A Community and Forum For Aquaponic Gardeners

Fitting for bottom of barrel??

Hello everyone. Question...I am going to use a 50 gallon blue barrel for a fish tank and want to place a drain port in the bottom. Will a uniseal work there or do I need to go with a bulkhead fitting If a bulkhead fitting, does anyone have a recommendation for what kind?

Thanks!

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by James Wilson on February 16, 2015 at 6:37pm

A Uniseal would work but have seen slight leakage from them depending on the hole drilled and location. best bet is the bulkhead. Has a gasket on both sides. Would recommend a 3/4 builkhead and 3/4 inch pvc male adapter with pvc ball valve. Maybe add a garden hose connector to the ballvalve. All pieces are available through hd or lowes for about $22.00 Hope that helps.

James

Permalink Reply by Bill Gann on February 16, 2015 at 6:40pm

Thanks, James. I will give it a shot. I used a shower drain before and it failed and caused a big mess so I wanted to try something different that did not require more than rudimentary plumbing skills. :)

Permalink Reply by Russell Weight on February 17, 2015 at 6:21am

If you are looking for cheaper bulk heads try Aquarium Arts on Dobson and Baseline in Mesa. They have a good selection of bulk heads starting around $6.

Permalink Reply by John Malone on February 17, 2015 at 9:15am

I'm using Uniseals on a thin Rubbermaid garbage bin for my radial flow filter and love them. There can be a very small amount of leakage but with a minor adjustment (wiggling) and time they are no trouble at all.

A very cheap alternative to bulkhead is the DIY version made from electrical conduit fittings.

This is what I used on my three grow beds and so far they've been pretty good. They probably don't seal as well as a true bulkhead, but for a couple of dollars you can't beat the price. My system is outside and I don't mind a drip or two here and there. I haven't glued any of my PVC joints either, because I like the flexibility of taking the plumbing apart if I need to.

Are there leaks? Sure, a drip here and there, but nothing that causes me concern.

If you are building for inside, then more care is required.

Permalink Reply by Bill Gann on February 18, 2015 at 8:33pm

So what is the trick to installing a bulkhead fitting on the bottom? There is a seam that would have to be cut down. Is this going to be a problem? If the bottom of the tank was flat, I would see it as an easy thing to do...

Permalink Reply by A. Woodward on April 27, 2015 at 1:09pm

I new here but I installed mine on the side of the barrel about 6 inches up... I have a couple of suicidal tilapia so built in a safety. I found that an old wood burning kit, heat gun and an exacto knife work wonders with the blue barrels. I also use a cheap plastic welder from harbor freight. The other big thing I found to be a huge help is a step drill bit. Just some ideas to help you along hope they help.....