Need some help..I've got an overflow box built in to the tank, and it has two holes drilled at the bottom that lead to my sump. Unfortunately they just both happen to be leaking, and after hours and hours of trying, I'm ready for a professional..any takers? I'm in south hb, beer money, whatever so i can have a working tank please lol thanks
Thru-hull fitting of overflow system leaking
- Thread starter commodorejoel
- Start date
I had the same problem when I set my tank up. I didn't know what the heck I was doing and placed the rubber gaskets under the bottom of the tank instead of inside the overflow box... ya! DUH.... talk about leaks? I didn't want to try and get back up inside my cabinet (which is super tight) to undo the fittings so: I drained the water in my overflow box. Took a towel and mopped up all the remaining water. Took a blow dryer and dried the inside and bottom of the box out really well. Applied the aquarium silicone around the edges of the bulkheads and gaskets. Waited overnight to dry and it worked out fine. NO LEAKS! Don't sweat the silicone inside the box if this is the way you end up going. You could clean it off if you ever drained the tank and wanted to dismantle down the road. Razorblades are cheap. GL. Keep us posted on the outcome.
Hand tighten is key! Man tighten it though. Maybe a touch with a wrench at most if totally necessary. If your seals are over 3 years get new ones. I had a small leak and just by loosening and a bit of salt creep it sealed over night.
Push your sump directly under it so you don't have any drips outside of the rim. If it's a tiny trickle the salt creep usually seals it. Can you shoot a pic so people can give you a play by play.
Should be as easy as new nut (if you worped it with the wrench) and silicone ring (if its old) and done.
Can you if you needed to work on the plumbing inside the box? Maybe the male fitting got pinched wrong??? Weird they both would leak.
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Push your sump directly under it so you don't have any drips outside of the rim. If it's a tiny trickle the salt creep usually seals it. Can you shoot a pic so people can give you a play by play.
Should be as easy as new nut (if you worped it with the wrench) and silicone ring (if its old) and done.
Can you if you needed to work on the plumbing inside the box? Maybe the male fitting got pinched wrong??? Weird they both would leak.
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Is the overflow box just the sides, or does it have a bottom to it? if it has a bottom, then water can get under it, between the tank bottom and overflow and get down the threads... if that is the case, dry around the outside of the overflow and run a fresh bead of silicone between the bottom and overflow. let it dry for 24 hrs and go from there
Chad that'd be awesome! I'm by Edison HS, is that doable? Will have the box dry and ready to put a new fitting on. Got home last night and started working on it, unscrewed it completely, and noticed the nut was kinda chewed up so I got another one at the store, but they didn't have a screw version of the 3/4 (screw on fittings from the bulkhead fitting version) they had the smooth version. So bought that for the nut and gasket, kept the same male end. Now I'm regretting it, cus I think something could be wrong with the male end that's causing the leak. Anyways to sum it up I sealed it with 3m 5200 and pressure tested it this morning. Of course it was leaking, and 5200 is pretty hard stuff, so started backing it off, as I have a better chance removing it now than later. Got it down 3/4 in. but since I was dumb I put the sealant around the threads as well so it's getting stuck. I wa able to push the ottomh off the glass (no plastic wall), so that won't break the glass. I know I'll have to get it off somehow before anyone can come out, so my options are hire a plumber to get this fitting off, or...
