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Originally Posted by Reef Lover Can I use silicone? |
I don't know that it will work in all cases, but I suggested it to a friend of mine. He had microbubbles in his return line. There was nothing in the sump. We tracked it down to the input of his return pump (external), he had used regular teflon tape instead of the thicker tape especially for PVC and it was aspirating air. Coated joint at the input of the pump with silicone and no more bubbles.
Having said that here's the difference. His was an air leak INTO the pump so the silcone tended to suck in and stick. Yours is a leak OUT of a joint and so this may not work.
If I were trying it here is how I would proceed. Don't put teflon tape over the leak area, that will definitly not work.
1. Shut down your circulation.
2. Clean the leaky area with fresh water to get any salt creep off.
3. Dry it as best you can.
4. Coat the entire joint with a bead of silicone (the leak may be working it's way around the joint by capilary action so where you see it may not be where it really is.
5. Here's where I get cute. Get a balloon big enough to to go all around the joint after it is split down the middle and wrap it tightly around the joint. then put duct tape, electrical tape, rubber electirical tape works best.
6. You can now turn your circulation back on.
Leave the tape on for at least 24 hours. (permanently if you don't mind the look. The baloon acts like a bandage to hold the silicone in place against the pressure while it cures.
This does work! I used to use it on moderate pressure lines (about 10 PSI) in a production evironment where we could not afford to shut down without losing expensive product.
Mike
PVC pipes leaking 
