Leak on acrylic overflow box

[NrsReef]

TLDR at the end

Hey everyone, I have been leak testing and solved a few plumbing/bulkhead leaks but I’ve never come across the problem with the actual overflow box leaking. It is leaking from the bottom where the back of the box meets the bottom of the box. I’m thinking it could be 2 things that caused this. 1 the weight of the plumbing with the water in it due to no standoffs to take weight off the plumbing, or 2 just another case of the Eclipse L overflow leaking. What would be the best way to go about sealing this to prevent leaks in the future?

TLDR: Eclipse L overflow box leaking from acrylic seal not bulkhead

 

[Formulator]

Clean it and dry it really well. Then apply a bead of silicone to the seam inside. Should be good to go. Alternatively you could paint the outside with flex-seal but you would lose visibility.

 

[KrisReef]

Easy to fix, difficult to get to.

DO not use silicone on acrylic. Use acrylic solvent to melt the pieces back together. #16 solvent has acrylic material in the liquid to fill the gap and bond the material back together.

It does need to be drained, I would rinse it with RO water to get after any salt and dirt in the crack. A small piece of acrylic material placed like a bandaid over the damage area is extra insurance against another leak.

The outside corner looks like it got bumped, so rebonding the material should refill the gap? GL.

 

[Formulator]

DO not use silicone on acrylic

People say this, but I used it to glue in my overflow and it has held up for 8 years, including a tank move across town. But yes if you have access to acrylic solvent, that is the best option. I still think silicone would work though…

 

[KrisReef]

People say this, but I used it to glue in my overflow and it has held up for 8 years, including a tank move across town. But yes if you have access to acrylic solvent, that is the best option. I still think silicone would work though…

It can work, but is a mechanical plug. Solvent will / can weld the crack shut. If the silicone fails, removing it can also be a challenge.

Super glue can also work, but #16Solvent is the most reliable for acrylic repairs.

 

[NrsReef]

Thank you everyone, I am going to try and temp fix it with some super glue or flex seal on the outside and then have solvent on order so I can get it permanently fixed

 

[NrsReef]

Ordered #16 and a bottle with a needle