What's wrong with my silicone?

Its in one corner of my 30g sump. Looks kinda like little bubbles. I'm worried about it leaking or something. I bought the tank brand new 6 months ago or so.

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I hope you still have the receipt for that.

From my experience when there are bubbles inside the joint versus outside the joint, it's a potentially serious problem.

I am guessing these bubbles have developed and were not there when you purchased the tank 6 months ago? If so, I'd drain and replace (as much of a PITA that is - better than cleaning it all up off the floor!)


Most likely it was a bad batch of silicone, improperly cleaned surface, insufficient cure time.

Either way, that does not appear to be normal, healthy silicone work.


Best of luck to you in any event!!!

 

I have the receipt yes. Bad thing is that to replace that tank I would have to completely tear my tank down.

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Sorry to hear man.

I would suggest calling the mfr.first and seeing if they say your tank is bad.

Maybe for them, with the silicone they use, what you are seeing is totally normal. Maybe it's not, and if you have the reciept and they admit the tank is bad - I would try to go after them for something else, another tank, a new bigger tank, a stand, a hood, something for your time.

A lot of aquarium manuf. will do good by their business and take care of you more than you would expect.

If you speak to a rep and they do not give you what you wanted to hear, then ask for their supervisor, if that doesnt do it, go for their superviser.

In my experience with dealing with defective products, if you take a firm, but professional stance from the start, and do not take any answer but what you are looking for, you can come out on top!!



I would say it has to be addressed tho. Because you know the outcome if it's going to leak - at least you might be able to do the tear-down on your own time/terms and not as a midnight emergency.

 

I agree with everything M-Ocean Man Said.

One thing you could do in the mean time is silicone the outside of the tank there the bubble is forming. Like a 2nd barrier.

 

ah yes - did not think of that - but it will add some added layer of security.

Depending on how difficult/possible it is to do - if you have WOODED (not metal for obvious reasons) or plastic mouthed woodworking clamp, you can clamp the outside of the tank for extra support. but only if its feasable.

If not, adding a layer of silicone to the outside is a great idea!

 

Siliconing the outside is a good idea. I just called the store and they said bubbling is not uncommon. I tried to explain the whitish part to him and he said je never saw that before. If I have to tear my tank down for this its going to be the biggest pita. Ill try siliconing first. And watch to see if the bubbles move any closer to the inside wall of the tank.

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Can the fumes from layin new silicone on the outside hurt the tank?

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Calling the store IMO was a waste of time, they don't know sh1t. CALL the MANUFACTURE, send them the picture and see what they say. Until them maybe you should lower the water lever just a bit to take some of the pressure of of it.

Where that it at is where almost all the strength in the joint is at and I for one would not mess with it. Contrary to what I have seen most people believe the silicone that is in-between the glass in the corners is where all the joint strength is, the layer on the inside affords some strength but mostly it is a way of finishing the silicone so it looks nice.

Putting a layer of silicone on the outside isn't going to do anything, 'cept for maybe stop a little tiny leak. But a little tiny leak isn't what your going to have if that gives way, your going to have a catastrophic loss of water! that no thing layer of silicone on the outside is going to stop.

And as for putting a clamp on it to help hold it, thought is good but that would be pretty dangerous because you would have no idea how tight is to tight, hate to see you tightening up the clamp only to have the front Payne crack.

Now this is all MY OPINION, but I have been repairing fish tanks for almost 35 years now and feel that I know just a bit about the subject so take it for what its worth,

 

I have to agree, the integrity of the tank is compromised. The seam has visable flaws with regard to the silicone with either it's application or type of silicone. They should replace the tank, once pictures of the defect are provided.

The huge hassel of setting up a new system vs having your present system start leaking and resulting in aquiring a new tank seems pretty straight forward to me.

Sorry big big bummer, but the present tank could eventually lead to even a bigger bummer down the road.