Question

[justingraham]

every thread I read about when they go to fill up his or her tank for the first time the person says wish me luck I'm doing a leak test.

Why?

Has anyone had an actual tank blow out the first time they filled it up?

I understand checking for leaks in plumbing and holes that they drilled but why is everyone scared there tank is going to leak?

Esp if it's a brand new tank? I can understand a Craig's list special that has been sitting for a year but a brand new tank?

Is this just some kind of folk lore? Old wives tale?

I don't get it I don't.

O well just my thoughts cause I'm not scared of my tank leaking within the first year or two after that it's a diffent story

Like hey I'm filling my tank up boom crash water everywhere the side glass fell off.

I don't get it

So has anyone on there first fill actually have a leak in there brand new tank? Not acrylic as I can understand that but a glass tank?

 

[jah4good]

No, but I'd like to see that!

 

[Labridaedicted]

I haven't had it happen, but I have seen it happen. Slow leak a few days after fill.

 

[justingraham]

I haven't had it happen, but I have seen it happen. Slow leak a few days after fill.

With ur own eyes?

 

[mtraylor]

I don't get it either. The only thing I have ever checked on any of my new aquariums is for bulk head leaks etc. I have never prefilled the tank for a leak.
Now if you were to buy a used aquarium that you didn't see up and running before you purchased it..I could see someone wanting to check it before they
purchased it for sure.

Of course there is always failures I'm sure. So we hope that its not any of us.

 

[jah4good]

I wouldn't want it to happen full of coral and fish and in someone's house, but in a controlled environment in slow motion.. definitely

 

[Labridaedicted]

With ur own eyes?

Yes, it was a standard black trimmed perfecto.

Also, I think the test is more of a piece of mind thing. When your putting 100+ gallons in your living room (etc) it's nice to see it holding water before you fill it on your hardwood floor with furniture and electronics. I have almost always bought used tanks and resealed them (my leak test paranoia is a necessity).

All this being said, a leak test is only marginally reassuring. Usually if a seam is going to go, it's from a bad stand or something along those lines. I will say I've seen them fail a week or 2 after being setup, too. (Doing maintenance, you do enough setups to see some wonky stuff)