180 Gallon Bulkhead Help

[Daniel12490]

Hello Everyone,

I just purchased a 180 gallon tank off of craigslist with dual overflows. However, the previous owner hack-sawed off the piping and I am unsure as to how I should remove the two bottom bulkheads. I have always had planted/freshwater tanks without overflows or bulkheads. Any advice as to how to remove them and seal one to create a closed loop system would be really helpful!

[Daniel12490]

Here is a photo of the bottom bulkhead.

[Leeatl]

There should be a nut on the other side of the bulkhead. Just unscrew it and the bulkhead should come out . You may have to remove some more of the plumbing , hard to tell without more pics .

[Daniel12490]

So I have been working a lot and haven't been able to get to the tank of late. I finally worked on the tank this afternoon and was able to remove one of the bulkheads, however the other one seems stuck. When the hack-sawed them off they left little to no pipe to grab and twist. I tried to twist the other one with what I had to work with but cannot get it to budge much. I am afraid to put too much pressure on it as when I did the first time, the glass flaked a little. Here are a few more pictures to see if anyone has more guidance or help.

Originally Posted by Leeatl

There should be a nut on the other side of the bulkhead. Just unscrew it and the bulkhead should come out . You may have to remove some more of the plumbing , hard to tell without more pics .

[Leeatl]

Is that pic from the inside of the tank or out ? Looks like there is nothing holding the bulkhead . Is it sliconed in or something ?

[Daniel12490]

That is the outside (underneath) of the tank. I tried pushing it out but it wouldn't budge.

[Daniel12490]

It also looks like it is silicone around the thread as well.

[Leeatl]

Try taking a razor blade , single edge , and cut the silicone from around the edge of the bulkhead and from under the lip of the bulkhead on the inside of the tank . Take your time and it should work loose . Cleanup all the old silicone before you put new bulkheads in . They should come with gaskets so no need for the silicone in the first place .

[Daniel12490]

All good now, I jammed a plier in the opening and twisted it out. It was sealed with a lot of silicone. Now the fun part, replacing the bulkheads! Do you know the appropriate away to measure them? Do you just measure across the top of the bulkhead itself or the actual glass opening? I measured the bulkhead itself and am looking at 1.5 inches across.

[Leeatl]

Measure the hole in the glass . Marine depot has good prices on bulkheads . You have to decide what type you want to use.....threaded , glue on ....Choose by the hole size .

[Daniel12490]

Do you have a preference, if you have bulkheads on your tank? I was thinking thread on since they seem easier to work with. I plan on doing a closed looped system with one bulkhead and sealing off the other one as I do not have a sump tank.

[Leeatl]

I prefer threaded so I can remove them if need be , but I had to get 1 glue because of the hole size . That is what you need to look at first .