Plumbing Assistance

[Sdot]

I have a question about plumbing. My concern is while gluing everything in place...it looks like the angle is slightly tilted on the union connection to the bulkhead. The unions to the bulkhead are not glued but im connected about pressure from the plumbing that could cause a leak? Is this an issue?

 

[Slawman]

As long as the union joint itself is properly tightening and aligned there should not be any leaks ie. the plumbing above the joint is off center. For the union joint to seal the flat surface on the screw ring needs to mate flush with the O-ring on the opposite side.

If the union joint is not lined up there is a risk it will leak.

 

[Sdot]

As long as the union joint itself is properly tightening and aligned there should not be any leaks ie. the plumbing above the joint is off center. For the union joint to seal the flat surface on the screw ring needs to mate flush with the O-ring on the opposite side.

If the union joint is not lined up there is a risk it will leak.

It appears lined up just at an angle.

 

[W1ngz]

If the piece of pipe you've used between the bulkhead and union is too short to seat far enough into both fittings it could cause it to be crooked. Pipe not fully seated into a fitting could also leak.

 

[JoshH]

I would definitely be concerned about a leak from the bulkhead itself, the pressure could absolutely lift the flange of the bulkhead off the aquarium ever so lightly and cause a tiny leak. It really doesn't take much for a leak to be formed due to an improperly seated seal.

 

[Sdot]

If the piece of pipe you've used between the bulkhead and union is too short to seat far enough into both fittings it could cause it to be crooked. Pipe not fully seated into a fitting could also leak.

Got it.

 

[Sdot]

I would definitely be concerned about a leak from the bulkhead itself, the pressure could absolutely lift the flange of the bulkhead off the aquarium ever so lightly and cause a tiny leak.

Thats what im afraid of! lol

 

[JoshH]

Thats what im afraid of! lol

Personally I would replace it so every thing lines up. Pretty nice plumbing job you have there and if this is your only real hiccup I'd say you're laughing.

 

[Sdot]

Just for reference you can see the plumbing is not simple

 

[Sdot]

Personally I would replace it so every thing lines up. Pretty nice plumbing job you have there and if this is your only real hiccup I'd say you're laughing.

I thought about doing that...unfortunately due to the nature of the plumbing one thing impacts the other, and there are alot of moving parts.... Just looking for options...i would hate to have to redo a lot of this plumbing.... the tank will see water tomorrow.... super nervous on this end.

 

[W1ngz]

Really nice setup!
I'd take that section apart unfortunately, and see what's not square. The bulkhead has to be square to the tank.
The pipe in the bulkhead has to be square, and the union on that same pipe has to be square. Not square = leak.

Another possibility is tension from further along that line, maybe something is pulling it. You can check that by loosening a union farther down and see what it does.

 

[JoshH]

I thought about doing that...unfortunately due to the nature of the plumbing one thing impacts the other, and there are alot of moving parts.... Just looking for options...i would hate to have to redo a lot of this plumbing.... the tank will see water tomorrow.... super nervous on this end.

Well from the looks of it you only need to replace the horizontal run itself with one longer, this could be easily accomplished with adding a union here....

You might even be able to reuse the pipe you already have just trim two sections a little bit to accommodate the union.

Your setup reminds me of those old windows screen savers with the pipes lol!!! Definitely a complicated setup, I hope you have a monster return pump to feed that beast

 

[Slawman]

What is causing the shift away from 90 degrees? If is is a long run from the top of the tank which is securely connected at the other end and mated and the holes cut in the base didn't line up that is one thing but if you actually have a joint which is not properly mated do it over, no question at all.

 

[Sdot]

Well from the looks of it you only need to replace the horizontal run itself with one longer, this could be easily accomplished with adding a union here....

You might even be able to reuse the pipe you already have just trim two sections a little bit to accommodate the union.

Your setup reminds me of those old windows screen savers with the pipes lol!!! Definitely a complicated setup, I hope you have a monster return pump to feed that beast

Dude! Excellent point! that would solve the issue....im sitting here overthinking it.... Thank you!

 

[Sdot]

Well from the looks of it you only need to replace the horizontal run itself with one longer, this could be easily accomplished with adding a union here....

You might even be able to reuse the pipe you already have just trim two sections a little bit to accommodate the union.

Your setup reminds me of those old windows screen savers with the pipes lol!!! Definitely a complicated setup, I hope you have a monster return pump to feed that beast

Ill be using a vectra L2.... i think i should be fine..... However all the pipes you are looking at arent all return... Dark blue arrows designates return, light blue are drains

 

[crusso1993]

Well from the looks of it you only need to replace the horizontal run itself with one longer, this could be easily accomplished with adding a union here....

You might even be able to reuse the pipe you already have just trim two sections a little bit to accommodate the union.

Your setup reminds me of those old windows screen savers with the pipes lol!!! Definitely a complicated setup, I hope you have a monster return pump to feed that beast

+1 with what @JoshH recommended.

 

[Sdot]

What is causing the shift away from 90 degrees? If is is a long run from the top of the tank which is securely connected at the other end and mated and the holes cut in the base didn't line up that is one thing but if you actually have a joint which is not properly mated do it over, no question at all.

Honestly I think i may have glued it at an angle...

 

[Slawman]

Honestly I think i may have glued it at an angle...

I can't tell from the photo but if the skewed bit is the bulkhead coming from the bottom of the tank ie. a few inches up. It needs to come out and be re-seated. The good bit is that you have picked it up and can fix it now as opposed to having a leak with a fully stocked reef..

 

[Sdot]

I can't tell from the photo but if the skewed bit is the bulkhead coming from the bottom of the tank ie. a few inches up. It needs to come out and be re-seated. The good bit is that you have picked it up and can fix it now as opposed to having a leak with a fully stocked reef..

True... i didnt glue the pipe to the bulkhead either just the return pipe and fitting are glued at an angle.