Bulkhead leaking around chip in glass (Help needed)

[Dj City]

I've got a problem.

I went to install my bulkheads on my 180g tank.
I noticed the hole on the drain is chipped on the INSIDE.
It's not a deep chip but...
The bulkhead leaked.

I did not tighten the crap out of it. Just hand tighten.
I added 1qt of water to the overflow and saw a slow leak.

What can I do?

 

[lapin]

Because the stock gasket cannot fill this void you will need to find a thicker and softer gasket and hope it works .Since it has min pressure you might get lucky. Last resort would be to silicone a piece of glass over the hole. You could have this pre-drilled for the bulkhead. Unless the bulkhead has short threads it should work

 

[Katrina71]

Wonder if the windshield repair filler would work?

 

[Brian_68]

Those are some really big bulkhead holes, is that tank supported in that area? Can't tell by the picture but it looks like no.

 

[Sailfin11]

Use the rubber gasket as normal but on the outside of the glass run a bead of silicone around the hole and then hand tighten the nut to smush the silicone circle. This has always worked well for me -- I'd give it a try!

 

[Dj City]

Use the rubber gasket as normal but on the outside of the glass run a bead of silicone around the hole and then hand tighten the nut to smush the silicone circle. This has always worked well for me -- I'd give it a try!

You mean a bead on the outside under the tank?
Like apply around the hole up against the bulkhead threads and then hand tighten?

 

[Sailfin11]

Yep, that should work!

 

[Radman73]

Wonder if the windshield repair filler would work?

I've used it, but for a chip much higher up on the back wall when I drilled for an overflow.

To the OP, I used blue painters tape to create the "dam" and a razor blade to level the epoxy while it was still liquid. It was a pain in the butt, but it worked and has held up for over a year. But again, this was up high.

 

[Dj City]

Wonder if the windshield repair filler would work?

Thank you for the suggestion.
It might work if I were able to get to the chip.
This tank is 30" deep and eurobraced. I can't get my arm in there. Can't reach the bottom of the overflow.

 

[Dj City]

I've used it, but for a chip much higher up on the back wall when I drilled for an overflow.

To the OP, I used blue painters tape to create the "dam" and a razor blade to level the epoxy while it was still liquid. It was a pain in the butt, but it worked and has held up for over a year. But again, this was up high.

If I could reach inside to the bottom, I would give it a try but I can't reach.

 

[ca1ore]

Come on guys .... just flip the bulkhead. Flange/gasket on the outside where there is no chip. Nut on the inside.

 

[fishguy242]

rubber,any thing you can cut drink coaster mouse pad etc

 

[fishguy242]

foam from meat pkg

 

[Flippers4pups]

Come on guys .... just flip the bulkhead. Flange/gasket on the outside where there is no chip. Nut on the inside.

If the hole was exposed to the whole tank, I'd be very leary of doing the flip because of the weight, but since it's in the overflow, that's a great idea. I would definitely try that.

 

[Shawn.B]

I wonder if you can epoxy the chip just a touch and sand it down flush

 

[Dj City]

Come on guys .... just flip the bulkhead. Flange/gasket on the outside where there is no chip. Nut on the inside.

This sounds like a good idea. I would have to figure out how to tighten the nut since I can't reach the bottom of the overflow.

How would I go about attaching plumbing to the reversed bulkhead?

 

[fishguy242]

how are you going to tighten if cannot get arm in

 

[Flippers4pups]

how are you going to tighten if cannot get arm in

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Notch a piece of pipe and slip it over the "x" on the end of the tool. Should work very well.

 

[mfinn]

I see chip out's all the time and when I install a bulkhead I usually run a thick bead of silicone around the base of the bulkhead fittings. Push it through the hole and hand tighten the nut and then leave it alone for 24 hours.

 

[ca1ore]

This sounds like a good idea. I would have to figure out how to tighten the nut since I can't reach the bottom of the overflow.

Depends on how handy you are. Easy enough to make a wrench out of a piece of wood. 180 is only 24” tall, recruit a friend with longer arms LOL. Far easier than futzing around with making gaskets that probably won’t work anyhow.

How would I go about attaching plumbing to the reversed bulkhead?

Depends on the bulkhead. If it’s slip or thread on both ends then no different. Otherwise you’d just have to solvent weld into the down facing flange and add a threaded adapter into the up facing tail. I’ve installed bulkheads ‘backwards’ dozens of times. It really is simple.

Silicone sealant is an option too .... but then you have to wait 48 hours at least for it to properly cure.