I need help.... Leaking Eshopps Overflow

[Reef Wizard]

I need help before I tear my hair out I have been trying for over a week...

Pics below of leak and how its all plumbed before I added water.

I drilled and installed the Eshopps Prodigy L Slimline overflow. I CANNOT for the life of me stop this leak. It will either leak on one or both of the drilled holes down the back of the tank as pictured

I have gaskets as follows (Inside Overflow Box-gasket-glass-gasket-outside overflow box-nut)

I have ONLY hand tightened.

Tank is just a aqueon 75 gallon with frame. I initially thought it was the frame so I put the inside overflow box upside down to ensure there would be no restrictions but it still leaks.

I want a Permanent solution NO SILICONE as its a temp fix

@Crabs McJones I know you have one any tips?

 

[Crabs McJones]

Sounds like you have the gaskets right, did the holes come pre drilled or did you drill them yourself?

 

[Reef Wizard]

Sounds like you have the gaskets right, did the holes come pre drilled or did you drill them yourself?

I drilled them with the included template and hole saw bit.

It takes about 15-20 mins to start leaking and once it does it starts leaking faster overtime

 

[JumboShrimp]

The bulkhead pieces-- are they machined (injection molded) with slight imperfections like indentations or raised burrs? If so, you might have to sand them or fill them, so water can't find a channel. Also I can appreciate that you have only hand tightened them, so as not to crack anything, but might it need a slight 1/4 turn more?

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

So I run the boxes on two of my tanks.
Inside box/glass/gasket/outside box nut. no leaks
You are provided with two gaskets per bulkhead, but I only used one.

 

[Reef Wizard]

The bulkhead pieces-- are they machined (injection molded) with slight imperfections like indentations or raised burrs? If so, you might have to sand them or fill them, so water can't find a channel. Also I can appreciate that you have only hand tightened them, so as not to crack anything, but might it need a slight 2/4 turn more?

Honestly doesnt look like they any have slight imperfections but I would have to re examine as I'm not 100%

I thought about doing more turning with some kind of pvc wrench or something but just worried...

 

[Reef Wizard]

So I run the boxes on two of my tanks.
Inside box/glass/gasket/outside box nut. no leaks
You are provided with two gaskets per bulkhead, but I only used one.

So I should ditch the inside gaskets? I havent tried that...

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

So I should ditch the inside gaskets? I havent tried that...

the only gasket I used is in between the outside of the glass and the outside overflow box.

 

[JumboShrimp]

I know it will be a real pain, but you might want to take everything apart and reinspect to make sure that everything is sitting absolutely flat, either to glass, to acrylic, or to a gasket. Then do as you did by hand tightening, and after that, do bit by bit 1/16th turns and the leak(s) should stop, no?

 

[Reef Wizard]

the only gasket I used is in between the outside of the glass and the outside overflow box.

I know it will be a real pain, but you might want to take everything apart and reinspect to make sure that everything is sitting absolutely flat, either to glass, to acrylic, or to a gasket. Then do as you did by hand tightening, and after that, do bit by bit 1/16th turns and the leak(s) should stop, no?

Sounds like you have the gaskets right, did the holes come pre drilled or did you drill them yourself?

Well I tried putting the gaskets only on the outside of the tank and tightened a little more with a wrench then leveled the box and nope still leaks but it switched from right bulkhead to the left....

Im about to just trash this tank I feel like I Screwed it up when I drilled the holes somehow.

I drilled from the outside of the tank and there was some chipping on the inside but nothing crazy thats the only thing I can think of

 

[JumboShrimp]

I'm looking at your original photo again... did you paint the outside tank glass black yourself? And did you paint all the way up to the holes you drilled-- so that the gasket is trying to seal onto paint, and not just pure, clean, unpainted glass? If so, I had the same problem with water eventually making it's way through. I had to remove all vestiges of paint around the holes, so that the gaskets sat and formed a seal only on glass.

 

[PapiJuan56]

I would try putting the gasket on the interior side. Or try two gaskets, one for the interior and one for the exterior.

 

[Reef Wizard]

I'm looking at your original photo again... did you paint the outside tank glass black yourself? And did you paint all the way up to the holes you drilled-- so that the gasket is trying to seal onto paint, and not just pure, clean, unpainted glass? If so, I had the same problem with water eventually making it's way through. I had to remove all vestiges of paint around the holes, so that the gaskets sat and formed a seal only on glass.

No its a Vinyl Wrap. It is up to the holes I can try and cut it more so the gasket is right next to the glass.

I did think about that just havent tried it.

 

[UncommonSense]

In a perfect world, the only gaskets you should really need here are the pair between interior overflow weir and the interior of the drilled glass pane….

These ABS bulkheads and overflow kits are built down to a price and use notoriously cheap gaskets…


Consider getting higher quality gaskets which have ridges to create pressure points along the gasket’s sealing surface! — you should be able to find one intended for PVC bulkheads with the correct ID!

 

[Reef Wizard]

In a perfect world, the only gaskets you should really need here are the pair between interior overflow weir and the interior of the drilled glass pane….

These ABS bulkheads and overflow kits are built down to a price and use notoriously cheap gaskets…


Consider getting higher quality gaskets which have ridges to create pressure points along the gasket’s sealing surface! — you should be able to find one intended for PVC bulkheads with the correct ID!

I actually bought these lol No change when I installed them. However They dont have any protrusions they are flat both sides

Amazon product

 

[JumboShrimp]

(Agreed; those are superior gaskets-- the ones with the ridges, that can allow greater compression.)

 

[UncommonSense]

Alternatively, try a different gasket material! — this link was supposed to be to EPDM rubber gaskets… just search them there!

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

 

[Reef Wizard]

(Agreed; those are superior gaskets-- the ones with the ridges, that can allow greater compression.)

In a perfect world, the only gaskets you should really need here are the pair between interior overflow weir and the interior of the drilled glass pane….

These ABS bulkheads and overflow kits are built down to a price and use notoriously cheap gaskets…


Consider getting higher quality gaskets which have ridges to create pressure points along the gasket’s sealing surface! — you should be able to find one intended for PVC bulkheads with the correct ID!

The ones it comes with does have ridges should they go against the glass or the overflow box

 

[UncommonSense]

The ones it comes with does have ridges should they go against the glass or the overflow box

Against the glass, typically!

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

I actually bought these lol No change when I installed them. However They dont have any protrusions they are flat both sides

Amazon product

You don't have the original gaskets? The original ones have ridges
Also you can smear some silicone on the gaskets, hand tighten and then wait an hour and tighten just a bit more