Acrylic Sump - Drilled wrong location: Fixable?

[tbone28]

I had my sump drilled to fit a 1" hayward bulkhead in the wrong location. Can the hole be "patched" somehow? Or is it better to just leave the bulkhead in and cap it off?

Thanks

[Lemmz]

It can be patched but IMO it would be better to just cap the bulkhead

[Dawman]

They have plugs you can put in the hole or patch it with some acrylic and aquarium safe silicone .

[rsw686]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10338467#post10338467 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dawman
They have plugs you can put in the hole or patch it with some acrylic and aquarium safe silicone .

Silicon doesn't bond well to acrylic. You need to use Weld-On not silicon.

Just leave the bulkhead in place and cap it. There was a thread on here about a grow out tank where the guy patched the bulkheads he removed and it started leaking.

[Dawman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10338809#post10338809 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rsw686
Silicon doesn't bond well to acrylic. You need to use Weld-On not silicon.J




I`ve built many acrylic sumps using silicone and have lasted years so far .

[Acrylics]

I wouldn't build a sump using silicone as a structural adhesive but if you patch it from the inside, silicone works fine, at least IME. Remember water pressure will be pushing the patch into the wall 'cuz you put the patch on the inside.
'Course the simpler method is just to plug the bulkhead, both ends if possible.

HTH,
James

[wakesetter]

silicone might work, but why bother, its not what it's made for. Use plastic glue. Like he said Weld On.

[Daemonfly]

Can you use your new hole for something else, like a drain for waterchanges/emergency, etc..?

I'd plug it for now unless you're absolutely sure you don't want a bulkhead there.

[tbone28]

I think I'm going to either plug it, or use it for water changes. What needs to be done for water changes? If I add spaflex to it, will gravity be enough to push water into a bucket? The bulkhead is located near the bottom of the sump

[Daemonfly]

For waterchanges - If it fed into a bucket, then flow would stop once the levels in the sump & bucket equalize.Considering how most sumps are only a few inches off the floor, at the most, this probably wouldn't work too great.

If you don't have a floor drain (most likely not, as I'm guessing it's not in the basement), then you'd probably need a small pump (doesn't' need to be too big for a WC).

I'd go valve & small pump if you want to use it in this fashion. If you put the valve on the output side of the pump, then there's much less chance of ever running the pump dry mistakenly.

Just an option, might or might not work well with your system layout.

[BeanAnimal]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10338843#post10338843 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dawman
I`ve built many acrylic sumps using silicone and have lasted years so far .

Somehow I am inclined to not believe that :D

Silicone has a VERY LOW adhesion to Acrylic.

[tbone28]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10342982#post10342982 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Daemonfly
For waterchanges - If it fed into a bucket, then flow would stop once the levels in the sump & bucket equalize.Considering how most sumps are only a few inches off the floor, at the most, this probably wouldn't work too great.

If you don't have a floor drain (most likely not, as I'm guessing it's not in the basement), then you'd probably need a small pump (doesn't' need to be too big for a WC).

I'd go valve & small pump if you want to use it in this fashion. If you put the valve on the output side of the pump, then there's much less chance of ever running the pump dry mistakenly.

Just an option, might or might not work well with your system layout.

I don't have a floor drain - no basement - I'm glad you told me that gravity won't work. So you recommend that I plumb the pump to the bulkhead, and the ball valve after that? And hook up some spa flex to the valve? I'm thinking spaflex, since it's flexible - I can place it into the bucket.

Any recs on a cheap, small pump for this purpose?

Thanks

[Daemonfly]

Could get a lower-end Danner Mag Drive/Pondmaster pump.


As for valves, thinking about it, I'd either put one before the pump (to allow for pump maintenance) or both one before & one after. You could also put in a union between the valve and the pump intake for easier maintenance.

As for output, I'd personally probably just go with a hose nipple on the output and some vinyl tubing. This way you could just coil it up and store it away next to the sump (if there's room). Lot more flexible than flex pvc.

Of course, if you decide not to do this, I'd still just cap off the bulkhead instead of permanently sealing it until you're 100% sure you'll never use it.

[tbone28]

I was looking at the Mag-Drive's- priced right...Are they self-priming?

I want to place unions before and after the pump, but lack the space inside the stand to do so. I'm going to have to plumb the pump perpendicular to the sump itself.

What fittings will I need to do this?

Thanks

edit: what is hose nipple with vinyl tubing?

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/8834/plumbingcy4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Daemonfly]

Hose Nipple http://images.google.com/images?q=hose+nipple
Vinyl tubing http://images.google.com/images?q=vinyl+tubing

Get plastic nipples (Home Depot carries a variety of sizes).

As long as the pump is lower than your water level, there should always be water in it so that it will start up fine.

You could turn that bulkhead around for an extra 1-2" (threaded end on inside).

[tbone28]

Thanks for the link. I like your idea. Very simple, effective, and a space-saver. I also like your idea about reversing the bulkhead - I didn't know that could be done. So does the gasket remain on the wet-side of the sump?

[Daemonfly]

No, the gasket would then be on the dry side, as the water would just go out through the threads otherwise.

Only real downfall I can think of is coralline algae buildup on the threads making removal later on a bit more difficult.

[BeanAnimal]

Yup the gasket must always go on the flange side of the bulkhead, never the nut side.

[tbone28]

I'm sure glad I asked about the gasket's location! Intuitively, it made sense to me to place the gasket on the wet side, as I thought the gasket would prevent the water from getting through...I guess not!! So obviously, I don't understand how a gasket prevents water seepage. Can one of you explain it to me, as I don't understand how placing the gasket on the dry side will prevent water seepage. Thanks!

[BeanAnimal]

tbone

the gasket forms a seal between the tank wall and the flange. If you put the gasket on the NUT side, then water would leak through the threads and then to the other side of the tank wall.

Does that help?

[tbone28]

Got it now, thanks!