I recently built a DYI sump for my 55 gallon aquarium. I sealed the pvc with pvc cement and tested it and nothing seemed to be wrong. However, when i hooked it up to the actual tank and ran water through it there were many tiny leaks. I dont know if i should put more pvc cement on it now, or if i should wait for all the leaks to stop first (there isnt water running through it now). Please help, thanks.
pvc pipe leaking
- Thread starter cholrus
- Start date
Bifferwine
I am a girl
I would wait for it to dry, then re-seal it. If you've stopped the water, it shouldn't take long for it to dry. When you used the glue, did you twist it 90 degrees inside, to make sure you got a good seal?
dcantucson
Reef pro
It sounds like you may unfortunately have to dismantle it, dry it out and re-glue it.
bjohanson1234
.........
PVC is cheap, reletively speaking, I would just scrap it all and then redo it. Did you use primer before the cement? The primer softens up the PVC and lets the cement really work. Also do like biff said and give each piece a quater turn to help smear the glue around.
Pwny
Reefing newb
+1 on primer then cement then twist, only things i would add is to make sure to put primer/cement on both parts of the pipe to help it bond and push them together for about a min after twisting so they have a good preassure seal
was this 2 pieces of pvc like a joiner and pipe or is this going through the glass like a bulkhead? or did you put the pieces together and put cement around the outside?
ltkenbo
Reefing newb
Yeah PVC is cheap, just saw it off and start again. Plus cement probably won't work well to seal the gap because it's not so much a sealant but rather it causes the pipe to actually expand therefore causing a seal.
