Trying to rehab used skimmer

[James5]

Hello, all!

So a few weeks ago I bought a used skimmer. It's a high quality skimmer and I was really excited to get it- especially since I got for a fracton of the price that a new, smaller skimmer would've cost at my local pond shop.

I have one issue with it, however. The skimmer wasn't orginally made with a hole in the front for a bulkhead fitting. So the last owner cut one out (poorly) to fit a 2" fitting, which is the size I'm using from my bottom drain. The hole that he cut is not exactly perfectly rounded. Not terrible but slightly oblong on one side. So I bought a new bulkhead and attempted to fit it in. The bulkhead fits in very snug without any gaps along the edges. I put liberal amounts of silicone all around the inside and outside and tightened it down, let it sit overnight and tried filling it with water and it's leaking around the edge. Not much, just a drip-drip, but that's too much for me.

Twice now I've pulled it all apart, cleaned it all up and retried all to no avail.

Any wisdom? Something other than silicone I could use?

James

 

[sissy]

have you tried a large washer like for a shower drain or sink drain and maybe used a piece of heavy liner to back it up .

 

[sissy]

plumbers putty instead of silicon .or a bigger adapter and cut new hole

 

[brandonsdad02]

Take it all apart and make sure there is no siliicon left on the skimmer box and your fitting. Next take some sandpaper and rough up the surface that will have the sealant on it. Next, go buy some PL roofing and flashing sealant or as addy calls it PL roofing goop. Make sure to put plently of it on there and smear it with a glove, tighten everything down and see how that works for you.

 

[Waterbug]

Pictures would help. Also the kind of bulkhead.

In general I would be thinking a clamping type fitting, like a shower drain, would be better than hole sealing deal like Uniseal. With the clamping type the rough hole shouldn't matter.

You might be able to rebuild the hole using epoxy putty. The idea is to mix the putty, apply like the silicone and tighten the bulkhead, but not super tight, just enough to form the putty. Wait for the putty to harden and then tighten the bulkhead down allowing the gaskets to do their thing.

I'm not a fan of goops. The mechanical bond of pressure and gaskets are how these things are suppose to work. Goops can get in the way, and or fail over time. Goop fixes can also last forever, just depends on how lucky one feels. Silicone is good for lube when putting a bulkhead thru liner, but not really as part of the sealing process imo.

 

[addy1]

Try this stuff: gold pond aquarium

This stuff works under water, seals well. More expensive than the pl roof goop.

it comes in a blue tube too

I used the pl roofing goop on my skimmer, still sealing well.

 

[brandonsdad02]

I recommend the gold label pond sealant. I've used both and must say that the gold stuff works better. I've done the underwater test before and it's true. You can apply the stuff underwater.

 

[addy1]

I have never used the gold pond, the pl does need dry material to bond. So far it has held up to all I have asked of it. But if I have a leak gold pond it will be.

 

[James5]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. Certainly pointed me in the right direction.

I ended up using this:

http://www.menards.com/main/home-de...oxy-marine-epoxy-syringe/p-1504424-c-7171.htm

Worked like a charm!

 

[Waterbug]

Glad it worked...but the true test comes as time passes.