Glue return pipe inside overflow box?

[CMO]

Done some searches but can't seem to get a solid answer on this. Should the return pipe be glued to the bulkhead inside the overflow or are the outlet connections to the DT sufficient to hold things together (I understand there is no need to glue the drain pipe). I just noticed some cracks in the weir area near my return outlets so I'm now rethinking the obvious. Any chance the return line unglued is putting pressure on the overflow box and causing this?

Cadlights 165
Varios 8 pump running at full speed provides about 800 gph through the 3 outlets.
Cracks are near all 3 outlets like the one shown. I really didn't tighten the outlets down that much so kind of at a loss here.

 

[JoshH]

Pictures at all? What type of overflow box is it?

 

[Idaho-reefer]

My thoughts are if you ever need to replace the bulkhead glueing in parts in the overflow is a bad idea. I has success just making the connections without glue. Everything below was glued with a union nearby.

I also had to make adjustments to the return side over time and glue would have committed me.

 

[cracker]

I'd not glue any fitting inside or outside an overflow. That would make any changes later difficult at best. Lot's of ways to seal connects without glue

 

[CMO]

Thanks for the feed back so far. More details added to original post. I see no real need to glue either with the outlets screwed through the overflow box + slip friction. But not sure what kind of force the pump may be putting on the overflow box without glue. Any chance that is causing these cracks? Would you guys worry about trying to repair the cracks or let them be?

 

[arowana718]

Im on the same boat as u. I wonder if the pressure of the pump can cause the non glue pipes to come apart

 

[BZOFIQ]

I wonder if the pressure of the pump can cause the non glue pipes to come apart

I had that happened in the past on my All-Glass 180. I believe I changed to threaded elbow to alleviate back then.

 

[Scoob]

All my pipes are just slip fit in the overflow box.

Did you have them to tight ?

I wouldn't think the pump would crack the acrylic.

 

[mfinn]

I'm going with either glue them in, because of the pressure issue, or switch out to threaded bulkheads and fittings.
You always try and plan for future changes that might need to be done, but in some cases it's not practical.

 

[K7BMG]

To glue or not glue that is not really a question.
The answer is to not glue so things can be taken apart for maintenance.

Yes it is possible for the return lines to pop apart but unlikely at best.
There is not that much preasure on the line.
Plus in your case it looks like the return goes through the bottom of the overflow and then 90s through the side.
This 90 will keep the parts together.

Removal and reassembly of the plumbing parts for cleaning and rocking them back and forth and or twisting them is the main reason for the cracking.
Think of it as putting a screwdriver through the hole and then torquing the the screwdriver.

I would not be overly concerned.
If you want the next time you do a water change dry off the cracks.
Try to flex them open a bit and fill with crazy glue.
But IMO this is nothing to worry over.

More care in the future with disassembly and reassembly without tourking on the overflow box will be all thats needed.

 

[arowana718]

Drainage is not an issue with non glued pipes.

just really paranoid about the output pipes coming apart

 

[arowana718]

To glue or not glue that is not really a question.
The answer is to not glue so things can be taken apart for maintenance.

Yes it is possible for the return lines to pop apart but unlikely at best.
There is not that much preasure on the line.
Plus in your case it looks like the return goes through the bottom of the overflow and then 90s through the side.
This 90 will keep the parts together.

Removal and reassembly of the plumbing parts for cleaning and rocking them back and forth and or twisting them is the main reason for the cracking.
Think of it as putting a screwdriver through the hole and then torquing the the screwdriver.

I would not be overly concerned.
If you want the next time you do a water change dry off the cracks.
Try to flex them open a bit and fill with crazy glue.
But IMO this is nothing to worry over.

More care in the future with disassembly and reassembly without tourking on the overflow box will be all thats needed.

you make a good point there. Something to think about.

 

[arowana718]

This is my plumbing plan for both drain & return. I have dual corner overflows

bulkhead slip inlet x threaded outlet. I will be attaching a threaded x barb elbow to the bulkhead.

everything else inside the overflow will be dry fit only with the exception of the locline spray bar connection

 

[K7BMG]

Drainage is not an issue with non glued pipes.

just really paranoid about the output pipes coming apart

All our pumps are flow pumps not preasure pumps.
If you were to plug the output the impeller would conntine to spin and not build up any significant preasure.

Now if you have a preasure pump then yes you will have an issue.
Do not compair your homes water preasure to this equation.
Our homes water source is ran by preasure pumps.

 

[arowana718]

All our pumps are flow pumps not preasure pumps.
If you were to plug the output the impeller would conntine to spin and not build up any significant preasure.

Now if you have a preasure pump then yes you will have an issue.
Do not compair your homes water preasure to this equation.
Our homes water source is ran by preasure pumps.

thank u!