Mike's Last Build

[Vincerama2]

Well if it does leak, lets hope it leaks out the back into the fish room that has a floor drain and is water proof

Oh, I thought you mean an in-sump divider baffle was leaking ... not a wet carpet leak!

V

 

[sfsuphysics]

no no no, I do mean an in-sump baffle divider was leaking, the leak Erin was talking about was the dreaded Marineland tank failure leak.

One I dealt with, the other it's a crap shoot to whether or not it will happen. Unfortunately I like glass way too much to want to do acrylic and trust acrylic seams... which in retrospect can fail as well. Granted it's a different kind of failure, but they can fail..
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2096730&page=35

 

[xcaret]

For that reversed okd overflow box, did you drill a small hole or two to let air out?

 

[sfsuphysics]

small hole? there's a hole in the 2nd drain, but not in the first. Well I should say there will be, when it's put together, I was just testing all the plumbing not what was in the box.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Well I knew something would go wrong eventually... things were moving too good. Filled up the sump with water, salted it, tossed in some rocks to start a cycle process ran a hose from a pump up to my overflow to double check for leaks, no leaks in the plumbing.... but a tiny tiny drop/trickle leak from one of the bulkheads coming out of the tank. Don't have time today to pull it all apart and reseat it, feels like the bulkhead is turned enough (can't turn it anymore with my hand), but when I get the chance I'll pull out one of the gaskets and look at it under a magnifying glass to see if there's any stress/cracks in it.

 

[xcaret]

The small hole would let air out, otherwise, the way I see the reversed overflow box, you might get some air trying to find a way out thus making a “gurgle” like sound. That’s in the event the flow changes.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Oh i think i understand what you mean. This isn't anything "reversed" there is an inside box that skims the water, and it goes through the side to an external box where all the drain/plumbing is. It really is fundamentally no different than the overflows that came with it except it takes less room in the tank.

 

[Coral reefer]

Did you use silicon grease on the gasket? I highly recommend it! I have some of you wanna try.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Nope didn't grease the gasket, I think I may have some hiding somewhere, I'll see if I can't find it.

 

[rygh]

Well I knew something would go wrong eventually... things were moving too good. Filled up the sump with water, salted it, tossed in some rocks to start a cycle process ran a hose from a pump up to my overflow to double check for leaks, no leaks in the plumbing.... but a tiny tiny drop/trickle leak from one of the bulkheads coming out of the tank. Don't have time today to pull it all apart and reseat it, feels like the bulkhead is turned enough (can't turn it anymore with my hand), but when I get the chance I'll pull out one of the gaskets and look at it under a magnifying glass to see if there's any stress/cracks in it.

I hate gaskets.
I toss them out, and use lots of silicone instead. Never had a leak that way.
And it does not stick perfectly to PVC, so it is possible to disassemble later.

 

[Coral reefer]

Silicon grease? I think we are talking about different things here.

 

[rygh]

Silicon grease? I think we are talking about different things here.

No, I use silicone glue.

 

[rygh]

To be clear:

Silicon grease : Lubricates, but does not seal much. Put it on rubber gasket and threads.
Although putting it on gasket can make things worse!
One problem with gaskets is that when you tighten them, they move, and push out from around the pipe too far.
Lubricating the gasket makes that problem worse.

Silicone glue: Lubricates a bit, but really used as a sealer.
For this, throw out the rubber gaskets, and put copious amounts where bulkhead touches tank.
The silicone becomes a semi-permanent gasket.
Let it dry fully before use.

 

[Coral reefer]

To be clear:

Silicon grease : Lubricates, but does not seal much. Put it on rubber gasket and threads.
Although putting it on gasket can make things worse!
One problem with gaskets is that when you tighten them, they move, and push out from around the pipe too far.
Lubricating the gasket makes that problem worse.

Silicone glue: Lubricates a bit, but really used as a sealer.
For this, throw out the rubber gaskets, and put copious amounts where bulkhead touches tank.
The silicone becomes a semi-permanent gasket.
Let it dry fully before use.

I disagree that great makes anything worse. Overtightening is a problem with or without. I would never glue in a bulkhead, but that’s just me. I see no reason to do so and several reasons not to. Sound slike a real pain in the ass to replace if you ever had to.

 

[rygh]

I disagree that great makes anything worse. Overtightening is a problem with or without. I would never glue in a bulkhead, but that’s just me. I see no reason to do so and several reasons not to. Sound slike a real pain in the ass to replace if you ever had to.

A slippery rubber gasket will move. A dry one will not. That was the idea.

 

[Coral reefer]

Are you saying move side to side or move like expand outwards when pinched from above and below?

 

[rygh]

Are you saying move side to side or move like expand outwards when pinched from above and below?

I meant expand outwards. But it is usually to one side when not perfectly aligned.

 

[sfsuphysics]

ok, quit your clucking dribble has been topped. I'll let it run for a few hours just to verify.

Silicone grease may have done the trick, or just re-seating the gasket, or I managed to give it an extra little crank (it was at an odd angle to turn with my stronger hand).

 

[rygh]

....ok, quit your clucking dribble has been topped. ....

How much silicone grease did you get on your fingers.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Ok one full night of water movement from the sump to the display, thats it. it is official I have a tank set up! So what's my time? How did I do against Mario?