how to fix leaking bulkhead?

[Big G]

Well now that we fixed the leak it's time to start building the canopy that will have to cover this 1/2" gap between the tank trim and water level.

Did you guys have this issue also?

Yep. It is what it is. Mine sits at about 1/2" below the black rim. And the water level on the weir is about mid height as well.

 

[Chris Wells]

 

[Magee324]

So they want you to stack the two gaskets on top of each other on each bulkhead right? Gasket on gasket. I don't get why they wouldn't just have a thicker gasket. Well I'll give that a try and I'll report back!

Thanks for pointing that out Chris

Lol. But then the video on Youtube says something different...
I'm having the same issue. I've tried it both ways and it's leaking from both of the larger bulkheads coming out of the tank. Are there different kinds of silicone? What kind do you put on bulkheads?

 

[mfinn]

Well now that we fixed the leak it's time to start building the canopy that will have to cover this 1/2" gap between the tank trim and water level.

Did you guys have this issue also?

After I drilled my tank and installed the overflow box ( no leaks) I saw that the water level was below the plastic rim of the tank.
So as a quick fix, I got a strip of acrylic 1/8" x 1" x the length of the teeth and hot glued it to the front of the overflow box so it blocked the bottom 1/2" or so of the teeth on the overflow box. This made the water level rise enough to make it into the trim area. Being black, it was hardly noticeable.
I drained the tank recently and peeled the acrylic off. I am going to glue it permanently to the inside of the overflow box so it can't be seen.

 

[bo0sted2g]

After I drilled my tank and installed the overflow box ( no leaks) I saw that the water level was below the plastic rim of the tank.
So as a quick fix, I got a strip of acrylic 1/8" x 1" x the length of the teeth and hot glued it to the front of the overflow box so it blocked the bottom 1/2" or so of the teeth on the overflow box. This made the water level rise enough to make it into the trim area. Being black, it was hardly noticeable.
I drained the tank recently and peeled the acrylic off. I am going to glue it permanently to the inside of the overflow box so it can't be seen.

Good idea! ill look into that. does this affect the level in the back box at all?

 

[Doclight]

Mine leaked at first, I have the m model. However it was because the gasket wasn’t set right. Also, and this is just a mod I did, I siliconed a piece of glass on the inside of the box. I covered the slots so the water goes over the top. This raised the water level for me, and have had no problems since.

 

[mfinn]

Good idea! ill look into that. does this affect the level in the back box at all?

No, not really. The level in the outside box is more controlled by a valve on the full syphon drain.

 

[Doclight]

No, not really. The level in the outside box is more controlled by a valve on the full syphon drain.

Exactly..

Make sure you have a gate valve on your line before the sump.. helps get the noise down.

 

[Chris Wells]

Another "make sure you do" is...drain pipes going into the sump submerged need to be less than 1/2" submerged. I didn't pay attention to this and almost flooded over-flow on first power outage tests. It vapor locks the overflows and prevents the siphon to recover quickly on refill. Good think I had my hand on one of the return ball-valves.

 

[mfinn]

Another "make sure you do" is...drain pipes going into the sump submerged need to be less than 1/2" submerged. I didn't pay attention to this and almost flooded over-flow on first power outage tests. It vapor locks the overflows and prevents the siphon to recover quickly on refill. Good think I had my hand on one of the return ball-valves.

I have all my drains going down into the water level 5"- 6" or more, on all my tanks and have never had this problem.
Sounds like their are other issues.

 

[Chris Wells]

I have all my drains going down into the water level 5"- 6" or more, on all my tanks and have never had this problem.
Sounds like their are other issues.

I thinks it has to do with the size of drains and how fast your returns are filling up. I found the solution on some old RC forums that described and explained what was happening. It completely fixed it tho, the air pockets would linger before I trimmed the drains, but now I see very small bubbles immediately and siphon recovers almost immediately. I am using a larger than needed variable dc pump with oversized return manifold with sump in another room, not below DT.

 

[Jackony]

Hi fellow Eshoppes Eclipse L issue havers! I wish we didn’t have this group, and I know I’m late to the party but I’ve something to offer after you guys have schooled me on those directions and the gaskets. (It just doesn’t make sense but I can’t wait to give it a try myself and hopfully go leak free!)

Anyway about tank water level. In my mind this is another miss in the direction specifications. But I have a fix. I have a 120 gallon tank and the L overflow is plenty of flow for me, especially since I installed the box as high as I thought I could but lower than I need for water level to be above my tank trim. Well if we increase the height of the lowest part of each weir then the water level will come up just like if we could raise the overflow box itself. So pick your method, but simply covering the lowest 1/4 or 1/2 inch of the weirs with some acrylic siliconed to the inside or outside of overflow will raise your tank level. Could even jam some tank friendly rubber stopppers against the inside of over flow and use the template trimmed down to fit inside the overflow. I’ve tested some options and this works great! Good luck!

 

[Jackony]

Hi fellow Eshoppes Eclipse L issue havers! I wish we didn’t have this group, and I know I’m late to the party but I’ve something to offer after you guys have schooled me on those directions and the gaskets. (It just doesn’t make sense but I can’t wait to give it a try myself and hopfully go leak free!)

Anyway about tank water level. In my mind this is another miss in the direction specifications. But I have a fix. I have a 120 gallon tank and the L overflow is plenty of flow for me, especially since I installed the box as high as I thought I could but lower than I need for water level to be above my tank trim. Well if we increase the height of the lowest part of each weir then the water level will come up just like if we could raise the overflow box itself. So pick your method, but simply covering the lowest 1/4 or 1/2 inch of the weirs with some acrylic siliconed to the inside or outside of overflow will raise your tank level. Could even jam some tank friendly rubber stopppers against the inside of over flow and use the template trimmed down to fit inside the overflow. I’ve tested some options and this works great! Good luck!

 

[Jackony]

Well now that we fixed the leak it's time to start building the canopy that will have to cover this 1/2" gap between the tank trim and water level.

Did you guys have this issue also?

Hey I know it’s been a few months but I know a way to fix your water level issue. Just cover the bottoms 1/2 inch or so of the weirs with some tank friendly acrylic or other material. Water level will rise by about that much and no more gap!

 

[Doclight]

Hey I know it’s been a few months but I know a way to fix your water level issue. Just cover the bottoms 1/2 inch or so of the weirs with some tank friendly acrylic or other material. Water level will rise by about that much and no more gap!

I used a 2.00 piece of glass cut at Lowes for free...

 

[bo0sted2g]

I used a 2.00 piece of glass cut at Lowes for free...

That sounds way easier than building the canopy I built to cover the water gap!

 

[Jackony]

That tanks set up looks great! How did you attach the glass? I’m thinking of just wedging a couple small pieces some tank friendly rubber between back of overflow and glass/acrylic on the inside of weirs. Also does yours make additional noise due to the increase in water falling distance? Have you found a way to quiet it down?

 

[mfinn]

Hey I know it’s been a few months but I know a way to fix your water level issue. Just cover the bottoms 1/2 inch or so of the weirs with some tank friendly acrylic or other material. Water level will rise by about that much and no more gap!

I used a 1" wide piece of 1/8th" thick black acrylic ( matches the color of the overflow and nearly invisible) over the bottom 1/2" of the teeth to raise the water level on mine.
I used hot glue to stick it on.

 

[ca1ore]

I'm using the small version on my QT tank, and the instructions skink? Oh and the template should be ignored. As a rule, you want the bottom of the slots in the skim box to be level with the bottom of the top plastic trim. That way, regardless of how much flow you put through the box, the water level will never be visible.

 

[Jackony]

Thank you everyone for sharing. So helpful! I’m going to use acrylic on the inside of overflow to cover about 1/2” of bottom of weirs.

 

[Jackony]

I have to ask since it’s so not intuitive. The bulkhead and gaskets on these overflows, gasket on inside of overflow (can’t be removed) > no gasket between tank and internal over flow box > then 2 gaskets between tank glass on outside of tank and the external overflow box > no gasket inside the external overflow box. And that is the way to stop the leaks?

Once my tank is in place and set up it’s going to be really hard to access this overflow box- I need it to be leakless!