Have a nice 120 gallon for sale 48x24x24 over flow on back wall,drilled for 3" bulkhead. 250 obo will throw in other stuff if you take it for 250 like iwaki external pump, some new fittings and a small 2 chamber acrylic sump drilled for external pump located in oceanside
Because it's not the proper way to do plumbing... sorry I've done this for a living for a while, I get the right part for the job.... buy glue fittings if your going to glue, tape and dope to do thread... just how I do things,
You don't have to thread all the way in, in fact you should never bottom out any fitting. Yes the plumber paste is removable and can be used alone , but I would definitely do both... by bottoming out your fittings you may have cracked your bulkhead
Always do three times around with plumber tape evenly, and go clockwise to thread , and I use dow corning plumber paste,its food grade and aquarium safe...