how to plug bulkhead holes?

adambirk · 09/21/2009, 08:53 PM

hello everyone, well i just picked up my upgade which is a 150 gallon acrillic tank and the previous owner had it drilled for a closed loop. there are 4 holes in the bottom for the returns and 1 hole in the back for the intake.

well i decided i dont want to run the closed loop. i plan on either running tunzes or vortechs. (alot less electricity and quieter) so how do i go about pluging these holes?

any help would be greatly appriciated. thank you

-adam

MSX-Jeff · 09/21/2009, 09:44 PM

You've got a couple of options...

Option 1: Simply leave the bulkheads in and put threaded plugs in them. Doing this, you can go back and use them easily in the future.

Option 2: Remove the bulkheads and "patch" the holes using pieces of Acrylic that are the same thickness as the panes with the holes in them. The best patch is to have a circular plug the same size as the hole to fill the hole, and then cover with a square patch larger than the hole. You should use WO 3 or WO 40 to bind everything together, then (if you want), you can run some WO 16 around the edges of the patch for extra security. Be aware that there is a high likelihood of crazing if the tank you are patching has seen water or has some age on it.

Personally, I would go with option 1

RokleM · 09/22/2009, 07:13 AM

I'd go for option #3, install true union ball valves. Although you don't think you want to run a closed loop or have any reason for them right now, you never know what the future might hold.

marke · 09/22/2009, 08:04 AM

Rethink what you want. You already have the tough part of a closed loop done. All you need is a pump and pvc, it will cost less than tunze or vortex, it will look cleaner, and it will provide better results. Use the loop! Just an opinion!

billdogg · 09/22/2009, 08:28 AM

I would go with the CL as well - i use a reeflo dart for mine and could not be happier with it. It is dead silent and moves plenty of water without the look and waste of tank space that is any powerhead

adambirk · 09/22/2009, 07:02 PM

i already have all the plumbing and union ball valves already hooked up. they all came with the tank. so i have everything there.

Ok here is the deal. i want the option of a wavemaker like a vortech. so in order to do this with a cl i would have to get an om4 way. 250 used. then a pump that will handle at least 3600gph cause this will be an sps tank so that is another 300 new or 175 to 250 used for a good one.

already i am at the price of a vortech. then there is the cost of running the pump that drives the cl. the lowest wattage pump i have found is a dart at about 150. so that is running 24/7.

were as a vortech is 38 watts max. and when running it it is not allways running full blast so in reality it is pulling alot less energy.

so yes i might have more in to vortechs cause i would be getting 2, but the energy savings would be well worth it not to mention the awsome random curents i have seen with 2 vortechs running on a tank.

at first i was going to run the closed loop with a small pump 1500-2500 gph and a vortech but i think i will like the 2 vortechs instead.

i could just leave the plumbing but the cl returns are in the bottom and i dont want the nozzles that stick up in the tank.

i would still be interested to hear what everyone else has to say.

sjm817 · 09/22/2009, 07:43 PM

You have a good plan. Plug the bulkheads and get the Tunzes or Vortechs.

jbud2418 · 09/22/2009, 07:47 PM

I had a closed loop and replaced with vortech's and love it.

adambirk · 09/22/2009, 08:03 PM

i would love to run a closed loop and not have any powerheads in my tank but to tell you the truth i havnt seen too many cl tanks that havnt had to add a powerhead somewere to get flow to it. and i dont think that there is much out there that can match the random water movement that 2 vortechs can create.

i just got back in from scrubbing some more on my tank and relized that the pvc is glued (purple glue) to the bulkheads. *** does any one know how to break the glue loose? is there a solvent that will break it loose or am i screwed and am going to have to buy new bulkheads to plug?

sjm817 · 09/22/2009, 08:13 PM

You can not break the glue. Its a solvent. The plastic is melted together.

adambirk · 09/22/2009, 08:23 PM

yeah thats kinda what i thought. so my choices are either leave them in with the return pipes in the tank of replace all of them.

does anyone know if they make a plug that is a bulkhead or do i have to replace all the bulkheads then buy plugs for them all?

sorry about all the questions but i have never had to deal with a cl before and dont know much about the bulkheads and parts you can get.

sjm817 · 09/22/2009, 08:49 PM

I've never seen a bulkhead plug. I think you will have to buy them and plug them. Are they sched 40 or sched 80? The sched 80 bulkheads tend to be expensive.

adambirk · 09/22/2009, 08:52 PM

sjm817 i have no idea what that means (sched 40 or sched 80) like i said never had to deal with this stuff before so i dont know? can you tell me what the diff. is?

sjm817 · 09/22/2009, 09:08 PM

A schedule 40 bulkhead is the standard duty type commonly used. A 1" will use a 1 3/4" hole. A schedule 80 is heavy duty and will be bigger like 1 7/8" or more.

james3370 · 09/22/2009, 10:42 PM

for bulkhead plugs, they are talking about using screw-in pvc plugs....but this only works if the "wet side" of the bulkhead is threaded. otherwise, you will need to either plug the holes (wouldn't recommend) or use the ball valves on the dry side to stop flow.

09/21/2009, 08:53 PM	#1
adambirk Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: michigan Posts: 358	how to plug bulkhead holes? hello everyone, well i just picked up my upgade which is a 150 gallon acrillic tank and the previous owner had it drilled for a closed loop. there are 4 holes in the bottom for the returns and 1 hole in the back for the intake. well i decided i dont want to run the closed loop. i plan on either running tunzes or vortechs. (alot less electricity and quieter) so how do i go about pluging these holes? any help would be greatly appriciated. thank you -adam

09/22/2009, 08:28 AM	#5
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	I would go with the CL as well - i use a reeflo dart for mine and could not be happier with it. It is dead silent and moves plenty of water without the look and waste of tank space that is any powerhead __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

09/22/2009, 07:43 PM	#7
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	You have a good plan. Plug the bulkheads and get the Tunzes or Vortechs. __________________ - Scott

09/22/2009, 08:13 PM	#10
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	You can not break the glue. Its a solvent. The plastic is melted together. __________________ - Scott

09/22/2009, 08:49 PM	#12
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	I've never seen a bulkhead plug. I think you will have to buy them and plug them. Are they sched 40 or sched 80? The sched 80 bulkheads tend to be expensive. __________________ - Scott

09/21/2009, 09:44 PM	#2
MSX-Jeff Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: On the Web Posts: 319	You've got a couple of options... Option 1: Simply leave the bulkheads in and put threaded plugs in them. Doing this, you can go back and use them easily in the future. Option 2: Remove the bulkheads and "patch" the holes using pieces of Acrylic that are the same thickness as the panes with the holes in them. The best patch is to have a circular plug the same size as the hole to fill the hole, and then cover with a square patch larger than the hole. You should use WO 3 or WO 40 to bind everything together, then (if you want), you can run some WO 16 around the edges of the patch for extra security. Be aware that there is a high likelihood of crazing if the tank you are patching has seen water or has some age on it. Personally, I would go with option 1

09/22/2009, 07:13 AM	#3
RokleM Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,687	I'd go for option #3, install true union ball valves. Although you don't think you want to run a closed loop or have any reason for them right now, you never know what the future might hold. __________________ -Eric-

09/22/2009, 08:04 AM	#4
marke Moved On Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: davie florida Posts: 993	Rethink what you want. You already have the tough part of a closed loop done. All you need is a pump and pvc, it will cost less than tunze or vortex, it will look cleaner, and it will provide better results. Use the loop! Just an opinion!

09/22/2009, 07:02 PM	#6
adambirk Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: michigan Posts: 358	i already have all the plumbing and union ball valves already hooked up. they all came with the tank. so i have everything there. Ok here is the deal. i want the option of a wavemaker like a vortech. so in order to do this with a cl i would have to get an om4 way. 250 used. then a pump that will handle at least 3600gph cause this will be an sps tank so that is another 300 new or 175 to 250 used for a good one. already i am at the price of a vortech. then there is the cost of running the pump that drives the cl. the lowest wattage pump i have found is a dart at about 150. so that is running 24/7. were as a vortech is 38 watts max. and when running it it is not allways running full blast so in reality it is pulling alot less energy. so yes i might have more in to vortechs cause i would be getting 2, but the energy savings would be well worth it not to mention the awsome random curents i have seen with 2 vortechs running on a tank. at first i was going to run the closed loop with a small pump 1500-2500 gph and a vortech but i think i will like the 2 vortechs instead. i could just leave the plumbing but the cl returns are in the bottom and i dont want the nozzles that stick up in the tank. i would still be interested to hear what everyone else has to say.

09/22/2009, 07:47 PM	#8
jbud2418 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: NC Posts: 55	I had a closed loop and replaced with vortech's and love it.

09/22/2009, 08:03 PM	#9
adambirk Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: michigan Posts: 358	i would love to run a closed loop and not have any powerheads in my tank but to tell you the truth i havnt seen too many cl tanks that havnt had to add a powerhead somewere to get flow to it. and i dont think that there is much out there that can match the random water movement that 2 vortechs can create. i just got back in from scrubbing some more on my tank and relized that the pvc is glued (purple glue) to the bulkheads. *** does any one know how to break the glue loose? is there a solvent that will break it loose or am i screwed and am going to have to buy new bulkheads to plug?

09/22/2009, 08:23 PM	#11
adambirk Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: michigan Posts: 358	yeah thats kinda what i thought. so my choices are either leave them in with the return pipes in the tank of replace all of them. does anyone know if they make a plug that is a bulkhead or do i have to replace all the bulkheads then buy plugs for them all? sorry about all the questions but i have never had to deal with a cl before and dont know much about the bulkheads and parts you can get.

09/22/2009, 08:52 PM	#13
adambirk Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: michigan Posts: 358	sjm817 i have no idea what that means (sched 40 or sched 80) like i said never had to deal with this stuff before so i dont know? can you tell me what the diff. is?

09/22/2009, 09:08 PM	#14
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	A schedule 40 bulkhead is the standard duty type commonly used. A 1" will use a 1 3/4" hole. A schedule 80 is heavy duty and will be bigger like 1 7/8" or more. __________________ - Scott

09/22/2009, 10:42 PM	#15
james3370 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: US ARMY - El Paso TX Posts: 3,678	for bulkhead plugs, they are talking about using screw-in pvc plugs....but this only works if the "wet side" of the bulkhead is threaded. otherwise, you will need to either plug the holes (wouldn't recommend) or use the ball valves on the dry side to stop flow. __________________ Yes I hear voices in my head, but they speak spanish so I can't understand anything they say. there's no place like 127.0.0.1 It's a shame that stupidity isn't painful.... Current Tank Info: currently tankless....but planning an AIO