Kessil

Tighten bulk head, will this wrench work?

i dont see why not as long as you can get a good grip on it. I ended up using a couple of 2x4 and some C clamps to tighten mine when i had no tools a while back. Whats the exact size you need to get around, i can check my channel locks here. If theyre big enough your welcome to use them.
 
Fwiw you don't want them incredibly tight. Also the best tool to use to loosen overtightened large nuts if you don't have a wrench is a hammer.
 
+1 on it not having to be too tight. Lube the gasket with water or food grade slicone when you install it.
Over tightening is not a good thing.
 
Those are a type of pipe wrench, you can pick those up at homedepot or someplace like that, no need to order from an aquarium store.

Also I wouldn't count on them working terribly well simply because the nut side of the bulkhead very often doesn't have terribly much to grip onto. You're better off with a metal pipe wrench, or some other adjustable wrench with a wide enough mouth, go by home depot dude, wrench section of the tool department :D But need to emphasize like others have, don't over tighten, its really easy to do so with a wrench, that rubberized gasket inside is your friend, don't squash it into oblivion by over tightening.
 
Get one of those Precision Marine jobbies, very cool and useful.
 
If you can remove it by all means do so. However if you have joints and unions that are glued into place you might not be able to remove it without cutting the pipes off, however loosening it a bit and shining a flashlight at the gasket as JAR to give it a visual inspection for cracking and what not.
 
This one works great

http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hardware-Hand-Tools-Wrenches-Adjustable-Wrenches/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xglZarpd/R-100190643/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
 
Thank you guys! I may try pipe wrench at HD first. The tank is sitting on the stand room is not terribly big that's why I want to try that tool.

I am not overtighting it, the previous owner tried to remove the bulk head for sake of easy moving the tank, he loosen the bulk head but could not completely remove it. Guess the lower end of bulk head is bit offsharp due to pressure..

Just want to confirm: if I can tighten the bulk head, it is OK to continue to use the existing bulkhead right? Or it is better to try again to remove it & replace with new bulkhead.
 
Some advice I got a long time ago that worked for me:
Ditch the rubber gasket, and use LOTS of silicone instead.
Not just on the face, but inside, on the threads, for a deep seal where bulkhead goes through the acrylic.

Those gaskets are not the best quality. They do degrade and harden over time, and things can burrow into rubber.
More importantly, if you move the bulkhead during tightening, or you over tighten, that rubber gasket
can deform away from the pipe, and not seal correctly.

+1 on not over-tightening, regardless of method.
 
Got it, key is 1. No over-tightening 2. Apply silicon on both faces of bulkhead, as well as thread

Can I use aquarium silicon for this purpose? or what kind?
 
My guess is with aquarium silicon, if you don't apply too much, it should not glue the bulkhead too tight, in another word you should be able to remove the bulkhead later if needed right?
 
Fremont.

Thank you for offering! I've got a regular HD wrench, will try it & PM you if the one does not work.

BTW it is interesting when I open your profile I could not find the link 'Send this user a message' which is normal way that I send PM.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top