Argh, take note, why water features suck

[LilyPad]

So apparently the water area in my grey tree frog tank has started leaking into the drainage layer and swamping my substrate. I noticed the last few days that the water level was dropping more than should account for evaporation, even with a heater running. So I took a peek at my drainage layer, and sure enough, it was about 3/4 full after only being "moist," no noticeable water level, just a week ago. So it's a slow leak, but a leak nonetheless, looks like that will be my unfortunate project today. Also realizing I need a bigger qt tank, my four greys are going to be pissed shoved into a 10 gallon for a couple days while I fix this.

[jarteta97]

Dang, that really blows . I hope you get it fixed without too much effort

[LilyPad]

Well, I'm going to have to scrape out all the silicone because unfortunately, you can't just patch it. Just unsure of how this happened, I used LOADS of silicone and made sure it was thick on both sides to prevent this from happening. Months without an issue. Just irritated right now! I drained the drainage layer last night and it is about half full again.

Edit - on second thought, I'm just going to keep draining the drainage layer as it leaks into it until it stops so I can guesstimate at least what level the leak is, then I can rip apart a little less. If it's at the bottom though, I'm out of luck.

[LilyPad]

My nat geo digital hygro/thermometer also stopped working yesterday. I took it apart and it was all rusted inside and the battery was corroded. Apparently, despite saying it measures humidity up to 90%, it's not made to stay in humid environments. I will buy another one, but will put it in to check things and then pull it back out, I left mine in 24/7. I guess I shouldn't have spent so much money yesterday setting up a betta!

[Lija]

Yeah..... I can write a book on why water features suck lol

Amy..... Mmmmm.... I tried to fix mine..... Like really tried..... Like scraping, glue, etc, shall I say it again.... I really tried....Ended up completely redoing my tank telling myself why on earth I was trying to fix and wasted so much time lol


just saying

oh and digital with probes are better,

[jarteta97]

Yeah, my nat geo still "works", but I've noticed that it doesn't read quite correctly. Right after misting, it says 99%, but the screen top is only half covered. Also, I've aired out the tank, and it hasn't dropped below 80%, which is pretty unbelievable. I just used it when I was first misting the tank, and now just in case there's a huge swing. The coloring of my frog (lol) and the condition of my plants really helps me, particularly my tilly and broms. If I ever do a glass or acrylic divider, I think I'll just have an aquarium shop do it. I don't trust my skills enough. Hopefully the leak is up high

[LilyPad]

Ugh Lija, it really stinks! I love the water area and can't understand why it started leaking suddenly after months. The amount of silicone I used...it should not be possible! Making me rethink the other tank I have planned out and do something simple instead, even if it means daily water bowl changes.

I have a digital with probes, the humidity measurement is never accurate. I take it out of the tank between uses, but as soon as I drop it in the tank, it shoots up to 99%. I don't really need to measure the humidity, I usually have a good idea of where it is at without measuring, I just like having it as a backup. So maybe I'll just stick with what I have. So long as I know where the temps are at, which the probe reads accurately and I can move it around the tank, I'm good.

[jarteta97]

Yeah, I worry more about temps than humidity. With humidity, if plants thrive, the frog usually thrives. With temp, though, you could have a 10 degree drop or raising, and the plants wouldn't show it at all. You might just find it easier to do a leca layer style tank, and still have the water feature, I don't know.

[Lija]

just get infrared gun and use it for all your tanks for humidity, with experience you just know if it s good or not.
honestly I have thermometers/ hydrometers only in tanks that are plugged into hydrotherms and only because these things read that I do check tanks close to daily with temp gun.

[LilyPad]

This may be a really stupid question, but will the infrared read water temp? I need something for the betta tank I set up also, so if that covers all of them, I'd be very happy lol

[Lija]

It reads anything, but on a surface.

oh I lied.... Pardon me, forgot, I have a few glass thermometers the floating kind. Paul said these are the best for anything.
i believe 2$ at Walmart. These would totally work for betta or frog tank

[Mentat]

A Floating thermometer like Lija mentioned is best deal for Betta. Sorry for water leak ; but that is nature of silicone when used to build a "glass wall dam" in an aquarium/enclosure. The issue is, new silicone wont stick well to old silicone or if any glass surface has a contaminant on it.

For it not to leak you have to scrape off all old silicone so that none comes into contact with new one. Also, after scrapping it; a cleaning with acetone (wear gloves and eye/breathing protection) to remove any contaminants and silicone remains is required .

[deranged chipmunk]

For a betta tank, I would use a fluval nano thermometer. Small and unobtrusive. I use them in all my aquatic tanks. Infrared thermometer will read water temps. As long as the beam reflects, it will read.


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[LilyPad]

The fix, before and after.




I originally had a flexible piece of plastic in there so I could have a curved water area. I think the flexibility was my downfall. The leak was slow but persistent, filling my drainage layer in about two days. I wanted to be lazy in this fix and not rip everything out. My mistake, as my plants are now in poor condition as a result.

I ordered a piece of acrylic from Delvies Plastics, precut to the size I wanted. Then I siliconed it in, in front of the previous barrier. I had moved my aquatic plants out and into my betta tank, so I will probably just get more. I'm happy with the results and so far, no leaks. It is just under 5.5 inches deep and holds approximately 1.75 gallons of water.

[DigitalPunk]

That sucks big time Amy. Sorry to hear about your plants :/ I was never brave enough to divide a tank like that. the closest I could bring myself to try was doing a false bottom and just using the whole tank bottom as the reservoir, but even that has draw backs. All my tanks now have been converted to traditional drainage layer tanks and are drilled for drainage lol. In some of them I lowered the land and drainage in a corner (or in the mantella tank down the middle) to create a boggy section of soil for marginal plants and aquatic mosses. That will be the extent of complexity for me moving forward lol. I will leave water features and the like to better qualified people such as yourself


Again sorry you had to go through this. I know the frustration all to well.

[LilyPad]

I love the divided tanks, that's why I went for it to begin with (knowing what kind of issues can arise.) It looks really nice now other than all the poor plants. At least it wasn't my frogs, and at least it wasn't my red eyed tree frog tank. All of my "good" plants are in with the red eyes. My greys are plant bullies so anything of quality doesn't get put in there. I guess I can be thankful for that. I had thought about removing the water area completely, but I hate hate hate hate hate having to do daily water changes. Reaching into the bottom of that tank is the biggest pita. So far, it held up overnight. I have a piece of paper taped to the side of the tank that I marked out the water levels to make sure it doesn't drop too much LOL.

[deranged chipmunk]

I never liked the divided tanks. There are always 2 weak spots in them and there is no way around it. I'll take a false bottom over tank division for a deep water feature any day.


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[DigitalPunk]

What are the 2 weak spots?

I will give a Paludarium a shot again at some point, but for now plain ole Vivariums will work.

Hope your plants recover for you. I'm with you though, much rather have to replace the plants than have hurt the frogs.

[deranged chipmunk]

The 2 weak spots are the bottom corners where the plexi meets the tanks original silicone seal. Unless you reseal the tank, those two little corners will always develop leaks. Silicone on silicone. Bad joo joo.


Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

[DigitalPunk]

Ahh yep I hadn't thought of the silicon beads along the bottom edges of the tank. Hope you have better luck this time around Amy.