How to tell if bowfront is leaking?

[Bamm Bamm]

I was gonna resetup my 46 bowfront since I need more room for corals..(Iam converting my 90 into a FO) I was doing some leak testing for my sump and overflow when I drained the tank..and I looked at the bottom between the glass and the black plastic trim, there was what looked like slat creep on most of the edges.. I just had it filled with regular old well water..I've noticed this before..I am thinking that it might be leaking though and if so..I don't want to set it back up..I guess i might end up being a sweet looking terrarium..I hope nt though..Anyone have any ideas..I know theres quite a few people on this board with 46's, 72's, 155's, and a few corner bow front floating around...Any ideas would be great..Thanks Dan

[icemark]

If it was leaking, there would be more than just salt creep at the trim.

The salt would be wet and you would see water.

Is the silicon clear? If its black silicon its real easy to see if a tank is leaking.

On a nice level surface, fill the tank up on newspaper, or light colored paper.

Again only if the silicon is black; drop a whole bottle of food coloring in and let it sit over night.

If in the morning the paper is colored anywhere or you can see if you are getting blue water outside the tank its leaking, time to re-seal.

if the paper hasn't got any food colored water on it, the tank is more than likely safe.

[reefhead]

is the coloring gonna be safe for reef critters, doubtful yes?

[icemark]

Food coloring is safe to use. You could pour food coloring down your mouth and not suffer any ill effects.

besides I am sure everyone out there would wash the tank out before filling it with saltwater and putting it in any living creatures.

[saltjunkie]

It is also amazing were salt can creep to. I believe most of us will find salt creep were you would least expect it. Even the shark tunnel At Sea World had salt creep along the edges of the dome. Most people clean it off. It is just something that happens, builds up over time, I think?
jmo

[FishKid]

Its probably from you sticking your grubby hands into your tank, and dripping tank water onto the glass, and being to lazy to wipe it up (at least thats how it happens to me!)

mark

[Bamm Bamm]

Awww..thanks for thre reply's..Iam gonna try that newspaper idea today..It has black and clear silicone black on the sides and clear on the bottom..Dan

[Doug1]

The food coloring may stain the clear silicone, I have seen methylene blue do that on past FW tanks

[Bamm Bamm]

Yeha I had that happen when I put some NOX-Ich in a tank way back..Bad idea.. The clear silicone on my bow is only on the bottom though and you wouldn't be able to see it when theres sand and water in..I didn't get a chance to fill it up again today..Hopefully maybe tommorow night when I get home from work..