griss' Tank Upgrade Thread

[Uncle99]

No, not leaking at the fitting. When I put that piece on it leaks from the glass/overflow area.

When I expand that pic a ton, I see what looks like black silicone.
Use don’t know the history so maybe silicone was used in this case.

Maybe warm that silicone with a hair drier and twist it like @bandsaw2 suggests.

 

[griss]

When I expand that pic a ton, I see what looks like black silicone.
Use don’t know the history so maybe silicone was used in this case.

Maybe warm that silicone with a hair drier and twist it like @bandsaw2 suggests.

That’s why I thought it was siliconed in. Not sure how I’d warm the silicone with a hair dryer. And, as you know, there’s no room to work inside the overflow. I’d prefer not to drain the tank. Hair dryer from underneath? Any risk of cracking the glass by heating it?

 

[ironwill723]

That’s why I thought it was siliconed in. Not sure how I’d warm the silicone with a hair dryer. And, as you know, there’s no room to work inside the overflow. I’d prefer not to drain the tank. Hair dryer from underneath? Any risk of cracking the glass by heating it?

Hair dryer should work fine. Just keep it moving over the area. All you need to do is warm it up a bit.

 

[wvned]

I don't think silicone will soften at any temperature the plastic will endure.
I would place a small block of soft wood across the bottom and try tapping it with a hammer to get it out. Or angle a strap wench into it on the top and turn it gently.
It sounds like it was siliconed in but the adhesion has failed in some places but it is still stuck in others.

 

[Uncle99]

That’s why I thought it was siliconed in. Not sure how I’d warm the silicone with a hair dryer. And, as you know, there’s no room to work inside the overflow. I’d prefer not to drain the tank. Hair dryer from underneath? Any risk of cracking the glass by heating it?

The tank is full but the weir is dry?
Is that correct?
Just want to make sure I have it right….
Can’t see how you can fix that unless the pipe is out.
Then we can inspect the flange and install or replace with a proper bulkhead seal.

 

[griss]

The tank is full but the weir is dry?
Is that correct?
Just want to make sure I have it right….
Just enough heat from the bottom in hopes for some flexibility.

The weir/overflow box is currently full, but if I siphon/vacuum the water out it stays dry.

 

[kharmaguru]

I assume it's this material keeping the pipe from coming out. Can you push on it with a toothpick or something to see if it's flexible like silicone or some kind of hard compound. If it's the latter, it's likely not going to come through the hole without removing it.

 

[griss]

View attachment 32416578

I assume it's this material keeping the pipe from coming out. Can you push on it with a toothpick or something to see if it's flexible like silicone or some kind of hard compound. If it's the latter, it's likely not going to come through the hole without removing it.

I picked at it with an awl. It’s rubbery like silicone. So, they did use silicone.

I found a thread on another forum where someone bought a ProStar new and wanted to replace the pipes in the overflow and couldn’t because they were siliconed in. So, Pro Clear does or did use silicone.

Now, the question is, if I can get the pipe out, how the heck am I going to clean the residual silicone off the bottom glass with no room to work in that overflow?

 

[Uncle99]

I picked at it with an awl. It’s rubbery like silicone. So, they did use silicone.

I found a thread on another forum where someone bought a ProStar new and wanted to replace the pipes in the overflow and couldn’t because they were siliconed in. So, Pro Clear does or did use silicone.

Now, the question is, if I can get the pipe out, how the heck am I going to clean the residual silicone off the bottom glass with no room to work in that overflow?

That’s a million dollar question. I don’t know what they did with mine, maybe the same.
That would have been dumb on their side, a simple bulkhead gasket would have been better easier and cheaper.
Could maybe you get your fingers up through the bottom glass and see if it’s hard or more rubbery?
Maybe feel how much is there and what condition.

I’m not coming up with much else other than, one step at a time. If it leaks, it’s gotta come out first.

 

[griss]

I was able to start twisting the pipe and twisted, pulled, lather, rinse, repeat and it won’t come loose.

So, I tapped it from the bottom and it’s now flush with the bottom of the tank but still won’t come out????

 

[griss]

Well then..,

 

[griss]

It’s definitely silicone that had degraded around the threads. Now, how the heck am I going to get this silicone out?

 

[Uncle99]

Excellent!
Well done.
No seal of course so that’s the issue.
Can you carefully “feel” up, and inside the glass with fingers?
Remember it’s glass and may have a sharp edge.
Or can you flash a strong light down and just have a look?
Your almost there.

 

[griss]

The chewed up silicone in the post above was right were it was leaking.

 

[Uncle99]

It’s definitely silicone that had degraded around the threads. Now, how the heck am I going to get this silicone out?

Ok, seems your already past this.

 

[griss]

Ok, seems your already past this.

Isn’t this silicone? Maybe not?

 

[Uncle99]

Looks like a repair to me.

 

[griss]

Better pictures.

 

[griss]

Looks like a repair to me.

There one on all three pipes. Makes me think it might be some kind of gasket that they siliconed in place????

 

[griss]

Stuck a finger in the hole to feel the “gasket” and it feels rubbery. It’s definitely sealed to the glass somehow. Suggestions on next step? Put a real gasket on this “gasket?”

What’s weird is, if the “gasket” is silicone, should some have stuck to the standpipe? There isn’t any except on the threads.