Plumbing Problem / Repair . . . Leak Beneath The Tank!

[Maritimer]

Pretty much crossposted from the last post in my build thread, but any eyes and assistance would be welcome:


Changing filter socks just now, and wiped some salt creep from the top of a pipe under the tank.

Why is this pipe _rotating_ ... this pipe is not supposed to _rotate_ . . .

Yeah. After something like seven years (I've been banging my head against the reefing wall for seven years?!!), the PVC glue has come undone, and the thing's leaking. No, of _course_ it's not leaking over the sump! It's leaking near some electrical outlets!

Water is dripping from the larger valve in the photo below:

Return is shut off, and there's tupperware under the leak. It's late now, but obviously tomorrow's principal project will be to score some cleaner, purple primer and cement - gotta figure a way to get it dry enough to glue without taking down the entire system. Is this, like ... a thing? Does the PVC under the tank and its joins only last for just so long??

What can I use to clean the pipe and join so it will dry completely, and I can get a good seal in position??

Wish me luck.

~B.

 

[ryanjohn1]

Flex seal

 

[dadnjesse]

If it's just from the overflow box drain the overflow and replace the plumbing. Don't use flex seal or silicone it's just going to leak again.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Pretty much crossposted from the last post in my build thread, but any eyes and assistance would be welcome:


Changing filter socks just now, and wiped some salt creep from the top of a pipe under the tank.

Why is this pipe _rotating_ ... this pipe is not supposed to _rotate_ . . .

Yeah. After something like seven years (I've been banging my head against the reefing wall for seven years?!!), the PVC glue has come undone, and the thing's leaking. No, of _course_ it's not leaking over the sump! It's leaking near some electrical outlets!

Water is dripping from the larger valve in the photo below:

Return is shut off, and there's tupperware under the leak. It's late now, but obviously tomorrow's principal project will be to score some cleaner, purple primer and cement - gotta figure a way to get it dry enough to glue without taking down the entire system. Is this, like ... a thing? Does the PVC under the tank and its joins only last for just so long??

What can I use to clean the pipe and join so it will dry completely, and I can get a good seal in position??

Wish me luck.

~B.

I use this same plumbing configuration. Get water below the overflow box in tank until it stops flowing over and salvage to place back in later. Place a bucket below the union and unscrew union and allow the residual to run into bucket and check the seal which is the likely culprit. replace seal and screw back together and also check now to see if you can tighten union without overtightening it.
At least its Not at the bulkhead

 

[fishguy242]

if you can get to stop dripping ,just go over seams heavy with ,the blue glue ,no primer. coat heavy.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Using glue, paste , cement is going to create a mess when you have a need to disassemble . I have used flexseal for similar and was fine and dandt until I when to take apart. Particles of tar like substance everywhere and the smell of it

 

[Maritimer]

I use this same plumbing configuration. Get water below the overflow box in tank until it stops flowing over and salvage to place back in later. Place a bucket below the union and unscrew union and allow the residual to run into bucket and check the seal which is the likely culprit. replace seal and screw back together and also check now to see if you can tighten union without overtightening it.
At least its Not at the bulkhead

Thanks, Vetteguy ... not an overflow box precisely, but an in-tank overflow tower. There are two, each contains an overflow line and a return line. Seven years ago, I could have told you the name of the configuration, but today it's slipped my feeble mind. If the union is where the leak is originating, you may be on to something there! That'd be relatively painless!! I'll look out for that FlexSeal as well when I'm at the Home Improvement Center - it sounds like something that'd be helpful in a lot of situations.

if you can get to stop dripping ,just go over seams heavy with ,the blue glue ,no primer. coat heavy.

Thank you, Fishguy! If the union isn't loose (and guess who's going to be checking _all_ of the unions!!), then I'll look for this blue stuff - not sure what the difference is between blue and regular - guessing it's designed for use in wet environments?, but . . .

~B.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Pretty much crossposted from the last post in my build thread, but any eyes and assistance would be welcome:


Changing filter socks just now, and wiped some salt creep from the top of a pipe under the tank.

Why is this pipe _rotating_ ... this pipe is not supposed to _rotate_ . . .

Yeah. After something like seven years (I've been banging my head against the reefing wall for seven years?!!), the PVC glue has come undone, and the thing's leaking. No, of _course_ it's not leaking over the sump! It's leaking near some electrical outlets!

Water is dripping from the larger valve in the photo below:

Return is shut off, and there's tupperware under the leak. It's late now, but obviously tomorrow's principal project will be to score some cleaner, purple primer and cement - gotta figure a way to get it dry enough to glue without taking down the entire system. Is this, like ... a thing? Does the PVC under the tank and its joins only last for just so long??

What can I use to clean the pipe and join so it will dry completely, and I can get a good seal in position??

Wish me luck.

~B.

Sorry about your situation. Salt creep is very good at "plugging" leaks, and once it's removed can definitely cause headaches!

Can your sump handle the contents of that overflow box? (and that's what it's referred to even when it's internal.) If so, pull the drain pipe above the bulkhead and empty the box so that the rest of that drain line can also empty. Then since you've got a union, you can take apart the drain line to clean it and see where it's leaking from.

It's a pita for sure, but glad you caught it before you had a flood or fire!

Good luck!

 

[Maritimer]

Thanks, EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal! (Eeyore was always the Pooh character with whom I identified most closely, as Spock was my Trek character.) The sump can definitely handle the contents of the box - I made sure of that when I cobbled it all together.

However - it looks as though it might not have to!

With @vetteguy53081 's suggestion in mind, I tried twisting the pipe again, and it seems the twist was in the union. I've tightened it hand-tight (I'm not a weightlifter, so ... that's not all that tight!), and so far, it seems to be holding. (Of course, the newly cleaned skimmer, which was emptying into a bucket - emptied into the bucket, and onto the floor, and . . .

Gyah - ya gotta love a reef! Five gallons of water change is now underway, via the ATO.

~B.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks, EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal! (Eeyore was always the Pooh character with whom I identified most closely, as Spock was my Trek character.) The sump can definitely handle the contents of the box - I made sure of that when I cobbled it all together.

However - it looks as though it might not have to!

With @vetteguy53081 's suggestion in mind, I tried twisting the pipe again, and it seems the twist was in the union. I've tightened it hand-tight (I'm not a weightlifter, so ... that's not all that tight!), and so far, it seems to be holding. (Of course, the newly cleaned skimmer, which was emptying into a bucket - emptied into the bucket, and onto the floor, and . . .

Gyah - ya gotta love a reef! Five gallons of water change is now underway, via the ATO.

~B.

generally a seal - Not big as mentioned on glue