how to seal up unwanted 1 1/4" diameter hole
- Thread starter Daddyrawg
- Start date
laverda
Well-known member
A bulkhed with a plug is one way to do it. The OD of bulkheads vary by manufacturer. The type of plug will depend on if your using a slip or threaded bulkhead. Either way the plugs are standard parts available at all most any hardware store. This is best if you might want to use the hole latter.
You can also seal it by bonding another peice of acrylic over the hole. This is the best permanent solution as it will never leak if done properly. I have plenty of scrap acrylic and the proper bonding agent. You can get them at a plactic supply store or many sign stores.
You can also seal it by bonding another peice of acrylic over the hole. This is the best permanent solution as it will never leak if done properly. I have plenty of scrap acrylic and the proper bonding agent. You can get them at a plactic supply store or many sign stores.
What do the plugs look like?
windlasher
New member
Where is the hold? Bottom or side?
windlasher
New member
OK, A couple of ideas.
A Bulkhead would work, but it would be ugly. I am not sure there are any 1/4 bulkheads which means that you would have to drill it out to 1/2' making it ugly and big which leave you with option two.
Easier: Tape off the hole on both sides. This is to catch drips. Cut a circle out of Acrylic a little larger than the hole that is there and glue it in place using acrylic glue like WELD-ON. This glue bonds the acrylic pieces together. Still ugly, but less ugly than a bulkhead. For the paranoid, you could do both sides.
If it were thicker, you could actually plug it using an acrylic dowel but I dont imagine a 35g is more than 1/4 inch. In that case you could buy a slightly larger dowel and using a drill and fine sandpaper very slowly bring the new dowel down to where it just barely fits into the hole and secure with weld on.
I did this with a 400 gal tank but that was 1" thick acrylic.
Others may have other ideas.
windlasher
New member
As an aside, use the hols as part of the circulation/return system.
laverda
Well-known member
see https://www.homedepot.com/s/1%2F2%20PVC%20plug?NCNI-5 The first 2 are threaded the third is a glue in slip fitting.
laverda
Well-known member
I believe the hole is 1.25" not 1/4". I may be wrong.
you are correct h0le is 1 1/4"
Thank you!!! so these would go on the other side of the bulkheads and close me up? do i need any kind of sealant or teflon tape?
If you use a bulkhead connector, there is simple screw-on cap that matches its 'inside the tank' threading. Install the bulkhead connector, screw the cap on nicely with plumber's tape. Done. You can probably do it from both directions with a second cap.
The Weld-on patch is also secure. About as secure as your corner seams. If your hole is a weird size, this is your best answer.
Note: your fish store may have those bulkhead connectors and caps. Lowes had no idea what I was talking about. At least mine didn't.
The Weld-on patch is also secure. About as secure as your corner seams. If your hole is a weird size, this is your best answer.
Note: your fish store may have those bulkhead connectors and caps. Lowes had no idea what I was talking about. At least mine didn't.
windlasher
New member
Yeah, I missed that. I'd go with the seal solution. Bulkheads are ugly.
