Bulkheads Leaking HELP!

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Chizzle

Piranha
MFK Member
Jan 30, 2011
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Person I ordered the tank from said to silicone them. Please advise =]
 
What kind of bulkhead are those? Never seen that type before. How are they screwed together? Bulkheads I'm uses to have a gasket and nut (no silicone).
 
Is there a gasket? That assembly looks like requires a special tool to torque in place. How'd you install without the tool?
Try removing the black cover. Stick two screw drivers into the slots and twist tight with a plier or wrench. Be careful it may brake the fins off. Or take the black cover off and grab the outer diameter of the flange with channel locks to torque. If there is a gasket, it should go on the side that you're not turning.
 
the gasket is on the second piece. The black cap is supposed to be a drain cover. I stuck the first piece over the hole on the outside of the tank and screwed the 2nd piece into it.
 
I know you're strong but tighten by hand? Gee I wonder why it leaks?
 
Lol your having lots of issues I see xD, I kinda think I know what they are spoken about them with my tank builder but they where much thinner no massive circle base.

I would just smash some aquarium safe silicone onto one side of the bulk head when screwing it in the side with the big circle, only issue is if its leaking for another reason its going to be a pain to take off you'll have to cut the silicone with a thin stanley knife or so as for the bulk heads etc with tools we never really do that down here for proper bulk heads if anything maybe a half turn after hand tighten, if you turn to much with a wrench/spanner the pressure can cause the glass the crack.

you could also try running some silicone around the outside part and smoothing it down with a latex glove try push it into the hole and then thicken it up that should also work, it shouldn't leak though i have only installed 10 or so but none of them leaked, maybe try another twist but be carefully its not to strong.
 
Those look like the bulkheads on my above ground swimming pool....

I agree with Squirtle... take them apart, put silicone on both sides then put them back together. You can over tighten bulkheads which will push the seal out from behind the flange which will cause more leaking problems. The silicon will act as a lubricant when you are tightening the bulkhead allowing you to get the bulkhead tighter with less force.
 
Chizzle said:
Lol, so I'm guessing bulkheads are normally tightened with tools? Never dealt with them or a drilled tank before. Used an hob overflow box in the past.
Click to expand...

What I actually do is tighten them by hand and then do a 1/4 turn with a wrench. Though I do know alot of people that just hand tighten. Just don't go overboard with the wrench tightening because you caan actually crack the glass if its to tight and also displace the gasket and cause leaking. I personally don't use silicon, but somepeople do, though I have heard if you use it, it makes it easier to overtighten and crack the tank or displace o ring. The craking wouldnt be a problem for your big tank, but on a small tank, with thin glass, it could be trouble. People have different ways of doing it, just try some different things and see what works. Never seen bulkheads like thaat though. How big (thick) are the gaskets? Is it in the pic cauase i dont really see it.
 
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