the ring should be on the side that you need to seal to waterI have a really quick question. I have drilled my tanks for the first time and am about to install bulkheads. My question is do you put the rubber ring inside the tank or on the outside?
I tried a multitude of options (including yours Frank, good to see a fellow classy san diegan) to try and make the bulkheads watertight and have not succeeded despite several trips to Home Depot and several aquarium shops in my area. Looks like my holes were drilled slightly larger than the bulkheads were intended. The rubber ring covers the hole completely (barely no matter how I fit the bulk head ), but for whatever reason it isn't holding water completely. Was told by an aquarium shop that silicone would do the trick. What do you guys think? Pumilo god of glass? JkI recently learned a lesson on installing bulkheads.. They do not need to be tightened very tight to hold water, especially in a vivarium that will not hold too much water, might be different on a full aquarium.. I recommend hand tightening and then use a wrench for maybe a quarter turn. Don't go too tight! I cranked on one and walked away, then heard the 'crack', the glass cracked. luckily it was only a 10 gallon that hadn't been transformed into a vivarium yet. I believe the thicker glass tanks would withstand more abuse but still - the bulkhead doesn't need to be too tight to hold water so why risk it?
hmm, ever hear of him using the nom de plume "heisenberg"Pumilo god of glass? Jk
Becareful with this method as I've seen people rip the bulkheads loose when dealing with lines that are hard plumbed or screwed into the bulkheads. If they are hard plumbed and the line running to the tank is banged pulled hard enough it can break the seal. I've also seen lines screwed into those bulkheads stick and someone with a wrench tear the seal trying to unscrew the pipe.I use "bulkheads" from a irrigation store that don't come with any rubber gaskets. I just run a bead of silicone on the inside face of the "bulkhead". I then tighten until the silicone is squeezed out a little. Then I use a gloved finger and smooth out the excess silicone. Let dry overnight and I'm all set. Learned this method while attending the AZA Amphibian Biology and Management course at the Amphibian Conservation Center in Detroit. Have not had any leaks yet! Fingers crossed.![]()
Yeah it is a true gasket. Not the round O-ring that I believe you are reffering too.You do have a flat rubber ring about 1/4" wide, right? A true gasket? If it is only an O-ring that's your problem. If you have a gasket, a bigger one will not matter as the one you have should already be as big as your collar.
Tried everything - backwards, forwards, gasket on the inside, gasket on the outside, tight, not tight, and every combination between. I think I'll try to find an extra gasket that fits and try it on both sides.We have always installed the gasket on the outside of the tank, hundreds of them, and have never had one leak. We've also used some of the smaller push-connect bulkheads that don't come with a gasket and have had a few failures with them. Sometimes the silicone "seal" broke and allowed the leak and othertimes the internal seal failed.
You can try switching the bulkhead to the outside (so it rests directly against the "collar" of the bulkhead) and see if that seals it. If that doesn't work you may just have a defective bulkhead gasket??
Good luck!