150 gallon trim leak

[navy crf]

I have a 150 gallon tank that I bought used a few years ago. Last spring I went from 2 Kessil led lights to three lights bracketed onto the back top plastic rim of the tank with the two plastic screws screwing down on the inside of the back glass pane. The Kessil screw-down mounting clamp on the light all the way to the left causes there to be a leak/trickle of water down the back outside of the tank which eventually causes lots of unsightly salt build up where the trickle down the back glass of the tank is. If I remove the clamped on Kessil gooseneck lighting bracket then the leak stops. My question is this....Has anyone ever had this happen before and if so how did they fix it? I am thinking I could somehow try to get silicone up under the trim piece or maybe would have to go all the way to finding and ordering a new replacement trim piece. Any suggestions?

 

[uncleof6]

Never had that happen, but then I realize that the plastic trim is present to keep the glass panels from bowing, not to attach things to the aquarium with...

As far as stopping the leak, find a better way to hang your lights over the tank. The plastic trim is not an attachment point, rather exists to keep the glass panels from bowing and the seams pulling apart.

As far as repairing the damge already done, you will most likely have to contact the tank manufacturer to inquire as to the avialability of replacement trim. Trim replacements are not as readily available as they once were. (due to tank counterfeiting, like who would actually do that, but someone did...) Fixing the trim you have would require removing the trim completely, cleaning all the silicone off, and then re-siliconing it in place. That is IF you don't destroy the trim taking it off.

As an alternative, since it does not leak with the lights removed, it is pretty clear that the solution is to mount your lights somewhere that does not interfere with the structural integrity of the tank, before you start pulling seams apart, and leave well enough alone...

 

[woodnaquanut]

So where does the leak come from? The corner seam?

Could the mount be causing some sort of capillary action? Perhaps it blocks flow causing the water to 'stack up' against the mount?

 

[navy crf]

After having dealt with the unsightly saltwater trickle for a few months, it is time to think about mounting the kessil lights from the ceiling. Anyone have any pictures or thoughts on a design?

 

[zachts]

So where does the leak come from? The corner seam?

Could the mount be causing some sort of capillary action? Perhaps it blocks flow causing the water to 'stack up' against the mount?

That's what I'm thinking, water level must be very high in the tank also.

I'd get a different mount.

 

[navy crf]

I have mounted lights from ceiling for last few months but now trickle will not stop on another part of tank trim. I was looking for a trim replacement online but could only find one company named Over the Edge that would do a 18 x 72 inch trim piece. The glass is 9\16 or 5\8 inch thick and they can only make trim for glass 1/2 inch thick. Anyone have any suggestions? Guess my next option would be a euro brace.....how thick would the glass need to be to do this?

 

[uncleof6]

12mm would probably be sufficient. 15mm would be bomb proof.

 

[navy crf]

I ended up taking bean animal overflow box off and dropped it 1/2 inch to lower water level in tank below top edge of trim piece but not low enough to lower water level so you could see it below the trim piece.