Acrylic/Epoxy Experts Help! Overflow is Leaking

Dustin1300 · Feb 16, 2013

After plumbing in the closed loop today, quickly discovered that the overflow box is leaking. The tank has 1.5 fittings glued in (Weld-On) my guess and then has had a layer of epoxy poured into the overflow box that makes about a 1/4" thick epoxy covering which I would guess was insurance for leaks. The epoxy (I'd assume this is what it is) has some cracks in it and a few of the fittings are dripping really fast between the acrylic and the fitting.

That being said, I'm looking to solutions...And think my options are limited to be honest. If I could do it over again I would just buy a new tank but I'm past that point and think I'm best off fixing the leak around the fittings. I believe the tank being in storage might have heated up some and the epoxy shrank/cracked some, which allowed the water to escape between the fittings and acrylic.

My ideal solution would be to try to scrape all the epoxy out, drill out holes bigger, and put SCH 80 bulkheads in place but due to the spacing, is not possible. I cannot just pop the fittings out either as they are held in place with weld on....

My solution at this point is to use Weld-On #16, put around the fittings on the bottomside of the tank, and buy some epoxy and pour it into place in the overflow box so it is about 1/2-3/4" thick. (I've never worked with epoxy and would like to get one that's reef safe, becomes very hard, and is resistant to cracking and sw over a long period of time)

Below are some pictures and would appreciate some feedback if you have any on the subject.

Underside:

Topside:

Drying now.....Ready for a solution that I'm ready to implement ASAP!

sherita · Feb 16, 2013

Those fittings look like pvc. If they are, the WeldOn will not bond well with them, so with a little work you might be able to get them out. WeldOn sticks like mad to acrylic (it actually forms a melted bond), but on pvc, it just kinda sits there on the surface. But, even if you get them out, do you have room to go back in with sch40 bulkheads? I realize you don't have room for sch80 because of the bulk, but sch40 might, just might, fit.

If it were me (and it's not) and it were my tank (which it's not), I would do everything I could to get those pvc fittings out of there and replace them with sch40 bulkheads. JMHO.

Dustin1300 · Feb 16, 2013

If I could remove the fittings, I'm just not sure how easy it would be to cleanly remove the previous "epoxy" to ensure I can get a good seal with the bulkhead gaskets.

JPG@CFI · Feb 16, 2013

Dustin,
Your in a pickle, my friend. That is a mess, sorry someone did that to you. Don't use weld on 16, it shrinks too much. But that is not the biggest problem you are having. The fittings at the bottom of your OFB (overflow box) are a horrible mistake on someones part. I would say you need to perform major surgery! That bottom needs to be removed and replaced. It is a big task, but if I can do it, and I have a dozen+ or so times, you can do it. When you remove the bottom, you then will have access to fix the leaking OFB. Then, all you need to do is put a fresh piece of acrylic on for a bottom. PM me if you would like further instructions. Or sell it as a snake cage, and get a new, better, not hacked up tank. I know it isn't what you want to hear, but don't throw good money into a bad tank. Just remember, this tank holds thousands of dollars of coral in the near future, and if it fails, ever, it will be a hard pill to swallow, as well as explaining to your wife that you saved a few bucks on the tank. This is a tough love situation, sorry my friend. If you were 2000 miles closer, I'd hook you up. J