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#1
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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 |
#2
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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/ |
#3
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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 |
#4
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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 |
#5
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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 |
#6
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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. |
#7
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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 |
#8
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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 |
#9
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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 |
#10
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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. |
#11
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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. |
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