griss' Tank Upgrade Thread

[griss]

Whelp, my fear turned out worse than I anticipated. I have a slow leak before even getting the sump filled and pump running. Came home to a bit of water in the stand.

It’s in the “bulkhead” in the bottom of the tank. I put bulkhead in quotes because it’s not a traditional bulkhead. It doesn’t have gasket like the typical bulkheads but was siliconed in.

Here’s some pictures.
Pic 1 - how the standpipe comes through the tank. The leak is between that fitting and the glass. Silicone used there.
Pic 2 - how that mpt is secured.
Pic 3 - this (top end) screws onto the mpt fitting in pic 2.

Not sure if just putting silicon around the bottom of the mpt and then screw the fpt to secure it will work or if I should just fill the entire bottom of the overflow with silicone. The overflow (pic 4) is so crowded I can’t really do any work in there easily.

I’ve drained the tank and overflow a bit and am letting the inside of the overflow dry out while I try to come up with a game plan.

 

[wvned]

What is pic 3?
Does the overflow have a shoulder. I am assuming the threaded bit sticking down on the bottom is the overflow pipe.

 

[griss]

What is pick 3?
Does the overflow have a shoulder. I am assuming the threaded bit sticking down if the bottom of the overflow pipe.

Pic 3 screws onto pic 1 and then to the rest of the plumbing via union.

Looks like it had a small shoulder but hard to tell since the overflow is so crowded and dark (even using a flashlight). There is a bit of a shoulder/lip. Hard to tell.

 

[griss]

Yes, threaded but sticking down is the overflow pipe.

 

[wvned]

you are going to have to get all that really clean for silicone to work. It would have to go between the shoulder and the bottom. Then I guess pic 2 is a nut you screw on and then the part in pic 3. Seal the threads with pipe dope or teflon tape?
An unusual design.
I would be very tempted to ditch it and use a standard bulkhead. You would still have to clean the bottom of the overflow very good.

Put the silicone on the pipe and then tighten the nut until it smooshes out well but not all the way down tight. Let the silicone dry the full time it says. Tape the pipe so it cant move while drying.
Not for the feint of heart.

 

[griss]

you are going to have to get all that really clean for silicone to work. It would have to go between the shoulder and the bottom. Then I guess pic 2 is a nut you screw on and then the part in pic 3. Seal the threads with pipe dope or teflon tape?
An unusual design.
I would be very tempted to ditch it and use a standard bulkhead. You would still have to clean the bottom of the overflow very good.

Put the silicone on the pipe and then tighten the nut until it smooshes out well but not all the way down tight. Let the silicone dry the full time it says. Tape the pipe so it cant move while drying.
Not for the feint of heart.

I can’t do a standard bulkhead. Pro Clear uses metric plumbing. Unless, I can find a metric bulkhead, haven’t looked into that yet.

The biggest problem is, as tight as it is in the overflow, I don’t know how clean I could get the glass. I definitely can’t get my hand down in there…oh wait, maybe if I pull the offending overflow pipe I could.

 

[wvned]

That white stuff is brittle and chalky. The perfect enemy of an adhesive trying to do it's job.

 

[wvned]

I would put acid in a bucket and pour it through and catch it in another. Swap them and do it several times. It will dissolve the white stuff. Then clean around the hole in the bottom from through the hole. That is the only part that matters.

Poke a rag in the hole and soak it with the acid. Pull it through a bit so the drips are channeled into the bucket below.
You are done when it feels clean and smooth around the hole. Then it will seal. Soak the pipe too at the bottom.

 

[griss]

I would put acid in a bucket and pour it through and catch it in another. Swap them and do it several times. It will dissolve the white stuff. Then clean around the hole in the bottom from through the hole. That is the only part that matters.

Poke a rag in the hole and soak it with the acid. Pull it through a bit so the drips are channeled into the bucket below.
You are done when it feels clean and smooth around the hole. Then it will seal. Soak the pipe too at the bottom.

Brilliant. I’ll go that route, I do have citric acid so can use that.