dano December 10, 2007 Share December 10, 2007 I just set up a used tank setup I bought for my office and the overflow piping to the sump is leaking. I was wondering if anyone who understands the plumbing might be willing to stop by sometime and help me figure out what I need to do. I don't think it is complicated, I just don't know plumbing. Thanks much. Dano Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grav December 10, 2007 Share December 10, 2007 We may be able to talk you through it if you describe the situation for us. Is it the bulkhead (part that actually comes in contact with the hole in the glass that is leaking? Clean glass and all parts of bulkhead and gasket. Gasket goes on the inside of the tank Tighten 1/2 turn past hand tight, no more. Use no silicone Consider replacing bulkhead if it is old, threads are worn or you otherwise cant stop the leak. Hard plumbing or flex hose? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guppychao December 10, 2007 Share December 10, 2007 where in Bethesda? I work in the iar rights building I just set up a used tank setup I bought for my office and the overflow piping to the sump is leaking. I was wondering if anyone who understands the plumbing might be willing to stop by sometime and help me figure out what I need to do. I don't think it is complicated, I just don't know plumbing. Thanks much. Dano Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller December 10, 2007 Share December 10, 2007 Clean glass and all parts of bulkhead and gasket. Gasket goes on the inside of the tank Tighten 1/2 turn past hand tight, no more. Use no silicone Consider replacing bulkhead if it is old, threads are worn or you otherwise cant stop the leak. Actually, The gasket goes on the bulkhead flange side and the glass, never the nut side. There is no exception. It will leak around the threads if put on the nut side and glass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grav December 10, 2007 Share December 10, 2007 Good point chip. Having it against the nut will goof it up when you tighten the nut. Then again, I'd be worried about putting the nut side inside the aquarium. I know some people do it, but I wouldn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YBeNormal December 10, 2007 Share December 10, 2007 The only drawback I see to having the nut inside the tank is that Chip won't be able to breathe! Seriously, the only drawback I see is that the threads will get encrusted if the nut is on the inside and the bulkhead will be difficult or impossible to remove years from now. Other drawbacks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wreck December 10, 2007 Share December 10, 2007 Dano, I'm also in Bethesda. I always glad to help out fellow Bethesda members. PM or call me 301-602-9721. Rick "Wreck" where in Bethesda? I work in the iar rights building Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grav December 11, 2007 Share December 11, 2007 Seriously, the only drawback I see is that the threads will get encrusted if the nut is on the inside and the bulkhead will be difficult or impossible to remove years from now. Other drawbacks? I dunno how you would tighten it if the nut was inside an overflow. If it isn't (and on the bottom of the tank) it would be full of sand too. I'm sure there could be a reason where you would consider it... so Chip makes a valid point, but I'd try to avoid it. I wonder how Dano is doing with his plumbing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wreck December 11, 2007 Share December 11, 2007 I went to help Dano yesterday and we fixed the leak, at least it wasn't leaking when I left. We took the silicone off that he had put on in an attempt to stop the leak, removed the overflow tube, checked the gasket, cleaned the tank seat area, reinstalled the overflow and tightened the locknut(under the tank). I think all it needed was for the nut to be tightened a bit, it was pretty loose when I got there. Wreck I dunno how you would tighten it if the nut was inside an overflow. If it isn't (and on the bottom of the tank) it would be full of sand too. I'm sure there could be a reason where you would consider it... so Chip makes a valid point, but I'd try to avoid it. I wonder how Dano is doing with his plumbing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davelin315 December 11, 2007 Share December 11, 2007 That's the great thing about this club! There's always someone willing to help out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller December 11, 2007 Share December 11, 2007 The only drawback I see to having the nut inside the tank is that Chip won't be able to breathe! You know it baby. But I can hold my breath along time. Seriously, the only drawback I see is that the threads will get encrusted if the nut is on the inside and the bulkhead will be difficult or impossible to remove years from now. Other drawbacks? I was merely trying to explain that the gasket can be in or out of thewater as long as it is never on the nut side. Like Grav said, it can bunch up on tightening, but more important is that it will leak around the threads if the gasket is not put on the bulkhead flange side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dano December 11, 2007 Author Share December 11, 2007 Thank you all, very much, for your help and offers. If only I had a WAMAS for all the areas of my life. Rick very awesomely came over and figured it out and fixed it. The advantages and disadvantages of buying used setups... advantage... you don't need to figure out the plumbing as it comes already functioning... disadvantage... when something goes wrong I had no idea how it was put together. So what happened was that as I reatttached the tube to the sump to the overflow I was twisting it and it was already too loose. Since I didn't know what was nut and what was tube and what went where, I inadvertantly kept loosening it no matter what direction I turned it in. The gasket was still good and after taking it apart and cleaning out the silicone I put on the previous night (mistake), all it took was some tightening. So.. thanks again, all, and especially to Rick. You da man! and I am loving having a tank in my office. Dano Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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