my sump has a leak

[mm16]

Somewhere on lower half of my sump sprung a leak. Can I simply remove the bad one and use another one I have without causing any problems with the water chemistry?
Thanks

 

[Keira in CO]

Can u describe your sump and the leak?

 

[mm16]

the drain comes from a flex line to the top of the sump over the foam pad, onto live rock in the first chamber. Then to the second chamber with the skimmer and the return pump. The leak must be a pin hole which I can't find.

 

[Keira in CO]

oiy... well, a leak is a leak. if you find it, it be a simple solution of something like some plumbers tape or non-chem fix. u mentioned that water is leaking from one chamber to the next, i highly doubt there'd be any appreciable change to your water chemistry. Feel free to keep us up to date!

 

[wontonflip]

Is the sump leaking into another compartment or is it leaking out of the sump completely? If it's leaking out of the sump completely, I'd just change out the sump (or take it out, drain it, find the leak, and resilicone it if it's a glass tank. It won't give you issues -- it's like doing a water change :D Old sump w/ old water out, new sump w/ new water in ;) I've changed out my sump in my 125g 2 or 3 times since I set it up.

 

[mm16]

Its leaking out of the sump, I was going to change it with another sump I have.

 

[salt_for_brains]

Unless you have a refugium chamber with sand in the sump you won't have any issues changing out sumps.

 

[NathanMI]

All the bacteria is in your live rock. I did this before but I saved the water and algae in a 50 g brute can with the live rock, heater, and a power head while the silicone cured and put it all back in after, including the water. It was a 50g wet/dry sump on a fish only tank I used to have.

 

[mm16]

Thanks..I'm going.to change it out today.

 

[NathanMI]

Good luck, let us know how it goes.