Sudden Leak in 120 glass tank

ajax · 07-26-2007, 05:22 PM

I've had my 120 FO aquarium setup for just over a year and have had saltwater for well over 10 years, and have had two problems I've never encountered that have left me rather stunned. Most significant is the leak that my 120 glass tank sprang two evenings ago from the bottom/side seal. All inhabitants and most rock has been removed and leak has slowed to a drip every 2-3 seconds with about 3 inches of water left in the tank. I've got some "Mr. Sticky's Underwater" epoxy from drsfostersmith.com in case of emergency like this, but I cant really see any bad spot in the silicone where the water is getting through to patch. What I do see is an abundance(10-14 per 6" of glass) of bristleworms, all under an inch. Is it possible for these worms to burrow into/weaken silicone seals? If not, what could have caused this and how can I fix/prevent this? When I try to patch outside, the leak seems to travel along the seam and only slows at best.

The second issue is a case of pop-eye after adding new tankmate. I've become a bit lazy about quarantining new additions since I added the UV sterilizer and am now paying for it. When the new fish's right eye was almost double the other, I isolated him and checked sterlizer, which the bulb had started going bad, so between the time a new bulb was ordered and arrived, my fuzzy dwarf lion contracted it as well, and my wolf eel had disappeared for a couple days, then appeared with a 1/2 to 3/4-inch rigid, white with slight green, bone-like projection sticking out from the underside of his jaw where the gill 'flaps' meet. Being an eel, he refused to be removed from the tank despite all my efforts and foul language, but days later the rigid part vanished being replaced by three small sacks filled with clear dark green fluid(like his pigment) and has been so for a week. I have him in quarantine as well and none are responding to Trisulfa or Maroxy by Mardel. The pop-eye will look like one is almost better with the other belonging on sesame street, then the next day it could be the opposite.

Any help with these issues would be appreciated!
Thanks,
Steve

salt-rookie · 07-26-2007, 05:57 PM

Are you positive that the floor or stand has not settled a bit? I'd say the bristle worms are a non-starter!

**CarmieJo** · 07-26-2007, 08:10 PM

Hello Steve and

to TR.

Geez! You have been hit with a double whammy. I have never heard of bristleworms causing silicon to degrade. If you can't spot the leak you may need to empty the tank and cut out the silicon and repair the seal.

Has the pop eye been going on a week too?

**Phurst** · 07-26-2007, 08:28 PM

Doh, that's a real bummer!

I think Carmie's right about finding the leak. It may be very difficult to spot the specific leak, and may be far easier to re-silicone that joint.

As for the popeye, you may want to ask the crew over at Wet Web Media( Ask the WWM Crew a Question )
They're really a good resource for this kind of thing.