Bummer!

[mflamb]

Water test #1 failed. Leaks where the pvc "T" connects to the bulkhead on the back of the sump.

Because I can't tighten the "T", I loosened the nut on the bulkhead and turned the bulkhead to tighten it. The leak slowed from 1 drip per 140 seconds to 1 drip per 4 minutes 15 seconds. So I drained the water out. Tomorrow I will seperate the pumps from the "T" and remove the bulkhead to remove the "T". Then I will retape and reassemble and retest.
I had another leak, but it was my stupidity. I installed a fitting and never tightened it. Here's a pic of the drip in action:

Remember, this is freshwater, so the skimmer is flat.

 

[Ah64av8tor]

At least you are closer to completing than I am.

 

[mflamb]

I'm not sure about that. You have a freaking top of the line light set up, and I have 3 ballasts and some foggy ideas in my head.

 

[Ah64av8tor]

I talked to Joe....and shouldn't say but got some frags too. He said he has all kinds of the sola-tube scraps you could use.

I cant wait to see the lumalamb reflectors when you are done.

Have you got access to a break to bend the sheet metal?

 

[mflamb]

One of my apprentices at the shop has access at his father's sheet metal shop. They primarily do a/c work.

 

[ReefArtist]

Good thing you're testing !

 

[CMcNeil]

catch all your leaks now.i had a few after i had salt in it.better to clean up fresh water than salt water.

 

[Ah64av8tor]

Mike,

Thats good, a break makes things a lot easier, and if you are doing what I think you are going to do there are a lot of bends.

 

[mflamb]

I pm'd you what I'm doing.

 

[poknsnok]

Hey Mike.. on that pic of the skimmer..it empties below water level. is the backpressure an issue?... BTW... I still have a leak 1 drop per 45 days...

 

[poknsnok]

solatube

solatube

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9301717#post9301717 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ah64av8tor
I talked to Joe....and shouldn't say but got some frags too. He said he has all kinds of the sola-tube scraps you could use.

I cant wait to see the lumalamb reflectors when you are done.

Have you got access to a break to bend the sheet metal?

Hey Greg. the solatube material I have is really Suntek material and has a yellow tinting to it. the outside is very reflective but not quite spectral grade...

 

[mflamb]

The skimmer is setup at the manufacturers water depth, so shouldn't have any problems.

 

[alizarin]

If you don't have minor failures during testing it's bad luck that you might have bigger failures when it's full of critters. =)

 

[mflamb]

Well...I removed, cleaned and heavily taped that fitting into the bulkhead, and the leak stopped. I ran the skimmer pumps for a couple of hours, and all is well. I completely filled the 125 sump and ran the return pump a few times. All seems well with the return system, but that will be seen for sure when I fill the 390 and run the return for a week or so. I filled each of the overflow boxes and let the water run through the drains. No problems there. Some time this weekend or next week, I fill it up to the closed loop drains and test the OM4ways and the CL pumps. Then it's all the way to the top!!!

 

[CMcNeil]

:thumbsup: cant wait to see your loop setup running.should be very interesting.