Main seal appears to be leaking, how urgent is this??

[Biff0rz]

Doing a water change today I notice salt creep in places it should not be. Upon further investigation it appears to be leaking under the tank on the main seal (3yrs old, was new when I started the tank). Salt creep means the seal has been compromised right? How long do I have until it needs to be replaced and could it get worse quickly?

To mitigate, do I just drain the tank far enough so there's no overflow, remove/replace the seal, then go back to business?

Thanks!

 

[ptrusk]

Is it dripping? If yes redo. Wrap a paper towel or TP in the area to see.

I would wipe off salt creep and see what happens. Chances are it stopped, but messing with that valve will stress the seal.

 

[Syntax1235]

I’ve had a couple leaking bulkheads that were not under much pressure eventually stop on their own. I believe that the salt creep eventually sealed the leak.

Under pressure may be a different situation.

 

[Biff0rz]

So I have not yet noticed a drip, but it was obviously dripping at one point. I have not touched the valve in 6mo-1yr...its been a minute lol. I wiped off the creep and will monitor it...I really hope I don't have to replace it, ugh.

 

[Nick Steele]

So working with tanks for the past 4 years I have noticed many tanks that leak around bulkheads or pumps that have leaked around their threads will usually seal themselves with the salt. Cleaning the salt creep can actually cause it to leak more as you are taking away the seal.

 

[Jedi1199]

Doing a water change today I notice salt creep in places it should not be. Upon further investigation it appears to be leaking under the tank on the main seal (3yrs old, was new when I started the tank). Salt creep means the seal has been compromised right? How long do I have until it needs to be replaced and could it get worse quickly?

To mitigate, do I just drain the tank far enough so there's no overflow, remove/replace the seal, then go back to business?

Thanks!

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Is the rubber gasket inside or outside the glass? Hard to determine from the photo.

In answer to your question, If you DO need to replace the gaskets, you only need to drain the tank as far as below the overflows. Be sure to siphon out as much water as possible from the chamber.

The BIGGEST challenge will be reassembly. Even a few grains of sand between the glass and gasket will cause leaks. Make absolutely 115% positive that you have a superbly clean surface or you are going to battle leaks from now till the cows come home.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Yawn, if you've seen mine you'd cry, lol.

Edit: main drain bulkhead, valve, etc, lol... Covered in salt.

 

[Fishy888]

I had a leak midway up the tank in late August. You’ll know it if it’s a a seal in the tank that’s leaking. There will be a puddle on the floor at the very least.

When I got my cube I had to engage in some fancy footwork with the plumbing. The person who owned it originally drilled the holes too close together so bulkheads were out. The person used pipe fittings to substitute for bulkheads. One of them was leaking like crazy. They were sealed with silicone which adheres to glass well but not to PVC. I took care of it by using J. B. Waterweld. It worked but there was a very slow leak. I used a piece of a plastic bag zip tied to the place where the leak was. It stopped leaking. That kind of leak is much easier to come back from and it means you won’t have to replace your tank.

 

[hllb]

I am having a very similar issue with my emergency drain in my overflow. Curious what the OP has seen since cleaning theirs off? I honestly am not sure I have it in me to replace the bulkhead. It just seems like a nightmare to have to cut the pipes and get it reassembled without new leaks.

 

[90's reefer]

Have you tried tightening the bulkbead? Sometimes thats all thats needed.

 

[hllb]

Have you tried tightening the bulkbead? Sometimes thats all thats needed.

If you mean me, I did try, but it's very difficult to get anything in there to do it. Its definitely hand tight.

 

[Tcook]

Happened to mine. Usually from over tightening the gasket or imperfect gasket. Is not an impending disaster. If it bothers you enough drain the overflow and replace.

 

[90's reefer]

If you mean me, I did try, but it's very difficult to get anything in there to do it. Its definitely hand tight.

I always use a thin coating of silicone on the glass side. It has not failed me in 30+ years.
I always go hand tight then another firm turn.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I am having a very similar issue with my emergency drain in my overflow. Curious what the OP has seen since cleaning theirs off? I honestly am not sure I have it in me to replace the bulkhead. It just seems like a nightmare to have to cut the pipes and get it reassembled without new leaks.

I just had someone try to tighten 1/8 turn and it stopped but I hate to say this. . . . Sunday I pumped my pipe accidentally and had a slow drip. I pulled pipe back towards me and it stopped (thank goodness)- I placed a light film of aquarium sealant around the nut and all dry

 

[Soren]

I am having a very similar issue with my emergency drain in my overflow. Curious what the OP has seen since cleaning theirs off? I honestly am not sure I have it in me to replace the bulkhead. It just seems like a nightmare to have to cut the pipes and get it reassembled without new leaks.

If the leak is a very slow trickle or drip, chances are good that the salt creep will seal it off on its own. This might mean you do not need to do anything and it may go away. I would just observe it over the next couple days to see if the (assumed slow) leak stops.

Today is the first day I am seeing almost no leaking around a seal on my overflow on my Work Desk 40B system. A couple weeks ago, I set up the plumbing and tightened the bulkheads but had leaking issues and some other plumbing issues, so I redid the plumbing about a week ago. There was still a slow leak around one of the main bulkhead seals that now has just about completely sealed off from salt creep. Mine is a low-risk leak, so I just waited it out. You need to assess your own risk with your marine system.

 

[hllb]

If the leak is a very slow trickle or drip, chances are good that the salt creep will seal it off on its own. This might mean you do not need to do anything and it may go away. I would just observe it over the next couple days to see if the (assumed slow) leak stops.

Today is the first day I am seeing almost no leaking around a seal on my overflow on my Work Desk 40B system. A couple weeks ago, I set up the plumbing and tightened the bulkheads but had leaking issues and some other plumbing issues, so I redid the plumbing about a week ago. There was still a slow leak around one of the main bulkhead seals that now has just about completely sealed off from salt creep. Mine is a low-risk leak, so I just waited it out. You need to assess your own risk with your marine system.

Mine is definitely mostly salt creep. I see no active leak or water, though the reason I noticed it at all was because there was salt on the pipe where it goes into an angle that was shaped like a drip. Not sure how long it was there, but doesn't seem to be actively leaking/dripping. Also good, it's on my emergency drain and that angles into my sump, so any meandering drip ends up back in my sump. So I'm feeling a bit better about it now...

 

[Soren]

Mine is definitely mostly salt creep. I see no active leak or water, though the reason I noticed it at all was because there was salt on the pipe where it goes into an angle that was shaped like a drip. Not sure how long it was there, but doesn't seem to be actively leaking/dripping. Also good, it's on my emergency drain and that angles into my sump, so any meandering drip ends up back in my sump. So I'm feeling a bit better about it now...

Sounds like no significant worries then!