Leaking CRS tank - options?

[Hobbes09]

My tank sprung a slow leak recently. Its stopped for some reason now but I don't want to risk it.

My choice was either to drain the tank (the leak is close to the bottom of the tank) and then use silicon on the leak and wait for it to cure, or start a new tank.

I decided to cycle a new tank. Mending the leak would mean leaving my shrimps in a pail for a day or 2, and even after the mend, I don't know if harmful chemicals from the silicon will leech into the water...

Still, both options seem risky... Although another option will be to transfer all my old substrate and water into the new tank so that I dun need to cycle it. Think that will work?

[ymmij]

i assume you have already bought a new tank, washed and ready for used. i would take out the shrimps temporarily in a container and then setup up the new tank with the soil and water from the old tank. this should be pretty fast.

after the new tank is being setup up, i would put the container containing the shrimps on the water so that the cold temp would cool the container as well.

you may want to add air bubble if needed into the container. you have to decide if your new tank is ready for the shrimps after some hours or maybe even days.

[tanhann]

how long have ur old substrate been in ur old tank? did they break down partially? If yes, wouldn't it need at least a few day for water to clear after transferring it to the new tank. Likewise, u still need to leave ur shrimp in a pail. Prior to removing the substrate, u might have caught them n kept them somewhere, right?

[Hobbes09]

Hi bros, thanks for your suggestions... Currently the tank has stopped leaking. I don't know why or how but I don't want to take chances. I have not really fixed the leak so I know it will leak again. Its just a matter of time.

So now the shrimps are still in the old tank while I am cycling a new one. I have also considered using the substrate from the old tank to speed up the cycling. But this would mean I have to leave the shrimps in the pails for extended period. The old substrate has been in there for quite long, almost a year so it will sure break down. Any ideas how long the cycling time will be if I use the old substrate and water? Logically, it should be immediate since everything is the same except the tank. Right?

I think I will use some of the old substrate to 'seed' the new tank... Anyway as long as the old tank doesnt leak again, I will have some time to make sure the new tank is ok before I add shrimps in. Hope things will go well...

[silane]

Originally Posted by Hobbes09

Any ideas how long the cycling time will be if I use the old substrate and water? Logically, it should be immediate since everything is the same except the tank. Right?

The bacteria should start to spread, but to build up the full capability to remove ammonia from the new non-shrimp soil, it will still take a week or so. Best to use new soil that is made for shrimps, which has very low ammonia or no ammonia, you can risk to put the shrimp in after 2 days or so.

[globalcookie]

If you are using existing soil from tank, you need to let it settle down longer. Bear in mind e soil from existing tank is very dirty and there may be problems arising from it.

Anyway, since your soil is already about 1yrs old, might as well buy new soil. If you are settle up from stretch, you can use water from existing tank (collect during water change) and let the new tank cycle longer.