Emergency line dripping but water in overflow is low - why ?

[Idech]

Everything was fine with the emergency line until this morning. Last night I cleaned the weir on the overflow box with a tooth brush and also gently ran it down my 2 drains. I felt the emergency drain was a little loose but figured this was not glued to allow cleaning.

This morning I saw there was a steady, slow drip on the emergency line, even though the water in the overflow was 2 inches below the drain.

I ran a long brush down this drain and the other and did not feel any resistance.

How can this be ? Does it mean there is a crack somewhere in the drain ? This is a schedule 40 pipe, so not easy to crack.

Thanks !

 

[GlassMunky]

Everything was fine with the emergency line until this morning. Last night I cleaned the weir on the overflow box with a tooth brush and also gently ran it down my 2 drains. I felt the emergency drain was a little loose but figured this was not glued to allow cleaning.

This morning I saw there was a steady, slow drip on the emergency line, even though the water in the overflow was 2 inches below the drain.

I ran a long brush down this drain and the other and did not feel any resistance.

How can this be ? Does it mean there is a crack somewhere in the drain ? This is a schedule 40 pipe, so not easy to crack.

Thanks !

my guess is theres a small leak between the actual pipe and that fitting on top (is it a coupling?)

EDIT: if you feel it moving and its loose in the bulkhead, it could def be leaking there. it doesnt need to be glued, but it should be tight

 

[radreef02]

If it’s not coming from the top, it’s leaking in somewhere lower. Probably right where the coupling is at the top or the bulkhead

 

[Idech]

my guess is theres a small leak between the actual pipe and that fitting on top (is it a coupling?)

EDIT: if you feel it moving and its loose in the bulkhead, it could def be leaking there. it doesnt need to be glued, but it should be tight

I don’t know what a coupling is. It’s one of those 3 pipes on this picture.

If it’s not coming from the top, it’s leaking in somewhere lower. Probably right where the coupling is at the top or the bulkhead

So how do I fix this ?

 

[radreef02]

The part you circled on the first picture is probably leaking

 

[GlassMunky]

I don’t know what a coupling is. It’s one of those 3 pipes on this picture.

So how do I fix this ?

the part you have circled in your opriginal post. theres a piece thats wider than the pipe sitrting on top of the pipe. that thing is what i was saying is maybe leaking.
why do you have that on there rather than just a straight piece of pvc?

 

[Idech]

the part you have circled in your opriginal post. theres a piece thats wider than the pipe sitrting on top of the pipe. that thing is what i was saying is maybe leaking.
why do you have that on there rather than just a straight piece of pvc?

Okay, I see. I have no idea why they used that. It’s my first tank with a sump and it’s custom built. I didn’t have the knowledge to question that choice.

I stopped the pump and tried to screw in the pipe more. It didn’t stop the dripping, but it made it from a different spot, which tends to validate your hypothesis. By turning the drain, the drip followed.

I suppose there was gunk in there and by using a toothbrush to clean it, I removed it. With new gunk building up, it should stop again, hopefully. Or maybe I can remove the drain and use some gorilla glue all around inside to stop the leak ? Or even just dry it and glue it from inside.

Later I’ll do one last test to prove this theory. I’ll bring the level below this line and see if it still leaks. If so, that means the link is coming from the bottom of the drain, not the top.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Okay, I see. I have no idea why they used that. It’s my first tank with a sump and it’s custom built. I didn’t have the knowledge to question that choice.

I stopped the pump and tried to screw in the pipe more. It didn’t stop the dripping, but it made it from a different spot, which tends to validate your hypothesis. By turning the drain, the drip followed.

I suppose there was gunk in there and by using a toothbrush to clean it, I removed it. With new gunk building up, it should stop again, hopefully. Or maybe I can remove the drain and use some gorilla glue all around inside to stop the leak ? Or even just dry it and glue it from inside.

Later I’ll do one last test to prove this theory. I’ll bring the level below this line and see if it still leaks. If so, that means the link is coming from the bottom of the drain, not the top.

Just give it a little while for gunk to build up again and seal the leak. My drains initially leaked like this but soon stopped after I got the tank running.
I suggest not moving or cleaning the drain pipes unless there's a clear blockage.

 

[Idech]

Just give it a little while for gunk to build up again and seal the leak. My drains initially leaked like this but soon stopped after I got the tank running.
I suggest not moving or cleaning the drain pipes unless there's a clear blockage.

Thanks. I’ll do just that. I’m learning as I go. I wish I knew all this stuff before but I guess that’s how you build experience.

 

[Reefering1]

You can try twisting and lightly pushing the entire standpoint into the bulkhead, just in case you wiggling the pipe loosened it a little.

 

[Idech]

You can try twisting and lightly pushing the entire standpoint into the bulkhead, just in case you wiggling the pipe loosened it a little.

Yes, I’ve done that and it only displaced the leaking spot.