can I use epoxy to seal a thru hull fitting?

[chiroken]

Hope this is the correct forum.

I've just picked up a 6' 135g tank that is drilled in 1 corner with a 1" hole. The overflow box was plastic junk so I've ripped it out. I plan on just using this tank as a stand alone aquarium without sump. The hole in the bottom pane had a 1" thru hull fitting (pictured on the link I provided below) siliconed in place to drain or something, not sure what its actual function was. The hardware store didn't have a "bulk head" that was solid to prevent water from draining out of the tank.
Can I use 5 minute epoxy to plug the hole and just re-silicone the thru hull back in place? I was thinking to roughen up the inner portion and the top flange near the central hole to better let the epoxy grab hold. Was thinking also to stick something down the fitting to just leave maybe 1/4" of the tube below the flange. Fill'er with epoxy and let the epoxy slightly overflow the top to sort of mushroom.
If so, how long to cure before it can go in water? I was thinking to silicone it in place first, then do the epoxy in case tightening of the fitting changed the epoxied portion at all and popped it out or something. Does it really matter the order? I can save a day and epoxy tonight whereas I can silicone tonight.
How tight to tighten the nut on the bottom of the fitting? Never actually installed any bulkheads myself. Hand tight with silicon on both sides of the glass?
Planning on using GE 1 clear silicon and giving it at least 48hrs to cure before filling tank.
Thanks
http://www.bottompaintstore.com/images/39173.gif

 

[KAWAMIKIE]

Get a new bulkhead fitting with threads in it and a threaded plug. Install bulkheads dry or with a light coat of petroleum jelly on the gasket.
Or, you could use the bulked with a pipe up to water level plumbed to a drain for an auto water changer. Drip water into the tank and no more changing water manually.

 

[chiroken]

Get a new bulkhead fitting with threads in it and a threaded plug. Install bulkheads dry or with a light coat of petroleum jelly on the gasket.
Or, you could use the bulked with a pipe up to water level plumbed to a drain for an auto water changer. Drip water into the tank and no more changing water manually.

thanks for the info, this sounds exactly like what I'm wanting to do. Was trying to re-cycle the thru-hull fitting though. Got to find the bulkhead locally to speed up the process rather than paying to ship just this. And to think I just had a shipment arrive a week ago that was large enough to have free shipping and this could have been included with! grrr....

How tight on the bulkhead nut? Hand tight or hand tight + 1/4 turn? The ones I just removed I had to use a big pipe wrench to loosen (2"bulkheads)!

Thanks