Leaky Ghost Overflow Question

[SaracensRugby]

Hoping I can get some help. I have installed my 16" ghost overflow on my tank, and get a very very slight drip out of the right side hole, but not the left. I tightened the bulkhead a little bit and still remains. Does the lip that runs along the middle/bottom area on the overflow box that sits on the back of the tank, that touches the back of the tank need to be flush with the tank? My PVC pipes pull that lip like 1/8" off the tank, and am wondering if that is it.

Thanks in advance!

 

[JoshH]

Hoping I can get some help. I have installed my 16" ghost overflow on my tank, and get a very very slight drip out of the right side hole, but not the left. I tightened the bulkhead a little bit and still remains. Does the lip that runs along the middle/bottom area on the overflow box that sits on the back of the tank, that touches the back of the tank need to be flush with the tank? My PVC pipes pull that lip like 1/8" off the tank, and am wondering if that is it.

Thanks in advance!

Not familiar with the particular overflow box but in general they need to be flush with the tank. Any extra pressure can separate the seals and cause the teeniest leak. Ideally you want a way to support your plumbing in such a way that the box stays flush to the tank.

 

[jzw]

if you cant figure it out, you can always run silicone on both sides of each bulkhead (the edges). i had the same issue with ghost style and that fixed it.

 

[Javamahn]

Are your bulkhead seals on both sides of the tank glass? is anything preventing the outer box from making a tight seal with the gasket or are the seals damaged? How clean are the holes in the glass. Inspect everything as obvously the smoother all the surfaces are the better chance of a good seal. Small ridges or uneven plastic can cause a drip. These things are suppose to be leakproof. You plumbing should not change the angle at all and should be setup and supported to put no pressure on the outer box

 

[PedroYoung]

FYI, Synergy makes the Shadow overflow, pretty sure the Ghost is manufactured/sold by another vendor.

 

[SaracensRugby]

Thanks for all of the ideas. So I figured it out after trial and error. The plumbing was slightly pulling the box back from the tank, so the little lip on the bottom of the unit wasn't flush with the glass. When I adjusted my plumbing so that the little lip was flush with the tank, leak solved. It literally was like 1/8" gap or less between the tank and the little lip. Seems like that shouldn't make a difference, but it did so what can you do.

And I stand corrected, it is Synergy Shadow, not a ghost.

 

[JoshH]

Thanks for all of the ideas. So I figured it out after trial and error. The plumbing was slightly pulling the box back from the tank, so the little lip on the bottom of the unit wasn't flush with the glass. When I adjusted my plumbing so that the little lip was flush with the tank, leak solved. It literally was like 1/8" gap or less between the tank and the little lip. Seems like that shouldn't make a difference, but it did so what can you do.

And I stand corrected, it is Synergy Shadow, not a ghost.

Great to hear you got it figured out and yes ghost overflows are made by reef savvy but regardless of the overflow they all have the potential to have this problem

 

[PedroYoung]

Thanks for all of the ideas. So I figured it out after trial and error. The plumbing was slightly pulling the box back from the tank, so the little lip on the bottom of the unit wasn't flush with the glass. When I adjusted my plumbing so that the little lip was flush with the tank, leak solved. It literally was like 1/8" gap or less between the tank and the little lip. Seems like that shouldn't make a difference, but it did so what can you do.

And I stand corrected, it is Synergy Shadow, not a ghost.

Good to know that, I'll be installing my shadow in a couple weeks.