Two problems with purchased 90 gal used tank

Please help! My husband and I purchased a used 90 gal cylinder tank with all plumbing on the bottom. It was originally from the Fish Gallery in Houston and the people we bought it used from seemed like trustworthy people. The tank was not filled, but was said to have no leaks and that the pump was in working order. We did have to travel 50 miles with the tank on a trailer so maybe that is where one of the problems started. So now for our two problems and any help is definitely appreciated:

1. We have a leak at the filter intake between the tank and the plumbing pipes at the bottom of the tank. Though silicone has been used and it has cut down on the leak dramatically, it is still not fixed. We have to fill it up a certain amount to see whether it is still leaking and when it is, we have to go through the process of emptying, drying, siliconing, drying, filling, and then once again disappointment because we have to repeat the process. We have done this three times and are getting tired of trying :-(

2. Since the leak is a bit better, we have hooked up the pump and the filter and they work together when the in-line heater is not connected, however, the water does not run through the heater and pump does not work when it is connected... I can describe this more if needed, but at this point hoping someone with experience knows immediately what to do.

Any help is appreciated since it seems that my husband wants to take this beautiful and expensive tank out front and sledge hammer it to pieces. LOL!
Thanks in advance.

 

HI and welcome to the site!
I know that a problem can sometimes arise by not letting the sealant dry long enough and also improperly preparing the site (not cleaned enough, etc.) will cause problems.
If you were to post pictures, that might help.

 

Not sure what the problem is until I see pictures. Usually expensive tanks like that use bulkheads instead of just siliconing a pipe through a hole. If there is a bulkhead installed the rubber gasket may need to be replaced. The rubber gasket should be installed on the wet side (in the tank). The nut is installed on outside. I don't know if there should be an orientation when installing the inline heater. You should check that and give us the make and model of the heater so we can help further.

 

Here are some pictures. As I was clearing off our silicone patch, the gasket came off from under the black piece at the very bottom on the inside. It appears that it was probably leaking on the side that is really thin. I feel like I have a bigger problem now because it absolutely will not hold water now! Ha! So can you tell me where to go to get a new gasket and how to actually change it? Underneath the tank it appears impossible to access the nut though I can see it. Any more tips and suggestions appreciated!

 

Just buy a new bulkhead. I provided a link so you can tell what they look like. The sizes are inner diameter, not outer diameter. I hope your husband knows how to work with PVC.




Aquarium Bulkheads

 

Thank you so much! I am actually quite experienced with working with PVC, but no clue working on aquariums. So this should not be too big of a problem and probably should replace both in the tank?

Also, any suggestions on the inline heater? Did I give you enough for you to see it well? If so, is it a good brand or worth looking at replacing?

Thank you so much once again! I want to make sure we do this right!

 

Yes you can replace both bulkheads just to be sure there is no chance of leaking. You may also want to install ball valves after the bulkhead for redundancy just in case there is a leak or failure at the hose or filter. You don't want to end up draining all the water in case of a failure. Hydor is a popular brand in the aquarium trade however the model you have states it's only good up to 80 gallons and you have a 90 gallon tank. The heater may have trouble maintaining temperature during the cold season so you may want to consider replacing with a bigger one. Just a note inline heaters should be installed on the hose that's going back into the tank and not the one that's going out.

 

Ok... So I have spent time since these responses trying to get the bulkheads off and can't. Is there a bit for a drill that I can buy that will make loosening the nut easier? There is not enough room to get a wrench around the nut underneath.

 

Ok... So I have spent time since these responses trying to get the bulkheads off and can't. Is there a bit for a drill that I can buy that will make loosening the nut easier? There is not enough room to get a wrench around the nut underneath.

If you have a rubber strap wrench you can try that first. Since you're replacing the old bulkheads anyway you can just destroy them with a hacksaw blade, a dremel cutting tool, or wire cutters. Anything to get them off, but be careful not to hit the glass. The previous owner must have epoxied the nut in place which I do not recommend you doing and you now know why. Clean the glass hole thoroughly and make sure it is smooth and clean before installing the new bulkhead. Remember that the gasket should be on the inside of the tank. Tighten the nut with just your hands as tight as you can. The pressure from the nut should seal the gasket.

Are these the saw bits you are looking for?