Hole Drilled, now what? Washer, O-Ring, Screw-in fittings? (1 Viewer)

[KyleH]

Hello,

I am interested in modifying my biocube / nano-tank with 2 holes to connect to a fuge. I am unclear what to do after you get the holes drilled.

I am guessing to pick up some plumbing like a male / female screw-in fittings from the home-improvement store to get on each side of each hole. Then, possibly get some 1/4" acrylic and cut it out to to make a round or square washer (get the same hole drilled, too), and put some silicone to seal it against the tank. Silicone and add O-ring's to seal the washer to fittings.

Is there a better way?

What is the smallest reasonable hole to drill, especially for a nano tank--I am thinking for most fittings, it may be 1/2".

Thanks for any help. I cannot believe hard this information was hard to find through searching.

-KyleH

 

[tedu]

DIY bulkheads are possible or you can buy small bulkheads.

DIY:
http://www.randystacye.com/diybulkhead.htm

Purchase:
http://www.savko.com/portal/bulkhead.asp

I also think several sponsors carry some bulkheads.

 

[KyleH]

Thanks! "bulkheads"

Thanks. That was what I was looking for to search on - "bulkheads".

-KyleH

 

[trb]

I know citypets and fish gallery carry bulkheads, I bought mine from them. They will run $6 -8 or so each. They may not have 1/2" though, most people use 3/4", 1", or 1.5" on their larger tanks.

If you are drilling plastic, you can also use the Uniseals with a piece of PVC pipe. Look at the bottom of the Savko website on their Bulkhead Ordering Online page http://www.savko.com/partlist.asp?pgid=2

 

[KyleH]

Silicone the bulkheads?

What did you guys do on your custom holes and bulkheads?

I see there are some rubber washer on some bulkhead kits. What would anyone say about using silicone to seal the bulkheads?

I was thinking of putting a ring of extra silicone to make sure it will *never* come loose or lose the water seal.

Also, with threaded ends on the bulkheads, is there any reason why you would *not* use plumber's tape (that white plastic / parafin tape to make a seal)?

Thanks for any followups.

-KyleH

 

[merkurmaniac]

THe plumber's tape would be useless, IMO. If the water gets to the threads, your primary seal has failed and the threaded seal is not much of a backup. I put the rubber seal on the wetside. The rubber allows a bit of compression to permit you to energize the seal by tightening the fittings, but hopefully not to the extent that you shatter or crack the glass/acrylic. Also, if your bulkhead is near the top of the tank, than the static head, i.e., the weight of the water trying to push past your seal is very minimal. If the bulkead is at the bottom of the tank, it has the pressure of a foot or two of water try to force its way past the seal.

I'd swing by city pets and see what the smallest they offer is. I think that I used 1" tubing dia which called for a much larger sized hole. They had a 1" internal socket bore that matched the 1" PVC. I had to trim off a bunch of the threaded part of the bukhead fitting, as its made for a massive range of sizes and was going to end up too long, so I cut off the extra with a hack saw and still had plenty of engagement for the PVC tubing inside.

I think that I coated both faces of the rubber with a suuuper thin layer of silicone, and then put some silicone on the threads, before screwing on the nut. This was more to keep the nut from turning and loosening, rather than as a liquid seal.

 

[tedu]

FWIW, I've got 9 bulkheads on my current tank.

• Didn't use silicone on any of them.
  Placed gasket on the 'wet side' of the fitting.
  For bulkheads that are designed to connect to threaded PVC fittings I do use plumbers tape on the connection threads.
  I buy the pink tape (at Lowes I think), it's a little thicker and seems easier to use and gets a better seal.