Overflow and return section of sump empty

[Etoimos]

Sometime over night something happened in my system that caused the return section of my sump to go low enough for the pump not to push enough water back up into the tank.
(no water was going over the baffle from the sump to the return section). When I noticed this I turned the pump and skimmer off and a small amount of water drained back into the return section. I'm assuming that is from the return pipes going back up to the tank.

I also noticed that the overflow area is completely empty (normally just drains down to the two drain pipe levels (a Herbie system). The bottom of my stand had about 2 gallons of water in it and there is some water in the crawlspace below my tank. The floor around and under my tank is completely dry however. There was some evidence of water on top of the doors to my stand, but only a couple of drops.

Any thoughts on what could cause my overflow area and return section to empty, but nothing else in my system?

[Etoimos]

I just tried adding some water to the overflow area and it started leaking up around the bottom of the tanks frame.

[LeJeune981]

Sounds like the bottom seal of the tank blew out... happened on my 150 gallon reef. Except the whole seal across the back of the tank went. And put 150 gallons of SW on my floor

Sent from my SM-S907VL using Tapatalk

[nereefpat]

Yes, your system ran out of water due to the leak.

Bummer... sounds like time for a new tank. Or maybe it's just some leaky plumbing. You'll have to figure out where the leak is.

[Etoimos]

It is not leaking from the bulkheads. The bulkheads are up high as you can see in this photo (the overflow section is the reflective area in the middle of the tank):

http://cofamjeepn.com/Aquarium/Details/IDs/Issues/slides/20171210_130853.jpg

You can see the water leaking out of the bottom frame on the right hand side.

http://cofamjeepn.com/Aquarium/Details/IDs/Issues/slides/20171210_130904.jpg

It is coming over the frame in a couple of places. What is interesting is that with the display part of the tank empty, the overflow area does not leak. It only leaks when there is some water in the display area as well. I can only assume that the pressure for the display water cause a small leak to open up in the overflow area.

Now, can this be repaired if it is "just" the bottom seam, or do I need to get a whole new tank?

[lapin]

As along as the glass is not cracked the tank can be repaired.

[on the spot]

...can this be repaired...

The good news is yes.

The bad news is you have a compromised tank.

The repair is more than slathering a bead of silicone around the edges. IMO what you have now is a hamster cage.

Sorry about that.

[rocsec1]

I think it would easier and cheaper to replace the tank.

[JUNBUG361]

Purchase a new tank. Less problems in the future

[Etoimos]

Thanks for the inputs guys. I'll have to decide what to do in the next day or so. Sucks this is at Christmas time when we already have extra money going out :(.

[nereefpat]

Darnit. Unfortunately repair would mean to take the panels apart and reassemble.