Leaking stock tank bulkhead

[APISTOBORELLI]

I started setting up my stock tank last night for bait. The original bulkhead on the side was removed, cleaned, re-installed, then sealed with silicone and the damned thing is still dripping water. Has anyone ever removed it all together and siliconed a piece of plexi over the hole? I've got bait traps out already so I need to get the tank running asap.

Any advice will be appreciated.

Mark

 

[nichols]

That's exactly what I ended up doing. I heated up a piece of 1/8" plexi with a heat gun and formed it to the tank. After it cooled off I siliconed in place. Been 5+ years and hasn't leaked a drop.

 

[emabie]

So you don't need the bulkhead? I have taken plexi and sealed a bulkhead hole before. Just make sure to put the plexi inside the tank on the water side so the water pressure works to hold it in place rather than push it out from the other side.

 

[APISTOBORELLI]

Thanks! Looks like a project for tonight.

 

[jayman10134]

What kind of stuff do you catch in the traps?

 

[APISTOBORELLI]

What kind of stuff do you catch in the traps?

Shiners, golden shiners, fall fish, suckers, small sunfish, crayfish, catfish, small bass, perch, etc.

I only keep the shiners, golden shiners, fall fish, crayfish and suckers though. Bass are illegal to use as bait. The catfish are too hard to use and the perch don't do too well in the bait tank.

 

[jayman10134]

thats pretty neat. what is a fall fish?

 

[APISTOBORELLI]

Kind of like a chub....
http://www.unb.ca/cri/projects/Fish_key/Cyprinidae/Fall_Fish.htm

 

[Fish Ace]

Nice Bass

 

[APISTOBORELLI]

Nice Bass

Why thank you. One of a few I'm proud of this year.

 

[JohnK]

Hmm,

1- Did the bulkhead have a rubber gasket?
2- Was that gasket installed on the flange side, and not the nut side?

3- If it's a Yes to 1 & 2 above, the silicone could have caused the leak.



To seal up the hole in the stock tank, make sure you know what kind of material the stock tank is made of. This will be key to choosing an appropriate solvent/cement. (If you use the wrong bonding agent for the material, you may make a big mess of it and have it leak all over the place.)

Personally I would rather fix the leaking bulkhead and then put a PVC "plug" in it, than to permanantly plug the hole in the stock tank with plexi.

 

[naturebatslast]

I had the same happen, 2nd on plugging it. After, I manually tightened the bulkhead and that did it. If it's still leaking after friggin' with it, maybe plug it with epoxy and use a Uniseal on the high side of the tank? Pressure-wise they hold about 1500#/sq ft, cost-wise about $2 per.

 

[APISTOBORELLI]

I re-tightened everything tonight. I added a small amount of silicone to the inside which I'm waiting to dry. I'll re-fill it tomorrow and see what happens.

For now, I have 4 buckets with air pumps keeping about 3 dozen assorted sized shiners alive (I hope).