Tank leaking... (Red Sea Reefer 350, pinhole at the bottom back near the overflow)

[Jesse Sunday]

I'm guessing there's nothing I can do except prepare for a new tank. (the leak is at the back, bottom, near the overflow - impossible to get to to plug I'm guessing. I have it "recycling" into the sump at the minute.

I'm in Southwest Florida. Does anyone have a 350 that I could directly replace? Or suggestions on a new setup / one for sale? (and yes, I know, "stay away from Red Sea" is going to be the number one answer)

Thanks in advance!

 

[Jesse Sunday]

Leak location.

 

[Jesse Sunday]

My local shop has a Reefer G2+ 425 and an ESHOPPS Mariner 130, both for about the same price.

Does anyone have experience with the Mariner?

 

[gbroadbridge]

I'm guessing there's nothing I can do except prepare for a new tank. (the leak is at the back, bottom, near the overflow - impossible to get to to plug I'm guessing. I have it "recycling" into the sump at the minute.

I'm in Southwest Florida. Does anyone have a 350 that I could directly replace? Or suggestions on a new setup / one for sale? (and yes, I know, "stay away from Red Sea" is going to be the number one answer)

Thanks in advance!

How old is the tank?

I'd be on the phone to Red Sea about a warranty replacement.

 

[fishface NJ]

So sorry this is happening to you. @tbrown He has a Mariner

 

[fishface NJ]

Red Sea 350v3 / 01/24 -

Yes how about a warranty? Your tag at the bottom says 1/24

 

[Jesse Sunday]

Thank you @fishface NJ & @gbroadbridge, the tank is used (bought second hand) and the older v3 model. No chance at warranty.

 

[Jesse Sunday]

Does anyone know of any upcoming Red Sea / IM / Waterbox sale coming up?

 

[fishface NJ]

Does anyone know of any upcoming Red Sea / IM / Waterbox sale coming up?

I don't know of any

IM just increased their prices with the usual 10 and 50% noted on their site. I had been eyeing the 100 ext. It was 2600 back in Feb on sale. Then to 2900. The prices went up last month. Now it's 3437 on sale

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Back, bottom, near overflow, is not the usual failure point from what I’ve been reading about. Are you certain it’s not a bulkhead that’s just migrating? Out of curiosity, if you were to let the overflow drain empty, while the tank is still full, is it still leaking?

 

[Jesse Sunday]

Back, bottom, near overflow, is not the usual failure point from what I’ve been reading about. Are you certain it’s not a bulkhead that’s just migrating? Out of curiosity, if you were to let the overflow drain empty, while the tank is still full, is it still leaking?

Hi there! After having some time to investigate (since I have it captured into a gravel shypon and recirulating back into the sump) I have verified that it is where the back glass meets the bottom glass, inside the overflow / weir.

A strange place indeed. No reason for the silicone to let go there. No scraping with an algae cleaner, bumping with rocks, etc.

I've tried to let the overflow drain (stopping the return pump, siphoning the remaining water, and letting the leak naturally drain it). Buuuuuutttt that just exposed that I have a leak about midway up that slowly lets water back into the overflow.

So I thought I could drain the overflow, the patch (silicone injected from the outside up into the seam, then silicone a "patch" on the bottom), but that's difficult since I can't really get the overflow completely empty.

At least I don't have all the pressure of the display tank pressing on that compromised seam. Only the pressure fo the water in the overflow.

I'm now shopping around for a local replacement - OR - trying to find a good deal a site that has reasonably fast shipping.

Thank you for all your help!

 

[tbrown]

Sorry, I've been out camping or I'd have responded sooner.

I have the Mariner 70. I spoke with the gentleman at ESHOPPS that helped design the tank. He told me he actually came from Red Sea and had mentioned the flaw in their tanks and tried to get them to change it.

I believe the stand design may have been a big part of that, but I'm not 100% certain. Either way, the Mariner is very similar to the Red Sea tanks but supposedly with the flaw fixed. I like my tank. It's been running since February.

 

[Jesse Sunday]

Sorry, I've been out camping or I'd have responded sooner.

I have the Mariner 70. I spoke with the gentleman at ESHOPPS that helped design the tank. He told me he actually came from Red Sea and had mentioned the flaw in their tanks and tried to get them to change it.

I believe the stand design may have been a big part of that, but I'm not 100% certain. Either way, the Mariner is very similar to the Red Sea tanks but supposedly with the flaw fixed. I like my tank. It's been running since February.

Thank you!

I'm leaning more toward the Mariner 130... does anyone else have experience with ESHOPPS?

 

[tbrown]

Thank you!

I'm leaning more toward the Mariner 130... does anyone else have experience with ESHOPPS?

I have a lot of ESHOPPS equipment and have for years. The Mariner is pretty much a brand new tank. I believe they just started selling at the end of last year/beginning of this year. Search the build threads on here as I've seen 3 or 4 other Mariner builds.

 

[Jesse Sunday]

I have a lot of ESHOPPS equipment and have for years. The Mariner is pretty much a brand new tank. I believe they just started selling at the end of last year/beginning of this year. Search the build threads on here as I've seen 3 or 4 other Mariner builds.

Thanks so much! I bought the Mariner 130 at my LFS today. Delivery sometime next week. (fingers crossed my Red Sea holds together until then)

I'm a bit worried that it's a "new" tank, so I hope they've found the bugs, and I'm not a beta tester.

The 3/4 (19mm) glass all around and bracing on the bottom makes me feel good.

 

[Jesse Sunday]

@tbrown , side question, since ESHOPPS doesn't have a lot of documentation... do you happen to know their recommended return flow? (I have a Reefrun 5500 now, running at 60% for my 350L / 90G, I assume it's 2000 – 5500 l/h - 530 – 1450 US gph rate will suffice for the Mariner 130 @ESHOPPS.INC ?)

 

[tbrown]

I don't know if I saw a recommended flow rate. I'm pretty sure mine could take significantly more.

I'm running 800gph on the 70 and my DT running level is almost an inch below the top. I'm only using about 1/4 of the weirs so I could probably go up to double the flow - most likely even higher.

 

[tbrown]

So it looks like it comes with the RS-300 based on the 33 gal capacity.

That's rated for 2000 pH or 7571 lph

RS-300 | ESHOPPS

An excellent choice for the introductory level Aquarist. Large open area for Protein Skimmer use as well as a spacious return pump chamber. Designed for use ...

www.eshopps.com

 

[Jesse Sunday]

Ahhhhh, also, I just noticed that the Mariner 130 doesn't really have an area for a refugium. That's one of the more enjoyable aspects of my Red Sea currently.

Dumb question, but is it possible (easy) to use another @ESHOPPS.INC sump in the 130? One that would support a refugium and not a skimmer?

(My current/now former sump)

 

[tbrown]

The sump section isn't much larger than the sump itself.

The AF or AR-300 should fit in the same space. The AR-300 would work with the same plumbing configuration, the AF-300 wouldn't work with the supplied plumbing.