Verticle vs horizontal bulkheads

[Aardvark1134]

So I have a question some tanks have veritcle buildheads for the drains and returns and some have horitontal ones that come through the back of the tank. For example the new innovative marine ext 200G has 3 verticle bulk heads for the bean and 2 horizontal bulk heads for the returns.

Link in case I am not being clear https://www.innovative-marine.com/product-page/nuvo-ext-200-w-aps-black-stand


The question is does having a horizontal bulkhead with a 90 facing down and plumbing attached cause any issues?
It seems like the weight might pull that bulkhead in a way that makes the bottom side more likely to leak. Does anyone here have expience with horizontal bulkheads like this and if they are good or bad?

 

[Coral Me Impressed]

They can definitely leak of there is to much weight on them. I had this happen on a frag tank. Once I supported the return lines the leak stopped. I used these to support the plumbing. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Carlon-...f-5-Case-60-Total-Pieces-E977FC-CTN/202208869

 

[Matt Carden]

+1
You should support all plumbing regardless of Horizontal or Vertical bulkheads. You might accidentally lean on plumbing while performing maintenance causing broken bulkhead.

 

[homer1475]

if I understand this......

All the bulkheads are vertical, being they are all on the back pane of glass. The drains being horizontal is only because the overflow "box" is on the back of the tank. You still have a vertical bulkheads, it's just the "box" holds the plumbing in a vertical line.

Only way this is different is in an intank tower style overflow where all the holes are horizontal being they are drilled into the bottom pane.

 

[Aardvark1134]

If you look at the pic thats not actually the case. The returns are not in the box with the drains. The returns come stright through the back vs where the drains are at the bottom of the box. If the returns came through the box with the drains I would not be worried

 

[shamrock]

great question and i'm curious what others have to say.

i'm by no means an expert on this, but i think the pressure in the bulkhead would be lower with a horizontal bulkhead vs bottom bulkhead. if you look at the overflow boxes (like eshoppe etc), they run this configuration and put 2-3 bulk heads at the bottom of the overflow box. purely based on physics, the height of the bulkhead in the water column will probably play a role here too...

 

[Aardvark1134]

With a verticle bulkhead weight pulls the bulkhead to what it's sealed on. With a horizontal it will pull it in weird ways I suspect. Just seems weird they did this instead of boxing the returns too.

 

[ca1ore]

Don’t think it matters all that much. I suppose with bulkheads through a vertical wall the hole size is a bit more important because the stem of the bulkhead will come to rest on the bottom of the drilled hole. Although I do think it’s a good idea to support all plumbing, particular larger diameter pipes, there are places on my system where I have not and have not had issues.

 

[WVNed]

+1
You should support all plumbing regardless of Horizontal or Vertical bulkheads. You might accidentally lean on plumbing while performing maintenance causing broken bulkhead.

That was not my experience. The tank broke. Not the bulkhead.

 

[Matt Carden]

That sucks! I broke the bulkhead. I have since switched to Hayward bulkheads. Those cheap black bulkheads won't go in my plumbing again.

 

[WVNed]

I have 16 bulkheads in use right now with some in each orientation from 3/4 to 2 inch. If you install them correctly and support the pipes you can forget about them. They will be fine.
Put this one in today.
I hit a tank with a stepladder and broke it in the fish room. I put in a 29 gallon to replace it today.
I use simple standpipes for tanks like this.

In a pinch you can get tank fittings at agricultural places like Tractor Supply or Rural King.

 

[homer1475]

If you look at the pic thats not actually the case. The returns are not in the box with the drains. The returns come stright through the back vs where the drains are at the bottom of the box. If the returns came through the box with the drains I would not be worried

You misunderstand me......

All the bulkheads on that tank are vertical, being they are all on the back pane of glass. The only difference between the returns and drains, the drains go on the overflow box, where as the returns actually go through the glass.

You drains still have vertical bulkheads, it's just the box is connected to those bulkheads rather then your plumbing.

 

[madweazl]

Never been an issue for me.