Stubborn aquarium leak requires special solution
Consultant: Gamka Sales
Contractor and Client: Adventure Aquarium, Camden, New Jersey
PROBLEM: Adventure Aquarium, located on the Delaware River waterfront in Camden, N.J., needed to repair a leak in a tank that is part of the aquarium’s West African River Experience, a popular exhibit featuring hippos, porcupines and more than 20 species of African birds in a free-flight aviary.
The problem area was located within a 60,000-gallon “pool” belonging to the aquarium’s two Nile hippos, Button and Genny.
“We had a leaking acrylic window joint in our hippopotamus tank,” said Don Seymour, chief engineer for Adventure Aquarium.
“We had drained the tank for routine cleaning and the leak was worse when the weight of the water was taken off the window.”
The tank had been leaking on and off since the aquarium opened in May 2005. Bill Iacovo of Gamka Sales Company offered a solution: seal the leaks with Prime Flex 900 XLV.
SOLUTION: Prime Flex 900 XLV is a hydrophilic, polyurethane injection resin designed to seal leaks in concrete and masonry structures. When it contacts with water, 900 XLV expands up to 600% and forms a tough, flexible foam seal that cannot be penetrated by water. Another critical factor for this particular job: Prime Flex 900 XLV is U.L. certified to conform to NSF/ANSI Standard 61 Drinking Water Systems Components – Health Effects.
Don Seymour and his team of engineers made the repair in house.
“The caulking worked great,” Seymour said. “We are able to use it to stop leaks where no other caulking we have seems to work. As a matter of fact, we have another leak in a shark tank window that needs repair and we plan to bring in a contractor to inject the tank with 900 XLV.”
BENEFIT: The aquarium avoided a more expensive repair or replacement project.
As for Button and Genny, they can get back to the task of swimming and showing off in their newly repaired pool free from chemical contamination.
