*FIXED* MAJOR LEAK!!

[~TG~]

HELP ME PLEASE!!

I Finally set up my 150g, all the plumbing had been done and tested for leaks.... today that the tank was completly STOCKED with lots of LR and corals i have A MAJOR LEAK in 2 areas...WATER EVERYWHERE...

1 is at the bulkheads under the overflow and another in the sump ~ return side seal.... :cry I have tried effortlessly to tighten it as best i can but it didnt stop :cry I drained the sump and shut the pump off and left it with 2 rios 2100 for water movement

Can someone please please help me i will be home all day tomorrow
please call me at 210-364-3453 or 210-375-4458

I am willing to pay anyone for their time I just really need some help here

Thanks
Thelma

[Texreefer]

if they are not the grey heavy duty, don't tighten them with a wrench they will crack... major experience talking here.. if they are leaking at the bulkeads then you have cracked bulkheadsor bulheads are too small,, i'm sure the latter you already took into consideration.. i would come look at it but i'm unable to leave the house for medical reasons,, keep us posted

[caferacermike]

I'm going to second the cracked bulkhead. I used to buy the thread by thread type until I got tired of replacing them every month. The casting seam would always break from the taper of the NPT male adapter I'd put in the bottom. And that was only hand tight on the adapter. I began using threaded tank side by female slip (glue) stand side and the problem disappeared.

[~TG~]

did you hand tight the bulkheads or use a wrench? I used a wrench when I did them they are the heavy duty sch80 bulkheads from hayward and will be ok if you use a wrench

well i did use a wrench but not sure how well i tightened them :( obviously not tight enough...


I am more than sure the problem is loose bulkheads but i cant tighten them.. and so i need some help here :(

[caferacermike]

My bad, didn't realize it was your old tank. What if the threads of the nut has been cross threaded? That'd make it feel tight.

[LoneStar]

Thats a possibility. If it felt tight threading on, or if there is a slight gap on one side of the nut it could be cross threaded. I would back the nut off and see how smooth it travels on the threads. If it feels good, the hand tighten the nut against the sump and follow up with some channel locks.

[5.0Stang]

is there a rubber seal on the bulkhead maybe its on the wrong side i had the same problem along time ago

[~TG~]

IT'S SEALED!!!!!

It's not leaking no more!! I took everything off and cleaned all around the bulkheads..(Brian you must be some kinda contortionist) :roll

Im sure that i didnt tighten them hard enough when i put it all together and they became loose when i was trying to pry open the valves last nite.... Plus Its Amazing what a swift kick in the husbands @$# can do when youre FRUSTRATED and TIRED!! :angry ...

Thanks for youre replies as to what i needed to look out for!

Thelma

[matt]

Great news, I thought that would do it.

[prof]

Glad to hear it is fixed!

A word of advice to all bulkhead users out there:
NEVER use a wrench on a bulkhead! They should always be hand tightened with the rubber gasket on the wet side of the tank.

Now the but,
Larger bulkheads, like the 1.5" haywards that Greenmako uses, are very difficult to get tight by hand. They are much stronger than other bulkheads and if you are working on a larger tank the glass is thicker and can handle the compression force. With lesser bulkheads, the bulkhead or worse, the glass could break.

I don't mean to preach but I have cracked a glass panel before.