leaking bulkhead

jenajet · 11-29-2006, 12:24 PM

Okay couple weeks back I removed the line coming from my overflow. Well ever since I have a slow leak. Not enough to see water coming out of it but enough salt creap to know it's there. the leak is coming from the area where the nut tightens to the bulkhead. What is the best way to fix this? Thought of redoing the teflon tape or siliconing it then replacing the nut. What do you think? I just don't want the leak getting worse and coming home to find a disaster.

Fly Guy · 11-29-2006, 12:35 PM

if all you see is saltcreep and no actual water...........i would just let it be..........it will stop on its own

How close is this to the top of the tank???

Did you overtighten it??? If so you can loosen it..........reseat it and tighten it again....might fix it altogether

jenajet · 11-29-2006, 12:55 PM

Its on the bottom of the tank. The tank is a AGA reef ready. I've tightened and loosened. To tight and it leaks as well as too loose. I have it now to were there isn't a visible leak just the eventual salt creap from a slight leak. So you think it is fine as is? I'll try and adjust more when I clean the lines again.

dobbs · 11-29-2006, 01:16 PM

It will seal eventually. Just leave it be. I had a good drip on mine...about a half gallon a day....it's all sealed up now.

LiquidLunch · 11-29-2006, 01:32 PM

I did the same thing the other night. I used to have my return "T"ed with 2 loc-lines outlets coming from the MegaFlow. I removed one of the them due to the increase flow that my Vortech provides. For a goof, I looked underneath and sure enough, I had a slow leak. I tightened it a tad and it stopped but there was a slight amount of salt creep.

Loverotties · 11-29-2006, 01:39 PM

you can try tighting it up,but I'd let it go a little and see if it seals itself.Sometimes touching it makes it worse.

leveldrummer · 11-29-2006, 01:47 PM

i wouldnt teflon the bulkhead anyway, the rubber seal should do the job itself, do you have the rubber disc on the inside of the tank? maybe check it and see if its cracked or anything. or if the bottom of the tank where the gasket sits isnt clean or smooth, it could cause it too.

jenajet · 11-29-2006, 04:04 PM

Not gonna mess with it until I do another cleaning. I am thinking sand or something got in between the gasket on the inside and to get to that gonna have to pull the canopy which I can't do alone. Thanks for all the input everyone.

Geoff · 11-29-2006, 10:08 PM

is the rubber gasket in properly. kinda hard to tell now thow.

on my bulkheads there is a smooth side and a ribbed side. the smooth ribbed side went against the tank.

G~

jenajet · 11-29-2006, 10:19 PM

You know I dont remember. Wouldn't it have leaked right away if it was wrong? Could have sworn both sides were smooth tho. I'll check it too when I pull it all out.....someday.

Fly Guy · 11-29-2006, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jenajet

You know I dont remember. Wouldn't it have leaked right away if it was wrong? .

not necessarily.......not all bulkhead gaskets have the rings.......BUT if it was backwards it could compromise the seal as the pressure on the seal side of the gasket wouldnt be distributed quite right

jenajet · 11-29-2006, 10:29 PM

Okay now ya just got me curious to know what freaking ring is on the thing! I am 75% sure it was flat on both sides cause I played with the thing for days waiting on the correct pvc tubing to get here. I may have the extras out in my building cause the sent two of the same size. Gonna see if I can find it so I don't rip the thing out for nothing! Hehe bordom kills!

jenajet · 11-29-2006, 10:38 PM

Well the extra bulkhead wasn't in my spare parts bin so its mia which means lord knows where it is. Probably get the hubby to help me pull the canopy this weekend so I can check it out to me sure unless I can see it thru the glass when I pull the nut off. At least if the gasket is ribbed and backwards I should be able to see that.

skeety · 12-01-2006, 07:11 AM

Another possibility is....can you describe the plumbing coming down/off that bulkhead?

I had a similar problem, and I found out that my plumbing was set up such that it was pulling on the bulkhead just a little....tilting it every so slightly.

Hard to explain.

But my plumbing when straight down about a foot from the bulkhead, then sideways about 3 feet, then down into the sump. This sideways plumbing would fill with water, as it should. This would give it a little weight. This would make it pull down.

Okay...not describing this right. Where's MS Paint? hehehe

okay...here ya' go.

Not sure if this applies or not. But if it does, take some wire/string and wrap it around the horizontal pipe. Then wrap the wire/string around a nail holding that part of the plumbing up and in a steady spot.

Probably barking up the wrong tree here, but just in case....hehehe

jenajet · 12-01-2006, 08:04 AM

My plumping is very simple. It is flexible pvc that goes straight from the bulkhead to my sump. No joints or weight on it at all, I just let it drain into the sump. Did I mention I hate plumbing which I why I didn't really do any! Now some technical terms for ya: I have an adapter thingy that slides up into the bulkhead and the flex pvc slides over these ridges that once it meets the last ridge it is sealed tight. The adapter thingy twists out of the bulkhead fairly easy so when I need to clean I just twist it out. It doesn't leak from there, it is leaking from between the tank and the nut that secures the bulkhead. I hold the bulkhead while doing this to make sure I am putting pressure on the adapter thingy not the bulkhead. No it's not permanent cause I probably loosened the ring while doing all of this. Eventually I want a permanent solid connector with one of those fittings that you twist the ring and it locks the threads. That probably doesn't make since but I dont know what it's called just what it looks like. I found a lfs that sales all the parts I just need to find out what they will cost me. Now you all are as confused as me!