Need Help with Bulkhead!

[Belamywamy]

Hey everyone! So i finally picked up the new tank today, and I am having trouble with the bulkhead, it keeps leaking! Ive tried everything and i dont know what to do anymore. I was hoping if someone can come by and help me out?? Im so new to this bulkhead thing and could really use the help.

Im located in West LA, 90064. Please Please someone help!!

Thank you

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

The rubber gasket goes on the wet side and don't over tighten it, the gasket should be slightly compressed.

I have re-used old ones in the past and I ended up siliconing the gasket to get a tight seal. So if it's used you may have to go that route.

 

[thegrun]

It helps to add a little petroleum jelly to both sides of the gasket. Is the hole in the tank the correct size?

 

[bad santa]

If you have overtightened the bulkhead and deformed the gasket you will have to get a new one. Is the area around the hole very clean? You should only need to hand tighten your bulkhead as much as you can then get some chanel locks and turn the nut about 1/8 of a turn and you should be good.
Also the gasket need to be on the wet side if its not allready.

 

[sabazerehi]

if i can jump in here lol, the gasket is on the wet side, and it's hard to hand tighten the bulkhead because of the amount of space between the opening in the stand and the bulkhead. we had gotten it tightened and not leaking and one point but then it moved and has been leaking since. also the bulkhead and the the area it fits in were thoroughly cleaned, as best as possible.

do you guys think it's just best to replace the bulkhead?

 

[Mikey912]

if you did all of that and its still leaking i would replace the bulkhead for nothing more than piece of mind, but that's just what i would do.

 

[letsgofishin]

not sure how it is 'hard to hand tighten because of space'

literally all you gotta do is hand/finger tight... I would avoid the vaseline and silicone.. they are bandaids and not the cure...

remove the bulkhead and inspect the gasket.. if it has ridges the ridges go against the glass.. if the bulkhea connects to other plumbing, then isntall the bulkhead LESS then hand tight until the other plumbing is installed and hanging inthe right direction.. if the pump is pulling on the tubjing or pvc then strap/support the pipe so that the weight is nto haning on the bulkhead.

after that, then tighten the bulkhead...

hold the bulkhead in the center of hte hole then tighten... just hand tight...

good luck

 

[Capt56]

Have you tried to rethread the plumbing tape? If all the other advice has failed, maybe it is the bulkhead that is a problem? Is there only one hole for a bulkhead? If not, does the other one leak?

 

[Belamywamy]

hey guys, thanks for all your inputs. I finally got it right and there is no leaking (for now). i had to make the holes in the stand wider and pretty much tightened it some more. took the whole day, but its finally over! next up is adding live sand and all the goodies, build thread coming soon!!

 

[Capt56]

That's good news. Just keep an eye on it. If you start having salt build up then you could possibly be leaking again.

 

[Belamywamy]

ya ill definitely be keeping an eye on it.

 

[letsgofishin]

ahh,, got how there is no clearance for tightening... cause of the hole size in the stand.... yea.. you got it...


good job...

these things, water tight penetrations thru glasss, are kinda strange and worrisome and I am glad you were sensitive to the potential problems to keep on working thru the problem...

you will sleep better knowing it is done right...