change i noticed water in the living room.
So i removed half of the water and it stopped dripping.
My guess is its in the upper part of the aquarium ?

Is there a way to fix it without removing all the water and fish ?
So far i know silicon has to e used in dry conditions.
I also bought universal adhesive just in case.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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With each crime and every kindness we birth our future.

On boats (which have a tendency to be lurking around in a very wet environment) a lot of people sear by Geocel "The Works". This stuff can be applied under water!! However I'm not sure how safe it would be for use near fish.
Another one to consider is Dow Corning "799 Glaze and Go" - with the same comments about fish.

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

Yeah, I doubt the fish would survive, it's best to remove the fish, dry the tank, then do the repairs, let the repairs cure, then add the fish and such back in.

Otherwise the fish would die.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

There are sealants that are specifically sold as aquarium sealants and are labeled as 'safe for fish'.
I have read that some silicone sealants have a mildew inhibitor that is NOT safe for fish.
I would get one that is labeled for fish tanks and follow their directions.
Otherwise you might end up with some fancy kitty snacks.

Meow.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

About aquarium SAFE silicones, glues, cements and adhesives.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKAC5L8G4oI
If you are unsure about a product, don't use it or ask some more.

You are correct Mark.
Both my silicone and universal adhesive are labled for fish tank and not bad for fish.
The question remains does the silicon work if the material not totally dry.

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With each crime and every kindness we birth our future.

For safety, I would recommend removing the fish first, because silicone sealants do produce gasses as they cure, that might be absorbed by the remaining water. The sealant may be safe for the fish, but the gasses released may not be. Also, that way you would be certain that the adhesive would be applied in dry conditions. What size is the aquarium?

Steve

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Warning, addicted to SETI crunching!
Crunching as a member of GPU Users Group.
GPUUG Website

You are correct Mark.
Both my silicone and universal adhesive are labled for fish tank and not bad for fish.
The question remains does the silicon work if the material not totally dry.

Only the directions on the sealant will tell you that.
There are some marine sealants that say they will even work underwater, but I do not know about their toxicity to fish.
Many other sealants specify that the surface to be sealed must be clean and dry.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

Well the label says the universal adhesive can be used under water.The silicone should be used under dry conditions.
In fact it is try because i only want to use it where no water is, as i said below i removed half of the water ????
I will certainly not remove the fish, i`ll rather leave it as it is for now after trying it.

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With each crime and every kindness we birth our future.

Well the label says the universal adhesive can be used under water.The silicone should be used under dry conditions.
In fact it is try because i only want to use it where no water is, as i said below i removed half of the water ????
I will certainly not remove the fish, i`ll rather leave it as it is for now after trying it.

I guess then that I would use the universal adhesive because it can be used on wet surfaces. There could be some water remaining in the seam even if the surface is dry, or water could wick up into it from below.
Clean whatever old sealant you possibly can from the area with a single edge razor blade and apply the sealant.
Then I would allow it to cure for a couple of days before refilling.
Best of luck with it, and hopefully your fishies stay happy, not snacks for the kitties.

Meow!

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

First try to find the leak, dry the outside and grab some newspaper. Stick pieces of it it around the bottom (coins are very good at keeping it in place) and wrap (with the help of tape) some other pieces around the corners. Then wait a bit, if of the paper starts getting wet, bingo. If it stays dry, start filling. The leak should reveal itself.

That said though the only time i've tried the repair method failed after just a month. Ended up removing the front piece and redoing it. Much easier to type than to do but still going strong ten years later. And I'm sure the fish enjoyed their stay at hotel bathtub.

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Member of the People Encouraging Niceness In Society club.

Very good advice Mark and Zappy.
I had Marks idea in mind already, so i will combine both methods.
Maybe somebody has other ideas ?

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With each crime and every kindness we birth our future.

Another way of finding weeps is to dry the outside of the suspected area very carefully then dust it with a little talc. The talc will stick wherever there is moisture.


Mr.Lightbulb - Trust you to book a hotel room especially for your fish - I hope you hung the "do not disturb" notice outside so the cleaners didn't upset things...

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?