New tank leaky bulk head

S

stormyseas

New member
hi I just got an 70g cad light artisian 2 tank and I keep installing the over flow drain in the middle and put the seal ring on the inside and out side but every time I leak test it if I tighten it real tight it drips and leaks if I losen it it stops but when I connect the rest of the pipe if something where to hit the drain it drips.Then it stops leaking I just can not handle safe with this I tried using silicone very thin and that did not help. still leaks I bought it from marine depot and they said they had the same problem with there's but when they loosened it it worked I keep doing this and every time it leaks.

I made sure the rings where even on every side . The only other thing I think
I can do is put oates multipurpose glue on each side and coat the top inside the over flow. Any ideas thanks
 
Are you putting a rubber gasket on each side of the bulkhead? If so, that could be your problem. Only use the gasket on the overflow side, not under. If the bottom side of your bulkheads are threaded make sure you're using teflon tape on your threads.

The locking nut on your bulkheads should just be slightly tighter than hand tight. I usually use channel locks and add about a quarter turn after its hand tight. Its tempting to go as tight as possible with the locking washers but doing so can cause them to leak, be damaged or even damage the glass.
 
As above, tighten the nut too tight and the bulkhead will leak. Otherwise the size of the hole may be too big, or damaged.

If properly installing the bulkhead does not fix it, there are two things you can do.

1: the actual proper way would be to drain the tank, remove the bulkhead and inspect the hole, measure it and make sure the hole is sized correctly. Then take a small piece of Emory paper and sand the edges of the hole slightly to round them off and remove any burrs that may be present. Then clean the hole thoroughly, make sure it's spotless on both sides. Inspect the bulkhead itself, any excess flashing left over from the production process can interfere with the seal and cause it to leak, especially on the flange side. If you see any, knock it off with a knife and lightly sand the seam down flush. Then make sure it's cleaned as well. Reinstall the bulkhead again, you may wish to apply some silicone lube (not sealant) to the glass side of the gasket, which will prevent the gasket from binding up when tightening.

If none of this works, or if you are just in a bind and can't drain the tank or need a quick fix, you can get regular original gorilla glue, spread it all over the back of the nut and the gasket and tighten it up. Wait for it to dry and it will expand and seal the thing up. Gorilla glue could plug the Hoover dam. I suggest the proper way, but I'd be lying if I said I never used gorilla glue to seal something that tenaciously leaked no matter what I did.

Good luck.
 
Thank you so much for the reply the makers say in the instruction that one ring on one side and one on the other even when I contacted marine depot that said to make sure I had one on each side it does thread from under the tank into a durso overflow.However it looks like the leak is coming from the top .
I did use a thin layer of teph tape but I do not think that will help since it treads threw the bottom I think because it is sliding around once it has been tighten, that the whole maybe was sanded a little two much would that make a difference ?
 
Bent said:
As above, tighten the nut too tight and the bulkhead will leak. Otherwise the size of the hole may be too big, or damaged.

If properly installing the bulkhead does not fix it, there are two things you can do.

1: the actual proper way would be to drain the tank, remove the bulkhead and inspect the hole, measure it and make sure the hole is sized correctly. Then take a small piece of Emory paper and sand the edges of the hole slightly to round them off and remove any burrs that may be present. Then clean the hole thoroughly, make sure it's spotless on both sides. Inspect the bulkhead itself, any excess flashing left over from the production process can interfere with the seal and cause it to leak, especially on the flange side. If you see any, knock it off with a knife and lightly sand the seam down flush. Then make sure it's cleaned as well. Reinstall the bulkhead again, you may wish to apply some silicone lube (not sealant) to the glass side of the gasket, which will prevent the gasket from binding up when tightening.

If none of this works, or if you are just in a bind and can't drain the tank or need a quick fix, you can get regular original gorilla glue, spread it all over the back of the nut and the gasket and tighten it up. Wait for it to dry and it will expand and seal the thing up. Gorilla glue could plug the Hoover dam. I suggest the proper way, but I'd be lying if I said I never used gorilla glue to seal something that tenaciously leaked no matter what I did.

Good luck.
Click to expand...


Thanks Bent that is exactly what I was thinking I just so happen to have Oatey All purpose cement would that be just as good if I used that instead of gorilla ? I check the haze mat sheet and it does say it's aqutic safe I just was going to let it dry for 24 hours before I put water on it my tank is brand new so I did notice on the bottom of the durso there is raised lettering that could be causing it I will sand it down I all ready scraped the glass and cleaned it with rubbing alcohol. Thanks
 
Yes it's possible the hole is screwed up from sanding. It could be gouged out or lopsided.

How severe of a leak are we talking about here?

You could try buying a schedule 80 bulkhead and see if the larger size makes it seal better.
 
stormyseas said:
Thanks Bent that is exactly what I was thinking I just so happen to have Oatey All purpose cement would that be just as good if I used that instead of gorilla ? I check the haze mat sheet and it does say it's aqutic safe I just was going to let it dry for 24 hours before I put water on it my tank is brand new so I did notice on the bottom of the durso there is raised lettering that could be causing it I will sand it down I all ready scraped the glass and cleaned it with rubbing alcohol. Thanks
Click to expand...

No problem.

I like gorilla glue. It expands and seals great. You can get it at Home Depot. Just original gorilla glue.

I would measure the hole before I did anything though. It's possible that it's too big for the bulkhead and just throwing a schedule 80 bulkhead in it would solve the problem.
 
Bent said:
Yes it's possible the hole is screwed up from sanding. It could be gouged out or lopsided.

How severe of a leak are we talking about here?

You could try buying a schedule 80 bulkhead and see if the larger size makes it seal better.
Click to expand...

Its not a bad leak just when you hit it or it moves it drips for a while then stops
 
Sounds like the bulkheads gasket surface is warped and the gasket can not accommodate this.. Not idea solution but i have seen this and Doubled up on the thin gasket or put a thicker one on the inside... Teflon thread sealer is much better then teflon tape especially on abs .
 
stop the pumps. pull the overflow pipe and let it drain to the sump. the chamber should be empty while the tank is up and running.

remove the bulkhead and get a new gasket.

you "could" use silicone sealer on the outside of the top bulkhead but do not let it touch the gasket. it should make a bead on the outer circumference of the bulkhead.

let it dry for 24 hours and then continue. but make sure all surfaces are clean of debris.

rest of the other suggestions are decent as well.
 
Thanks

Thanks

OK russ i did that and got to looking at the whole set and and went to BRS and got all new hard plumbing metric converter and 2 ,1 1/2 bulk head washers i will use only one more than likely i will test it with one then two. Yes i went to walmart and got some gorilla glue that's what i will use if the new bulkhead gaskets do not work. All of this should be here thurs so we will see then
 
Never use two gaskets (washers) on a bulkhead. Also no sealant, even Gorilla Glue. Using sealant only covers up a problem, that is best fixed the right way.
 
What bill said. You have a good chance of making a real mess of your tank here, it's not worth it.

Hopefully the new set will work, sometimes you just get a bad one. No tape, no sealant, no glue (especially one that sets so rigid and could warp things as it expands). One gasket on the non-nut side is all you should need, if that doesn't work you need to address the reason why imho
 
WOW now that is some interesting info on both sides thanks guys i was just about to glue it , i did put it back on and it leaked in the same place not bad so what i am going to do is order new gaskets from the company it came from the ones i got today where two big, my fault , but it's just a leak when you move it so i going to run it. While i am here, it stopped leaking today when i left it alone so here goes a test run. Thanks
 
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