tank connector?

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pomme

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Jun 17, 2003
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tank connector?

hiya i have got all the plumbing done and have got 4 tank connectors:

www.marinefishuk.co.uk/portal/...m.php?n=540#540 or if that doesnt work, go to www.marinefishuk.co.uk and go to the album section and then andrew barnett, and there is a picture of the tank connectors i have.

i have just noticed that all 4 of them have started to give off a small leak, i have put the rubber bit on the inside of the tank, is this right?

or what else have i done wrong for it to leak?

thanx
andrew barnett.
 
i have just noticed that all 4 of them have started to give off a small leak, i have put the rubber bit on the inside of the tank, is this right?

yes, but you need to make sure the flange is inside the tank as well, and not the nut. Bulkhead flange>gasket>tank glass> bulkhead nut
 
is the flange the rubber bit or the nut,

i have got the (inside of tank) nut-rubber bit-glass-nut (outside of tank) piping off to sump and pump etc.

what is the difference between the flange and nut?
 
The nut is the piece that screws onto the bulkhead, the flange is the piece that flares out from the bulkhead and is actually part of the bulkhead.
 
The bulkheads should have a rubber gasket for the inside(no silicone) and nothing except the nut on the outside (you can use silicone if you want).

This is usually how I have seen them setup...with no leaks
 
ah mine is different then as mine has mine has two nuts and a rubber piece on a piece of pipe that at one end is threaded and the other is not threaded.

so the rubber bit should be on the inside?
 
Your 4 for 4 on leaks, I don't think you set them up right. I can't access the pics, could you upload a pic of the bulkhead here?
 
540.jpg


Well, it's hard to tell, it does look like two nuts on that, do both of them turn?
 
I would use teflon tape around the threads, I imagine that is where the leak is coming from. That is not truely a bulk head, that I've seen, but with some teflon tape, it should be able to be made to work ;)
 
If I understand correctly, you have a threaded pipe, two nuts and a rubber gasket? Further in assembling, in the inside of the tank, you have the pipe, rubber gasket and nut and on the outside, a nut?

If this is correct then couple of questions for you. How are you able to tighten the nut on the inside without creasing the gasket?

Based on what you are describing, I do not think you have what we call a bulkhead fitting but a double end threaded piece of pipe with two nuts and a washer. If this is the case, what I would suggest is:
A) see if you can acquire proper bulkhead fittings
B) if you cannot, then you need a flat nylon washer that will fit over the rubber gasket on the inside of the tank so you can properly seal the opening.

HTH. 8)
 
Andrew, had a look at your picture (sorry I did not before I wrote the first reply). Based on that picture, you should feed the fitting from the inside of the tank so that the threaded section is on the outside and the smoothe piece to the right of your photo is on the inside (I will refer to this as the smooth side). So the order should be smooth side, gasket, aquarium glass nut (on the outside). That should have the gasket flush against the aquarium glass and the nut on the outside snugs up the fitting against the glass. Hand tighter the fitting only so it is very snug - do not overtighter. That is the way this should be assembled. Are you sure it is leaking from the fitting at the glass point, or where your male plumbing fitting screws onto this piece? It is not uncommon for new connections to leak at very little at the beginning that should stop within a day or two.

Let me know. 8)
 
yeah i have gone around and done a few adjustments around the place and am filling the tank up again for another check. i hope its okay this time.
 
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