SCWD help

titan04 · 04/17/2006, 12:24 PM

I have just finished my 30G cube project and was doing a freshwater test run of it and after a little while noticed a small puddle on the top of my Ehiem pump for my closed loop... tracing it up to the SCWD I found that on either side of the they bottom 3/4" housing right at the where it starts to angle out is a small leak... small being 900+gph going through it and it takes about 3 seconds to bead up... with the CL off it barely leaks... but any leak = very bad so back to the point of this.

Can I glue this safely from the outside and it still hold up?

I would hate to send it back for this and waiting is the main thing since I just moved and have to get my old aquarium out and don't want to bring that small thing over and set it back up and would rather do it all at once with water waiting for my water to be added and plug it all in

What should I use to seal these leaks? PVC cement to each side and along the crack? Silicone on there? Weld-on?

Suggestions, help and experience would be greatly appreciated as I want to drain the fresh water after work today and clean it all up and lay the new sand bed down and take it all upstairs and start the new water going in slowly overnight with the heater and a small powerhead to circulate it and get the pH up to normal before my rock/corals/water arrive tomorrow when I break down the other tank.

Thanks!

smleee · 04/17/2006, 01:06 PM

Are you using hose clamps? Is it leaking from the tubing or the unit itself?

eee

titan04 · 04/17/2006, 01:15 PM

Hose clamps... It is the unit itself... at the seam on each side... I thought at first I just didn't tighten the clamp down enough but when I loosened it and lowered it and retightened the hose I noticed it wasn't the host at all and was the unit...

Why I was asking about what to use to patch it up

smleee · 04/17/2006, 01:24 PM

I'm not sure silicone would hold indefinitely on that surface. On the other hand, I don't know if I would trust anything to hold if the unit is cracked. The patch itself could hold great, but it could end up cracking more while in use and you might not notice until you're wondering why you have to top off 5-10g that day!

eee

titan04 · 04/17/2006, 01:31 PM

Yeah I know I need a new one... but I was hoping for the sake of time that I could patch it with something someone knew would hold for at least a week or 2 while the other one is on the way... then when and if it starts leaking I have a spare or once I need to clean the other or get too scared to wait for a small leak that I swap it out and have the one with small leaks as a spare

So for that plastic surface I was wondering what I should use to plug the leak... super glue/gorilla glue I wouldn't trust I don't think... pvc cement not sure about... silicone I think would hold but for how long :P... weld-on might be the best bet or some 2 part epoxy but what kind?

sjm817 · 04/17/2006, 01:38 PM

I had the same problem (among others) with mine. It sealed itself up after a couple of days.

titan04 · 04/17/2006, 01:52 PM

Well the leak will eventually drain over onto some wood... sealed but still not good... so I need to put something on the outside of it to temp seal it... probably going to go with PVC cement with silicone on the outside of it to provide extra hold...

sjm817 · 04/17/2006, 01:55 PM

I would only use PVC cement if it melts the plastic. If not, I would use superglue or maybe an epoxy.

04/17/2006, 12:24 PM	#1
titan04 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 182	SCWD help I have just finished my 30G cube project and was doing a freshwater test run of it and after a little while noticed a small puddle on the top of my Ehiem pump for my closed loop... tracing it up to the SCWD I found that on either side of the they bottom 3/4" housing right at the where it starts to angle out is a small leak... small being 900+gph going through it and it takes about 3 seconds to bead up... with the CL off it barely leaks... but any leak = very bad so back to the point of this. Can I glue this safely from the outside and it still hold up? I would hate to send it back for this and waiting is the main thing since I just moved and have to get my old aquarium out and don't want to bring that small thing over and set it back up and would rather do it all at once with water waiting for my water to be added and plug it all in What should I use to seal these leaks? PVC cement to each side and along the crack? Silicone on there? Weld-on? Suggestions, help and experience would be greatly appreciated as I want to drain the fresh water after work today and clean it all up and lay the new sand bed down and take it all upstairs and start the new water going in slowly overnight with the heater and a small powerhead to circulate it and get the pH up to normal before my rock/corals/water arrive tomorrow when I break down the other tank. Thanks! __________________ Why do I always like the expensive hobbies? Current Tank Info: 30G cube, 250W MH, 56W PC, SPS, Clam and Zoanthids @ 1500GPH...

04/17/2006, 01:15 PM	#3
titan04 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 182	Hose clamps... It is the unit itself... at the seam on each side... I thought at first I just didn't tighten the clamp down enough but when I loosened it and lowered it and retightened the hose I noticed it wasn't the host at all and was the unit... Why I was asking about what to use to patch it up __________________ Why do I always like the expensive hobbies? Current Tank Info: 30G cube, 250W MH, 56W PC, SPS, Clam and Zoanthids @ 1500GPH...

04/17/2006, 01:31 PM	#5
titan04 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 182	Yeah I know I need a new one... but I was hoping for the sake of time that I could patch it with something someone knew would hold for at least a week or 2 while the other one is on the way... then when and if it starts leaking I have a spare or once I need to clean the other or get too scared to wait for a small leak that I swap it out and have the one with small leaks as a spare So for that plastic surface I was wondering what I should use to plug the leak... super glue/gorilla glue I wouldn't trust I don't think... pvc cement not sure about... silicone I think would hold but for how long :P... weld-on might be the best bet or some 2 part epoxy but what kind? __________________ Why do I always like the expensive hobbies? Current Tank Info: 30G cube, 250W MH, 56W PC, SPS, Clam and Zoanthids @ 1500GPH...

04/17/2006, 01:38 PM	#6
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	I had the same problem (among others) with mine. It sealed itself up after a couple of days. __________________ - Scott

04/17/2006, 01:52 PM	#7
titan04 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 182	Well the leak will eventually drain over onto some wood... sealed but still not good... so I need to put something on the outside of it to temp seal it... probably going to go with PVC cement with silicone on the outside of it to provide extra hold... __________________ Why do I always like the expensive hobbies? Current Tank Info: 30G cube, 250W MH, 56W PC, SPS, Clam and Zoanthids @ 1500GPH...

04/17/2006, 01:06 PM	#2
smleee Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 1,344	Are you using hose clamps? Is it leaking from the tubing or the unit itself? eee

04/17/2006, 01:24 PM	#4
smleee Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 1,344	I'm not sure silicone would hold indefinitely on that surface. On the other hand, I don't know if I would trust anything to hold if the unit is cracked. The patch itself could hold great, but it could end up cracking more while in use and you might not notice until you're wondering why you have to top off 5-10g that day! eee

04/17/2006, 01:55 PM	#8
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	I would only use PVC cement if it melts the plastic. If not, I would use superglue or maybe an epoxy. __________________ - Scott