is it normal to see watery salt along seem at bottom of tank?

[DMK]

i have a 92 corner. tank is unlevel by alittle less than 1/4" due to floor(concrete slab). on the side that is down, i notice when i look under tank inside stand, that there is watery salt around seem. water is not leaking out at all, just a small amount of watery salt. in same location but on other side there is nothing. should i be concerned? just knowing that the floor is down 1/4" has me nervous, more so that i see this on that side and not other. should i run some extra silicon along here?

 

[KDodds]

If there's "watery salt", there are only two ways it could have gotten there. You've either got a leak, or you splashed/dripped. I'd clean and dry it as best I could and inspect again in the moring, and again tomorrow night. If there's anything else accumulating (assuming you don't drip or splash), I'd plan on replacing ASAP. Not like next month, but immediately. I'd also monitor before doing anything with the tank if you don't see any accumulation within 24 hours. Before you do anything check, and check daily anyway. After you do something, check again. If there is significant accumulation during that maintenance period, chances are it's just spillage/dripping.

 

[DMK]

i didn't drip anything. only way i'm hoping it was splashed was due to my overflow hose into sump is only about 12" from this area. even then, it wasn't splashed, maybe mist. i wiped it hours ago and just checked. very, very little came back. my hose goes into an enclosed filter sock and i sometimes wait too long to change sock and it backs up a bit, but it's still enclosed. i'm hoping and guessing it's due to this. the door hinges on that side are rusty, not other side. it's not rusty due to a leak. no water runs down to both hinges. watery salt and rust is due to mist maybe. i'm not about to mt my tank and disturb my masterpiece unless i'm ABSOLUTELY sure there is a leak. i'm naturally a nervous person, especially when it comes to a $10,000 tank. there's also salt residue on bottom glass inside stand. that is not from leak or splash, but from mist. if tank wasn't 1/4" unlevel i wouldn't be worrying at all. that 1/4" has me nervous. it's on a carpet which is over slab in basement.

 

[KDodds]

Then it's simple, rig a barrier out of cardboard between the site where you noticed the potential leak and any area that might be "misting" it. Now, the misting may actually be running down to the lowest point from other points as well, so you'd also want to place a perimeter of absorbent material, like sponge, around the area. Still not 100% surety that a leak is not coming from further back and "collecting" at the lowest point, but worth a shot, especially if the cardboard area comes away wet and salty.

 

[Myrphie]

1/4" off-level is definitely a concern and, unfortunately, I'd bet that you've got yourself a leak. Why was the tank left off level? Was there no way to shim the tank?

 

[DMK]

i just checked again in morning. next to nothing along seem. i wiped it last night before bed. i also checked w/ level again. it's only 1/8" unlevel, BUT somehow from floor to top of tank is exactly the same on either end, 53". i remember checking slab before carpet was laid and remember it being slightly unlevel, like 1/8". i don't see how it could be 53" on each end, yet when i place level across, it's off by 1/8". i guess they sell fish tank silicon.
- i want to run silicon along this area just to make myself feel alittle better.

 

[Pandora]

DMK, sorry but that little bit of 1/8-1/4" would make me nervous as well! Tanks of that size with joints will last indefinitely when level, but even a little bit of torque force over time can cause really slow leaks. If that is the case, running silicon along the outside won't do any good, because the steady force is pointed outwards and will gradually force another microscopic leak. That's why all original joints are sealed on the inside when the tank is new & dry, so that the force actually helps push the silicon in place.

Course, it could still just be a side drip. On my old octopus tank, I had to seal the top pretty tightly with electrical tape. But it turned out part of it was wicking water out of the HOB skimmer, and it wasn't all condensate. I'd find the salt crust every few days along the seam then also, but that changed once I rearranged things.

 

[Dubbin1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6465953#post6465953 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DMK
i don't see how it could be 53" on each end, yet when i place level across, it's off by 1/8".

That is because it is the floor that is not level. Your floor could be at a 45Ã"šÃ‚° angle and it would still measure 53" from the floor on each side of the tank. Get my drift?

Oh and 1/8" - 1/4" isn't anything to worry about.

 

[Dubbin1]

1/8" is this much --

1/4" is this much ----

Yes I measured that with my tape and those are even a hair big

 

[DMK]

well i'm not tearing tank down unless i see water leaking out which i don't. the amount i see is a tiny amount of watery salt. almost nothing. would wedging a 2X4 vertically between floor and bottom of tank help?
i remeber i banged a dumbbell into my first saltwater tank, 20g. put a nice 1-2" chip right on edge where front glass meets side. the tank was ok for years until i moved.

 

[Dubbin1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6466028#post6466028 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DMK
would wedging a 2X4 vertically between floor and bottom of tank help?

No you dont want to do that at all. Like I said 1/8" - 1/4" isn't a big deal. I would leave it be.

 

[DMK]

well dubbin1 u make me a little more calm. my father who knows everything, can build or fix anything, thinks it's ok.

 

[KDodds]

How'd it work out?

 

[integlikewhoa]

DMK: Hold on im fishing for flopping fish and mopping up the floor KDoods. LOL

Im sure it will be fine. But that's why I bought an acrylic. this happens all to often. And altho nothing will probley come of this I would have a hard time sleeping wondering what could happen.

 

[DMK]

it's about 3 weeks later, and somehow no more watery salt in that spot. i'm thinking it was just 3 years worth of mist accumulation. i never looked up there until i started this thread.

 

[KDodds]

LOL! Good news. Good luck!