Bulkheads....seal w/ silicon or not?
 

I'm putting in 4" bulkheads into my 150 gallon rubbermaid stock tanks
and was wondering if anyone uses silicon to seal the bulkheads or to
just leave them as is (plain rubber). Once I put these tanks in
place, it would be a real pain to fix a leak, so I want to check what
everyone else has done. Has anyone put in bulkheads into a rubbermaid
stock tank? If so, what have you done and did they ever leak? Thx!!!
Oingofan

Bulkheads....seal w/ silicon or not?
 

Oingofan wrote:
I'm putting in 4" bulkheads into my 150 gallon rubbermaid stock tanks
and was wondering if anyone uses silicon to seal the bulkheads or to
just leave them as is (plain rubber). Once I put these tanks in
place, it would be a real pain to fix a leak, so I want to check what
everyone else has done. Has anyone put in bulkheads into a rubbermaid
stock tank? If so, what have you done and did they ever leak? Thx!!!
Oingofan

I had to use silicone on mine.

--
Bonnie
NJ
http://home.earthlink.net/~maebe43/

Bulkheads....seal w/ silicon or not?
 

I used them on my preformed pond and they did not leak at all.
If they are installed correctly you should not have to use silicone, in fact
that could make them leak. The fitting should have a rubber gasket on one
side and then another rubber gasket and a "washer" on the other. The rubber
gaskets both need to go against the tank surface. The "washer" needs to be
on the nut side between the nut and the gasket. This keeps the rubber gasket
from bunching and twisting when you tighten the nut.


"Oingofan" wrote in message
...
I'm putting in 4" bulkheads into my 150 gallon rubbermaid stock tanks
and was wondering if anyone uses silicon to seal the bulkheads or to
just leave them as is (plain rubber). Once I put these tanks in
place, it would be a real pain to fix a leak, so I want to check what
everyone else has done. Has anyone put in bulkheads into a rubbermaid
stock tank? If so, what have you done and did they ever leak? Thx!!!
Oingofan

Bulkheads....seal w/ silicon or not?
 

One thing to consider: 4" bulkhead fittings are pretty large, and may
not conform well with any curves built into the stock tanks---a "flat"
rubber seal will not take to a curved surface, no matter how correctly
they are installed. Silicone may help, but usually wears out after a
time when exposed to the elements. I suggest you rethink the bulkhead
fitting size, unless you have a flat surface available on the tank in
excess of the seal diameter.


"Ted" wrote:

I used them on my preformed pond and they did not leak at all.
If they are installed correctly you should not have to use silicone, in fact
that could make them leak. The fitting should have a rubber gasket on one
side and then another rubber gasket and a "washer" on the other. The rubber
gaskets both need to go against the tank surface. The "washer" needs to be
on the nut side between the nut and the gasket. This keeps the rubber gasket
from bunching and twisting when you tighten the nut.


"Oingofan" wrote in message
.. .
I'm putting in 4" bulkheads into my 150 gallon rubbermaid stock tanks
and was wondering if anyone uses silicon to seal the bulkheads or to
just leave them as is (plain rubber). Once I put these tanks in
place, it would be a real pain to fix a leak, so I want to check what
everyone else has done. Has anyone put in bulkheads into a rubbermaid
stock tank? If so, what have you done and did they ever leak? Thx!!!
Oingofan

Bulkheads....seal w/ silicon or not?
 

The kind of bulkhead I got only has a 1/4" rubber gasket on the water
side and a nut on the other side. I don't have a washer on the nut
side. I didn't know if all 4" bulkheads are in this fashion.
Oingofan

On Tue, 15 Apr 2003 00:40:50 GMT, "Ted"
wrote:

I used them on my preformed pond and they did not leak at all.
If they are installed correctly you should not have to use silicone, in fact
that could make them leak. The fitting should have a rubber gasket on one
side and then another rubber gasket and a "washer" on the other. The rubber
gaskets both need to go against the tank surface. The "washer" needs to be
on the nut side between the nut and the gasket. This keeps the rubber gasket
from bunching and twisting when you tighten the nut.


"Oingofan" wrote in message
.. .
I'm putting in 4" bulkheads into my 150 gallon rubbermaid stock tanks
and was wondering if anyone uses silicon to seal the bulkheads or to
just leave them as is (plain rubber). Once I put these tanks in
place, it would be a real pain to fix a leak, so I want to check what
everyone else has done. Has anyone put in bulkheads into a rubbermaid
stock tank? If so, what have you done and did they ever leak? Thx!!!
Oingofan

Bulkheads....seal w/ silicon or not?
 

I am putting in them on flat surfaces of the tank. One location is
very close to curved surfaces though. I was going to put one on the
very bottom of the tank, but these tanks will be sitting in the ground
and I was worried about getting to the seal if it were to leak. I
took pictures along the way of cutting my holes in the tanks (scary!)
and hope to post them on a website sometime. I bought some aquarium
silicon last night and am thinking about using it.
Oingofan

On Tue, 15 Apr 2003 02:25:48 GMT, GD wrote:

One thing to consider: 4" bulkhead fittings are pretty large, and may
not conform well with any curves built into the stock tanks---a "flat"
rubber seal will not take to a curved surface, no matter how correctly
they are installed. Silicone may help, but usually wears out after a
time when exposed to the elements. I suggest you rethink the bulkhead
fitting size, unless you have a flat surface available on the tank in
excess of the seal diameter.

Bulkheads....seal w/ silicon or not?
 

Oingofan wrote:
The kind of bulkhead I got only has a 1/4" rubber gasket on the water
side and a nut on the other side. I don't have a washer on the nut
side. I didn't know if all 4" bulkheads are in this fashion.
Oingofan


thats the kind I got on the bareels rounded surface i had to use a
sealer on both sides including the gasket to get a solid seal.
I used RTV Rubber but a good clear silicon works too ( not tub and tile
tho )


John Rutz

the green is grassing the leaves are treeing
I'm happy

see my pond at:

http://www.fuerjefe.com

Bulkheads....seal w/ silicon or not?
 

I bought my bulkhead fittings at a pool store, they are the kind used on
Jacuzzis and pools. What you have sounds like an outdoor electrical
bulkhead fitting which is just to prevent water from getting in and not so
much in a submerged situation.

"John Rutz" wrote in message
...


Oingofan wrote:
The kind of bulkhead I got only has a 1/4" rubber gasket on the water
side and a nut on the other side. I don't have a washer on the nut
side. I didn't know if all 4" bulkheads are in this fashion.
Oingofan


thats the kind I got on the bareels rounded surface i had to use a
sealer on both sides including the gasket to get a solid seal.
I used RTV Rubber but a good clear silicon works too ( not tub and tile
tho )


John Rutz

the green is grassing the leaves are treeing
I'm happy

see my pond at:

http://www.fuerjefe.com

Bulkheads....seal w/ silicon or not?
 

dunno Ted but they are sold by a pond supply company

John Rutz

Ted wrote:
I bought my bulkhead fittings at a pool store, they are the kind used on
Jacuzzis and pools. What you have sounds like an outdoor electrical
bulkhead fitting which is just to prevent water from getting in and not so
much in a submerged situation.

"John Rutz" wrote in message
...


Oingofan wrote:

The kind of bulkhead I got only has a 1/4" rubber gasket on the water
side and a nut on the other side. I don't have a washer on the nut
side. I didn't know if all 4" bulkheads are in this fashion.
Oingofan



thats the kind I got on the bareels rounded surface i had to use a
sealer on both sides including the gasket to get a solid seal.
I used RTV Rubber but a good clear silicon works too ( not tub and tile
tho )


John Rutz

the green is grassing the leaves are treeing
I'm happy

see my pond at:

http://www.fuerjefe.com






--





John Rutz
Z5 New Mexico


see my pond at:

http://www.fuerjefe.com

Bulkheads....seal w/ silicon or not?
 

"Oingofan" wrote in message
...
I'm putting in 4" bulkheads into my 150 gallon rubbermaid stock tanks
and was wondering if anyone uses silicon to seal the bulkheads or to
just leave them as is (plain rubber). Once I put these tanks in
place, it would be a real pain to fix a leak, so I want to check what
everyone else has done. Has anyone put in bulkheads into a rubbermaid
stock tank? If so, what have you done and did they ever leak? Thx!!!
Oingofan
I didn't seal mine, just used the rubber that came with them. I am on my
second filter with the same bulkhead fitting and no leaks. I thought about
using the silicon.
But if you would feel more at ease use the silicon.

Bulkheads....seal w/ silicon or not?
 

Well, from what I have seen, there is no general consensus on using
Silicon or not. Some points good...others bad. I'll probably be
using it just to make a better seal with a stock tank. Thx everyone!
Oingofan

On Sat, 19 Apr 2003 21:53:14 GMT, "David Spradling"
wrote:


"Oingofan" wrote in message
.. .
I'm putting in 4" bulkheads into my 150 gallon rubbermaid stock tanks
and was wondering if anyone uses silicon to seal the bulkheads or to
just leave them as is (plain rubber). Once I put these tanks in
place, it would be a real pain to fix a leak, so I want to check what
everyone else has done. Has anyone put in bulkheads into a rubbermaid
stock tank? If so, what have you done and did they ever leak? Thx!!!
Oingofan
I didn't seal mine, just used the rubber that came with them. I am on my
second filter with the same bulkhead fitting and no leaks. I thought about
using the silicon.
But if you would feel more at ease use the silicon.