Coral reefer
Past President
I always drill from inside to out since I usually get more chips on the end of the drilling.
210 gallon Dream tank
- Thread starter MichaelB
- Start date
I had help drilling it. Definitely no blame game here really greatful I didn't have to drill it myself having never done it before.
They do seem minor to me, but as @RandyC mentioned could likely not be water tight. Do to the slight imperfections between tank and gaskets.
I can definitely see your point the tank was drilled from the back so chips are on inside. I guess chips would be on back if it was done the other way instead.
I also assume it's better to have chips opposite from the flange bulkheads.
@Turkeysammich I'm not ruling out silicone I actually bought a tube. This is just me being hopeful I wouldn't need it. From your picutures my bulkheads are different. The end of the bulkheads extend well pass the nut in the overflow box. So I couldn't see how to get silicone around the threads like in your pictures. I can easily see using silicone around the flange side bulkhead in the tank where the chips are.
I just wanna consider silicone as only option. I've waited this long figure another week or two can't hurt. I would prefer to resolve leak thing now before it's full of rocks, and livestock etc.
So far still half full of water. I may drain the water out and into a second 55gal barrel I have. In addtion to draining the sump so I can move the tank further from wall. Probably a solid 190 gallons of water to move. Should make it eaiser than the balancing on top ladder step I've been doing .
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RandyC
Supporting Member
The nut should never have a gasket on it for the potential of twisting or torquing the gasket causing it to not lie flat. Your particular bulkhead model would be even worse to have a gasket on it since it is not flat would mostly definitely bunch up the gasket or worse, tear it.
The gasket should be placed on a flat surface and slight pressure place on it so that a leak free seal it made.
That flat part of your bulkhead should not be a significant problem as long the gasket is placed on a completely flat surface and the gasket covers the hole of the external box and the tank hole correctly between the exterior of the tank and external box. A seal will form on the outside of the tank and the outside of the exterior box preventing leakage. I must not be explaining this correctly or you're not able to visualize what is actually happening, but I assure you, this is the correct installation. I installed seven of these marine modular and a number of other overflows (Fiji, eshopps).
Obviously, if you make the hole of the tank or the hole of the external overflow box bigger than what the gasket can cover, it will leak. In this case, I'd either use a different bulkhead with a bigger flange/gasket, a bigger bulkhead size that can better cover the hole if possible or go fugly with the silicon.
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RandyC
Supporting Member
I usually drill outside to in, but I make sure to clamp a piece of wood on the inside of the tank to ensure I don't push through with too much pressure at the end. Also, on smaller tanks, it's hard to go inside to out because my drill doesn't fit.
RandyC
Supporting Member
You can cut the bulkhead as long as the bulkhead extends 1/8-1/4" past the nut after it's been tightened.
Didn't know that was s a option. Nut is between like 1-2 inches before end of bulkhead. In otherwords the threads extend over a inch beyond the nut in the overflow box.
RandyC
Supporting Member
Some overflows (especially slim models) require that to be done to fit the standpipe. Here's a pic of my IM25 with a Marine Modular overflow.
SupraSaltyReefer
Supporting Member
Some people also use a battery drill vs a corded drill. I’ve found using a corded drill is less likely to chip the glass. Gives you more consistent even power.
Mini update part 1.
Ok drained the tank, sump, and ato resivor. Took me 1- 55gallon barrel 3 -27 gallon totes, 1 65gallon tote, and 2 5 gallon buckets. Funny part is system was only 75% full.
I was able to than pull the tank away from wall making it easier to access overflow box without balancing on a ladder reaching from the side.
The right hole of tank looks fairly intact no visible chips worth noting.
All these picutures are the left side with tbe visible chips also where I see the most water dripping from. Hopefully with the excess of angles the chips will accurately show up.
@RandyC
Ok drained the tank, sump, and ato resivor. Took me 1- 55gallon barrel 3 -27 gallon totes, 1 65gallon tote, and 2 5 gallon buckets. Funny part is system was only 75% full.
I was able to than pull the tank away from wall making it easier to access overflow box without balancing on a ladder reaching from the side.
The right hole of tank looks fairly intact no visible chips worth noting.
All these picutures are the left side with tbe visible chips also where I see the most water dripping from. Hopefully with the excess of angles the chips will accurately show up.
@RandyC
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Mini update part 2
Right side interior of overflow box
Left side interior of overflow box
Caps for the bulkheads
Caps for the overflow box drains
I grabed these Caps so I could potentially test only the parts that are leaking around the box without filling the entire tank. I with the Caps I should be able to fill only the overflow box.
Being that tank was off the wall I was able to trim the excess off the top of the gasket sheet so it looks cleaner.
@popper
Right side interior of overflow box
Left side interior of overflow box
Caps for the bulkheads
Caps for the overflow box drains
I grabed these Caps so I could potentially test only the parts that are leaking around the box without filling the entire tank. I with the Caps I should be able to fill only the overflow box.
Being that tank was off the wall I was able to trim the excess off the top of the gasket sheet so it looks cleaner.
@popper
RandyC
Supporting Member
Put the gasket up next to the chip and take a picture for scale. Does the chip cover extend more than 50% the width of the gasket?
RandyC
Supporting Member
Your gasket already looks like it's may have an imperfection in it.
It's too hard to tell from the angle of the pic, but if the chip doesn't go too far past that first raised ring in the gasket, it's probably not your problem.
After you hand tighten, are you using a channel lock wrench or bulkhead wrench to turn another 1/4 to 1/2 turn?
2 inch bulkheads.
It's borderline almost on the second ring.
PjFish
Supporting Member
If you got bulkhead caps install them without the overflow box to narrow down to leak need to make sure you can seal the tank first before adding overflow…Gasket ridges/ rings should be against the chipped glass to help imperfections but I prefer the flat ones.Assuming youve cleaned everything with alcohol and glass is dry before installing..You’ve used different bulkheads that your 100% sure have no hairline cracks which can expand with tightening. If the gasket edges are just flush with the shallow chips it most likely will not seal & using a cut larger gasket usually doesn’t work since there’s not enough added pressure on the outer ring of excess gasket to seal the chips..Those shallow outward chips can be deceiving and be a pain in the arss.. Some schedule 80 bulkheads have a touch larger flange and gasket which may work to cover the shallow angled chips better may need to dremel a touch Otherwise go with the next size up bulkhead with new holes.. Unless like others have recommended silicone the threads around the glass then tighten the nut just make sure the silicone is plenty cured before water like others have mentioned..
Good luck!!
Good luck!!
The ones that are on the flange of the bulkheads are flat. These with ridges are the ones I had that were between the tank and overflow box. I didn't Wanna keep taking the bulkhead gaskets on and off. They are they same size others just don't have the ridges.
The master plumber said he would take a look at things before I use silicone. So kinda waiting on him before using it.
I haven't tried different bulkheads. I would have to order some if I need to test those. I only have the 2 inch ones that came with the overflow.
I won't swear by it, but they look solid to me nothing looks visibly off with them or cracked ect.
The gaskets with the ridges do look suspect to me. Even though they were all brand new out the package. Hence I opted to reused the flat ones that originally came on the bulkheads for the flange side of it.
Coral reefer
Past President
I’m not him, but I’d give it a go for you too