Leaking bulkhead--different one this time

B

basssnake

New member
This time two bulkheads in the middle of the back of the tank are leaking. These have a pipe out of each one that T's into one pipe to feed my reeflo dart pump. The guy that had it before looks like he used threaded elbows(1 1/2 pvc) at each bulkhead and appears that he didn't use any thread sealant(silicone, thread tape, etc.). Water is slowly dripping out where the elbows go into the bulkhead. I drained the water down below and have been drying it overnight with a fan.

Can i just use some silicone and silicone it real good around it to seal it and make it quit leaking? I can't undo the pipes without doing some major replumbing work.
 
If it's the piece that goes into the bulkhead and it's threaded you can spin the bulkhead to take it apart. Use teflon tape and reassemble. That's what I'd do. Silicone may work but why not just fix it right?
 
They make "grip wrenches". It's a handle with a long rubber strap that you can put around the bulkhead and it won't damage it at all.

Looks like this.

grip-wrench.jpg
 
Yeah, i do have one of those. The problem is that they are sch 40(i think) bulkheads so they are smooth around the flange. Any idea if that will still work? I have already siliconed around the pvc where it goes into the bulkhead. Should i just leave well enough alone since i already have done this?
 
In my opinion, if you have the water drained down below the bulkheads already, then fix it right. Silicon dosent stick to plastic very well. Works great on glass but not so well on plastic.
 
Yes i am using gaskets. It is leaking where the pipe goes into the bulkhead. I already did silicone it. I am just afraid that if i try to undo the bulkhead from the pipe it will break something. It is like this, there is two bulkheads and there is a elbow coming out of each and the pipes coming out connect with a tee fitting in the middle. So, the only way to mess with it is to cut the pipe or undo the bulkheads by turning the flange inside the tank. Is this easily done somehow since these have smooth flanges? Otherwise the silicone seems to be sticking well.
 
Use silicone, not teflon tape. I have been siliconing my threaded connections on tanks for over 15 years and have not had one leak yet. Make sure you apply the silcone to the male threads then screw it into the female. (that sounds dirty). LOL..

Make sure you use 100% silicone without mold enhibitors.
 
Use thread tape. There is a right way and a wrong way. Just because the wrong way works for a little while, doesn't mean it won't fail. If you have to cut the pipes, cut the pipes. If you have enough room you can use a compression coupling where you cut. If not, when you re plumb, make sure you design it to be taken apart more easily. JMO
 
The last tank (before I moved) was up for 8 years.. No leaks.. I actually started with tape and had to replace it since the it started to let microbubbles in.

The silicone does not GLUE the pipe. You can remove a siliconed threaded connection

With your 4 months of hobby experience, I dont know what you are baseing your comment off of.
 
Screw a plug into the inside, threaded part of the bulkhead, remove the pipe on the outside, dry and clean up the bulkhead and the pipe, and re-cement it.
 
Well, i bought this system used and i am in the process of resetting up, this plumbing setup was not done by me. I only hooked onto the existing plumbing. I really think that it is threaded in, but i can't tell it for certain. There isn't enough pipe sticking out(it is all the way to the end where the lip is on the 90 elbow) to tell if it is or not. I put silicone all around the bulkhead where the pvc comes out of. It appears to be sticking well to it. The leak was a very slow drip. If this will work, then it is good enough for me. Will the silicone for some reason not hold long term?
 
I would replace the bulkhead... Those gaskets dont last forever. For the few bucks for a new bulkhead its worth the peace of mind
 
Thread tape on the threaded fittings and a small film of petroleum jelly on both sides of the gasket to make an air tight seal and keep the gaskets from deteriorating and soft.
 
They didn't leak around the gasket. It was leaking where the pvc goes into the bulkhead. I have installed some other bulkheads, so does petroleum jelly not hurt any live things in the tank if it gets into the water?

Is there any reason for the silicone to not continue to seal? It is sticking fine from what i can tell and the leak was very minimal.
 
Petroleum jelly will not hurt anything. A small film is all that is needed.

PVC slip parts should be primed and glued with pvc primer and glue.

I have wrapped teflon (thread) tape around pvc parts to seal a small leak as long as their is no pressure on the pipe.

On slip fittings, most of the silicone is pushed away from the joint when the two are joined together
 
The pipe is installed in the bulkhead already by the previous owner. It is either threaded and not sealed on the threads or a slip on and not glued good enough. I am wondering if my siliconing around where the pipe goes into the bulkhead will fix the leak permanetly??
 
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