Bulkhead leaking

[texanjordan]

I started setting up my tank last night, got the sand in, the rock scape in, and started adding salt water. The tank is about half full, when I decided to test my overflow area for leaks. Im glad I did, and didnt wait until the tank was full because the bulkhead leaks terribly. Not exactly sure why, but I think I may know the culperate. I used pvc pipe to hard plumb my return pump to my overflow return and it is not exactly a flush fit, the pipe goes at a little angle, so when I put the pvc pipe into the return, it appears to bend it a little. Whenever I put the PVC pipe in the return, it causes the bulkhead to leak, ALOT! I also might have a bad bulkhead, im not sure. I plan on going to Coral Cove at lunch and picking up a new bulkhead, maybe one with a barbed end, and just running some soft tubing from my return pump to my tank. Hopefully this will stop the leakage, and allow me to continue. Last night was very frustrating!

[Dean]

I would definitely use tubing rather than rigid pipe. Rigid pipe when in even a small bind can snap your glass. Good thing you caught it now though. :)

[Big_Pun]

the key to good seal is to snug them up when first installing(not too tight) then when they leak slowly tighten a lil bit at a time. remember you can over tighten them and push out the rubber seal

[texanjordan]

I will go with a barbed fitting for sure tonight and just use 1 inch tubing to run to my return pump. I might be over tighting as well, not sure.