Leaky bulkhead

Their problem is its not in an over flow box, it is a bottom drilled closed loop according to an earlier post.

 

I believe the OP said the bulkhead is not at the bottom of the overflow, but at the bottom of the main area as part of a closed loop, so he would be looking at draining the entire tank.

Look and try to ID the source of the leak on the bulkhead. Depending on where it is leaking, you might be able to give it a temporary fix. I had cracked the dry side of a bulkhead on my old tank, where the pipe threads into the bulkhead. I "fixed" it by using one of those metal hose clamps, placing it over the crack, and tighening pretty hard. Always meant to replace it, but it held for a year and a half without a leak, until the tank was torn down.

Silicone wont work, as the surface needs to be dry to get a good hold.

Good luck!

 

Ouch! could that thing be in a worse place?!

You might try this as a temporary fix. I got a roll from Lowes. It will slow it down enough to prepare to replace it. sounds like fun Look at it as a way to rescape your tank, and it will be like haveing something brand new to look at.
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ouch..........forgot that part from earlier. Good luck!

 

It looks like you're stuck. The only thing I can say is that if you can get your fish out and you have/can borrow a big pump to drain and refill quickly, then you may be able to drain the tank with rock/corals in place.

Unfortunately this situation exemplifies the need to have bulkheads inside an overflow. It's why manufacturers put the return holes in the overflows.

 

..Sux..but you gotta do it..Have you got the replacement Bulkhead? That would be my plan..get the BH ..lights out..and then drain and catch fish as you go a quick change and fill'r back up.. easier said then done, but you must. : / A couple extra hands wouldnt hurt either. Much empathy for ya man.. you can do this.

 

It is NOT recommended, but something along this lines will work if you have two people.

Clear the area around the bulkhead, Place the new bulkhead flange next to the old one. Cover with bowl. Have your second person hold the bowl down to the bottom of the tank. You get under tank and remove old bulkhead and place new on in place, manuevering it under the bowl through the bulkhead hole (will not be easy). Set new bulkhead and done.

This is Extremely dangerous and is NOT recommended by any means. This is a last resort.

 

yikes !!

 

good luck man. let us know what happens. that bowl thing seems pretty clever. i would try that before i drain my tank and set up a new one. If it is just the bulk head that is the problem I would give it a try.. of course I would have lots of rubbermaid containers and buckets handy in case of a waterfall so you can save your livestock.

Maybe try to siphone like 75% of the water out first if you try this.. just in case.

 

wow, that is a hard situation. The only way to change the bulkhead is to drain the tank, as bad as it sounds, you will have to make a weekend out of it. Good luck