Help! Urgent! Leak in bottom of tank (1 Viewer)

[PoissonRouge]

We almost had a short circuit this morning!
There appears to be a leak at the bottom of the tank where the tubing joins the tank.
Question: can this be tightened up manually without risk? Or should this be handled professionally? Not sure if the sealing is a hardening one or not?
Currently I am gathering the leaking water back in the tank but it won’t be for long…

 

[Slayer311]

Luckily it is in the overflow section, you can kill the return pump and drain the overflow section, remove the locknut and check to make sure there is no sand between the gasket and the tank, then retighten. Can be a bit messy draining but easy enough to manage if you are careful. There is no adhesive or plumbers putty/tape to be installed on this union, the gasket performs the seal.

 

[BigRick]

Luckily it is in the overflow section, you can kill the return pump and drain the overflow section, remove the locknut and check to make sure there is no sand between the gasket and the tank, then retighten. Can be a bit messy draining but easy enough to manage if you are careful. There is no adhesive or plumbers putty/tape to be installed on this union, the gasket performs the seal.

If making it a little tighter doesn't stop it definetly do this. Most likely dried gasket and sand.

 

[PoissonRouge]

Thank you both! We will try!

 

[PoissonRouge]

Update: we managed to tighten up and so far no more leak! There is indeed some sand in the overflow so we may have to drain it at some point to avoid further leakage.
thanks again for your help @Slayer311 and @Bigger Rick
Thankful for the MARSH community always here to support

 

[Reefahholic]

Luckily it is in the overflow section, you can kill the return pump and drain the overflow section, remove the locknut and check to make sure there is no sand between the gasket and the tank, then retighten. Can be a bit messy draining but easy enough to manage if you are careful. There is no adhesive or plumbers putty/tape to be installed on this union, the gasket performs the seal.

Couldn’t of said it better.

I’d definitely try to always hand tighten first. Might be all it needs.

 

[soymilk]

Big Rick just got upgraded to bigger rick. But who is biggest Rick

 

[Reefahholic]

I’m glad my overflow box is injection molded with zero bulkheads in the back box.

 

[RobertP]

Sounds like you got it! Yeah that is an easy fix...they say hand tighten bulkheads and they wont leak but when they leak I put a wrench on them and get a 1/8 or 1/4 turn. That typically fixes it...if not then you might have some trash on the glass, bulkhead, or on either side of the rubber seal. In the past I have put silicone on the rubber seals and that is a big mistake because the seal slips out from under the bulkhead unless you have patience to wait for the silicone to set up.

 

[PoissonRouge]

Big Rick just got upgraded to bigger rick. But who is biggest Rick

Lol! Just seeing this now I think this was autocorrect! Anyway yes biggest help!