The art of the Bulkhead

[Kathy55g]

I had a salty river coming from my bulkhead on a tank with baby fish in there. I had gotten the tank used, with the bulkhead in place. When I noticed the leak, I got out the pipe wrench, drained to below the fitting, and tweaked it tighter. That didn't help, so I went tighter. That didn't help so I tightened, and then CRACK.

It appears I sheared the thing in two. Just goes to show, you got a pipe wrench, you plenty strong.

Fortunately I have another unused tank with a similar bulkhead. I did the switcheroo, but the new bulkhead still weeps a little. I am now afraid to tighten it further.

How do you know when enough is enough? what is the trick with these things?

 

[Spuds725]

I don't have a huge amount of experience but from what I've been told....

Tighten by hand until snug, then an additional 1/4 to 1/2 turn with a wrench or pliers.

Some people silicone over ther edge of the bulkhead (over the gasket) so the bead goes fromt the bulkhead plastic to the glass.

 

[DHyslop]

Its also been claimed that some of the curing products of the silicone will affect the gasket: either chemically or by building up pressue. Bulkheads are designed to be used without silicone, putting it in there is a band-aid for impatience, IMO.

I never use a wrench: hand tighten only. Make sure the gasket is lying flat, and there's not any torque on the bulkhead. Remember, some of these bulkheads aren't of the best quality: Take the gasket off and look at the bottom of the flange...there are probably two plastic ridges from the mold. Take an emory board or some sandpaper and get rid of them. Also make sure your gasket doesn't have a crack in it.

Pay attention to where your water is coming out, too. Once I got really frustrated trying to stop a drip in my bulkhead before I realized it wasn't the bulkhead, it was the threaded male PVC adapter.

Sometimes you have to fiddle with it for an hour or two! Even then you sometimes have a slow drip. At that point, put bucket underneath for a day or two and often it will fix itself.

Good luck!

Dan

 

[areze]

a little water based lubricant could help. just so the gasket can settle down.

also important that the tank and gasket be clean to get a good seal.

or lastly it could just be old or cheap. silicone all around the inside after the bulkhead is in place is the only solution for this problem, other than replacing it.