Water tank inspection port

[dmksails]

I have aluminum water tanks with an inspection port bolted down with 12 nuts. I pulled all the nuts, but the panel doesn't budge - but I didn't really pull on it yet. I thought it had a black rubber gasket, but maybe this is some kind of sealant.

First, I'm assuming the panel should just pry up. Correct?

Second - once I have it off, what would I use to seal it back down again.

[Schooner Chandlery]

Maybe someone used 3M 5200 which is more like a glue than a sealant. You should be able to pull lit up, yes. Use a putty knife gently under the edge or try to rotate it to break the seal.

We use a gasket material rather than sealant. You can cut a gasket from cork, paper, cardboard, rubber or any number of other suitable gasket materials. Ours is cork bought at the local autoparts place.

[dmksails]

Thanks! I will give it a go this weekend. I like the cork gasket idea and will implement that to make future cleanouts easier.