Nope, that the wrong way! Take it down and start over LOL
How do you get in there to tighten the bulkhead? I always have to make a bigger hole around my bulkhead to get channel locks in there?
plumbing aces needed.. bulkhead under tank. what adapts to standard pvc fittings?
- Thread starter WildCAught
- Start date
Nope, that the wrong way! Take it down and start over LOL
How do you get in there to tighten the bulkhead? I always have to make a bigger hole around my bulkhead to get channel locks in there?
Then I will stand semi-corrected. I tried to do similar at one time. Spent two hours in front of the PVC bins at the hardware store and couldn't find anything that matched up enought to give me more than two or three turns. Yours doesn't appear to be on very far.
Solid point, I think if I do decide to go this route I'll throw on some silicone to ensure a proper seal as a just in case.
Pharao, I did the same thing looking around the pvc bins at a hardware store then a home depot. Unfortunately, this is what I had to do with the first Pipe given the ciscumstances. I got about 4 turns out of it with the pvc cement. Honestly it doesn't look or feel like it's coming loose unless I decide to remove it with great force. I did not want to repeat the same headache on the other side for the new sump setup though.
I want to thank everyone for their input. Everything is going to be carefully considered once I give it a go. Lesson learned... No more permanent mods until everything is mapped out.
-Javi
I want to thank everyone for their input. Everything is going to be carefully considered once I give it a go. Lesson learned... No more permanent mods until everything is mapped out.
-Javi
I think this is a great excuse to get another tank! Move your fish to a new tank (larger). Then you will have time to focus on the plumbing on this unit
I think this is a great excuse to get another tank! Move your fish to a new tank (larger). Then you will have time to focus on the plumbing on this unit
Hahaha I like your style, but my days of running multiple large tanks are done. Maybe next year when my wife and I move to different spot.
Interesting. My goggle-fu tells me that these white bulkheads have tapered threads that match up with the NPT threads of PVC fittings. The black bulkheads you commonly see sold everywhere, do not.
I've plumbed ponds for many years and so I had a tool machined out of aluminum to hold and turn bulkheads. I'm also the Engineer for wlimproducts designing and manufacturing specialty products.
There are a lot of different bulkheads out there.
First it is important to differentiate the two different types of pipe threads, NPT (National Pipe Tapered) and NPS (National Pipe Straight). Both NPT and NPS have the same thread angle, shape, and pitch (threads per inch). However, NPT threads are tapered and NPS threads are straight (parallel). Both threads have a 60° included angle and have flat peaks and valleys.
NPT threads are meant for a male-thread to female-thread connection and seal tighter as they are torqued more. Typically you use teflon tape or pipe-dope to help seal the connection.
NPS threads are meant to be used with a gasket and tighten all the way down without resistance (like a bolt or nut thread). They do not require the use of teflon tape or pipe dope (although a light application of pipe-dope does help lubricate the threads).
It is possible to mate NPT and NPS threads in low-pressure applications with plenty of teflon tape, but it is not "up-to-code".
The most commonly available aquarium bulkheads are the black PVC schedule 40 slip x slip bulkheads. These have a a "slip" or "socket" fitting on the inside and out. The threads on the outside of the fitting are straight threads, but they are not NPS threads. These are only for the tightening nut and will not match up to NPS or NPT threads. These bulkheads are popular because they allow for the largest possible cross-section through the smallest possible hole. Other bulkheads (schedule 80 thread x thread, for example) require a considerably larger hole to be drilled for a given pipe size.
There are bulkheads with NPT threads inside and out, bulkheads with NPT on the inside and NPS outside, and bulkheads with NPT threads inside and left-hand threads outside. There are other variations including different combinations of slip fittings, barbed fittings, NPS, NPT, and other threads as well.
The moral of the story is that there are a lot of ways to make a bulkhead, each one needs to be looked at for what it is.
First it is important to differentiate the two different types of pipe threads, NPT (National Pipe Tapered) and NPS (National Pipe Straight). Both NPT and NPS have the same thread angle, shape, and pitch (threads per inch). However, NPT threads are tapered and NPS threads are straight (parallel). Both threads have a 60° included angle and have flat peaks and valleys.
NPT threads are meant for a male-thread to female-thread connection and seal tighter as they are torqued more. Typically you use teflon tape or pipe-dope to help seal the connection.
NPS threads are meant to be used with a gasket and tighten all the way down without resistance (like a bolt or nut thread). They do not require the use of teflon tape or pipe dope (although a light application of pipe-dope does help lubricate the threads).
It is possible to mate NPT and NPS threads in low-pressure applications with plenty of teflon tape, but it is not "up-to-code".
The most commonly available aquarium bulkheads are the black PVC schedule 40 slip x slip bulkheads. These have a a "slip" or "socket" fitting on the inside and out. The threads on the outside of the fitting are straight threads, but they are not NPS threads. These are only for the tightening nut and will not match up to NPS or NPT threads. These bulkheads are popular because they allow for the largest possible cross-section through the smallest possible hole. Other bulkheads (schedule 80 thread x thread, for example) require a considerably larger hole to be drilled for a given pipe size.
There are bulkheads with NPT threads inside and out, bulkheads with NPT on the inside and NPS outside, and bulkheads with NPT threads inside and left-hand threads outside. There are other variations including different combinations of slip fittings, barbed fittings, NPS, NPT, and other threads as well.
The moral of the story is that there are a lot of ways to make a bulkhead, each one needs to be looked at for what it is.
