Bulkhead question

gacolt · Jan 31, 2015

Today i bought a 200g 96''L x 24''W x 20''H acrylic tank.The previous owner closed off the drain and return holes with acrylic sheets,can i just drill a hole through the sheet and put the bulkheads on top of that.will there be any problems with the BH not being completely on the surface.here are some pics

redfishbluefish · Jan 31, 2015

You could always install the bulkhead the other way.....ie flange on the opposite side. Just make sure that you ALWAYS install the gasket on the flange side....Never on the nut side.

gacolt · Jan 31, 2015

so turn the bulkhead upside down?

redfishbluefish · Jan 31, 2015

gacolt said:
so turn the bulkhead upside down?

Yep.

gacolt · Jan 31, 2015

im also thinking about drilling the back of the tank and doing a herbie

AZDesertRat · Jan 31, 2015

I would drill in a different spot which would be easy with an acrylic tank.

redfishbluefish · Jan 31, 2015

Well, if you're looking for alternatives, I too would leave those two capped holes and install a Glass-Holes overflow kit.

gacolt · Feb 1, 2015

there's overflow boxes on each end of the tank and three holes on the back

Vivid Aquariums · Feb 5, 2015

Personally I would never turn a bulkhead backwards. Could you just drill a big hole that removes the patch. Maybe use a 2" bulkhead. There is no such thing as a drain that is too big.

If that doesn't work what about drilling another hole to one side of the patch that would allow the new bulkhead to be installed correctly.

gacolt · Feb 5, 2015

the bulkheads would have to be 3 1/2'' bulkheads.
not enough space the patchs are in the way.

gacolt · Feb 6, 2015

AZDesertRat · Feb 6, 2015

It looks like the patches are siliconed on and not acrylic solvent welded? If so why not remove the patches. And put the bulkheads back in the original location. That or just drill through the patch with the original hole size and place the bulkhead through buth thicknesses? Apparently the patches seal so the bulkhead will also seal as long as the gasket is on the flange side of the bulkhead. The shaft of the bulkhead is plenty long to reach through an additional 1/4" or 3/8" of material.