Can you reverse bulkhead?

gcgrad · 02/02/2015, 06:11 PM

To make a long story short, purchased a tank from someone and having so many issues with leaks due to the way they plumbed it. Should have redone it myself but finally getting close to being leak free making their plumbing work. I have had to remove a bulkhead from the side of the sump where the protein skimmer feeds into it. Had to cut some pipe so now I have a weird angle and not much room to work with if the threaded side of the bulkhead is on the dry side of the sump. Can I flip it around so that the threaded side sits in the sump and is submerged? I would be putting the gasket on the wet side of course, that being the threaded side in this case.

Rybren · 02/02/2015, 06:17 PM

You can flip it, but the gasket HAS to be on the flange side, regardless of whether it is wet or dry. If you put the gasket next to the nut, it will get twisted when tightened and will likely leak.

Tighten the nut hand tight and then a quarter turn with a wrench.

ca1ore · 02/02/2015, 06:29 PM

Right! Regardless of orientation, or which side is wet or dry, gasket always goes right under the flange.

Timfish · 02/02/2015, 06:37 PM

+3! Gasket goes on the flange side. Problem is though it won't take long for stuff to grow in the threads so it will be difficult to remove if the outside threaded section is under water.

JammyBirch · 02/02/2015, 07:13 PM

Honestly I'd replump the whole thing for two reasons. You will stop your leak situation and you will be able to design it the way you like it and modify it if needed in the future. Sounds like it's a good time to do it, once you have salt water, live rock...yada yada...You're stuck.

kmbyrnes · 02/03/2015, 06:38 AM

+1 on replumbing .... now or never.

02/02/2015, 06:11 PM	#1
gcgrad Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Middle Georgia Posts: 192	Can you reverse bulkhead? To make a long story short, purchased a tank from someone and having so many issues with leaks due to the way they plumbed it. Should have redone it myself but finally getting close to being leak free making their plumbing work. I have had to remove a bulkhead from the side of the sump where the protein skimmer feeds into it. Had to cut some pipe so now I have a weird angle and not much room to work with if the threaded side of the bulkhead is on the dry side of the sump. Can I flip it around so that the threaded side sits in the sump and is submerged? I would be putting the gasket on the wet side of course, that being the threaded side in this case. __________________ 125 Gallon Tank; 30 Gallon Sump; 130 lbs rock; 3" Bioactive Aragonite sandbed; Reef Octopus Skimmer; 2x Koralia 1050; Finnex 250 and 300 wt Heater Stocklist: 2 Percula Clownfish, 1 Royal Gramma, 1

02/02/2015, 06:17 PM	#2
Rybren Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 1,642	You can flip it, but the gasket HAS to be on the flange side, regardless of whether it is wet or dry. If you put the gasket next to the nut, it will get twisted when tightened and will likely leak. Tighten the nut hand tight and then a quarter turn with a wrench. __________________ 120G Mixed Reef, 28G AIO zoa/pipefish tank

02/02/2015, 06:29 PM	#3
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	Right! Regardless of orientation, or which side is wet or dry, gasket always goes right under the flange. __________________ Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs

02/02/2015, 06:37 PM	#4
Timfish Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,985	+3! Gasket goes on the flange side. Problem is though it won't take long for stuff to grow in the threads so it will be difficult to remove if the outside threaded section is under water. __________________ "Our crystal clear aquaria come nowhere close to the nutrient loads that swirl around natural reefs" Charles Delbeek

02/02/2015, 07:13 PM	#5
JammyBirch Aquaria Engineering Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Elkland, PA Posts: 1,182	Honestly I'd replump the whole thing for two reasons. You will stop your leak situation and you will be able to design it the way you like it and modify it if needed in the future. Sounds like it's a good time to do it, once you have salt water, live rock...yada yada...You're stuck. __________________ 25g cube, split 10g sump with refugium, Jebao RW4, reefbreeder value Livestock adds: Osc Clowns, Royal Gramma, Pygmy Cherub Angel, Skunk Cleaner Shrimp, Serpent Brittle Star Current Tank Info: 25 gallon cube

02/03/2015, 06:38 AM	#6
kmbyrnes Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 2,055	+1 on replumbing .... now or never. __________________ 125g Mixed Reef 5/26/2015; 350 Butterfly Dominated FOWLR 11/26/2015 - 11/17/20217 & 07/31/18 to ??? ; 100g Mixed Reef 11/16/2013 to 06/16/2017 Current Tank Info: Too small