hard plumbing
- Thread starter Sebastian
- Start date
I use soft for my returns and for my drain. I use hard pvc on my return from my skimmer to my sump. With hard piping for the returns, you lose head pressure from each angle you make. I believe its 1ft per 90 degree turn. There is less on flex tubing since the bends are more gradual.
There is not a right answer to your question. Many people use a combination of rigid and flexible plumbing and that often works the best.
The myth that 90 degree elbows add 1' of head pressure is not true, the most important thing is selecting the right sized plumbing for the flow you are wanting to run through it.
FWIW, Nathan
The myth that 90 degree elbows add 1' of head pressure is not true, the most important thing is selecting the right sized plumbing for the flow you are wanting to run through it.
FWIW, Nathan
Flex pipe adds flexability :roll: .
I use a flex for returns and drains. I came off my external return pump in PVC, tee'd it of for a couple of returns to the main tank and one to the refugium. After the tee's I added a ball union then changed back to flex hose. Works out nicely.
HTH
Louey
I use a flex for returns and drains. I came off my external return pump in PVC, tee'd it of for a couple of returns to the main tank and one to the refugium. After the tee's I added a ball union then changed back to flex hose. Works out nicely.
HTH
Louey
I use a mix of flex tubing and hard barbed fittings.
Barbed fittings off overflow bulkheads to flex tubing then back to a barbed angled fitting on the end of the flex tubing. The return pump has pvc to a check valve and ball valve, then flex tubing to the barbed fitting going to the return bulkhead.
Barbed fittings off overflow bulkheads to flex tubing then back to a barbed angled fitting on the end of the flex tubing. The return pump has pvc to a check valve and ball valve, then flex tubing to the barbed fitting going to the return bulkhead.
use flexible pvc. It is also called spa flex. Your hardware store should have it. You use regular pvc primer and adhesive. It works great. I just set up my tank this weekend. All the glued joints were fine. A word of caution. Teflon tape all threaded connections-all of mine leaked and I had to go back and repair them.
A few comments:
1. Flex PVC (spa flex) - it is recommended to use its own glue (Weld On 725 Wet 'R Dry).
2. It is very important to cut square ends and remove any burs from the cut ends of flex pvc.
3. When using tubing I prefer the reinforced type, as Dan stated there is also some cheap stuff out there (thin wall) that will kink easily.
4. I wrap all of my tubing with electrical tape as this seems to help keep down the algae growth.
5. If you are using tubing keep in mind that barbed fittings will decrease your flow about 20%.
Steve
1. Flex PVC (spa flex) - it is recommended to use its own glue (Weld On 725 Wet 'R Dry).
2. It is very important to cut square ends and remove any burs from the cut ends of flex pvc.
3. When using tubing I prefer the reinforced type, as Dan stated there is also some cheap stuff out there (thin wall) that will kink easily.
4. I wrap all of my tubing with electrical tape as this seems to help keep down the algae growth.
5. If you are using tubing keep in mind that barbed fittings will decrease your flow about 20%.
Steve
HI Sebastian
Braided/reinforced tubing is a little heavier, and is less likely to kink(as Dan & Steve pointed out) I've never had a problem with alga. I do get turnicates and some scaling. Not a big problem though, I have changed my influent lines once in four years.
Braided/reinforced tubing is a little heavier, and is less likely to kink(as Dan & Steve pointed out) I've never had a problem with alga. I do get turnicates and some scaling. Not a big problem though, I have changed my influent lines once in four years.
Is algae growth bad in plumbing?
In a 2" tube, it would take *forever* to restrict flow.
Microalgae does an excellent job eating excess nutrients, and if your excess nutrients are minimal enough, you shouldn't have much, right? (Anthony Calfo explained this to me)
Plus, plumbing can harbor a lot of coralline. Which, last I heard, is good.
If it's so terrible, does everyone duct tape thier skimmers too?
I'm genuinely interested in learning, I'm not trying to be a schmuck. If it is important, I would like to know. I'm only going on what I've learned and want feedback for my own system.
In a 2" tube, it would take *forever* to restrict flow.
Microalgae does an excellent job eating excess nutrients, and if your excess nutrients are minimal enough, you shouldn't have much, right? (Anthony Calfo explained this to me)
Plus, plumbing can harbor a lot of coralline. Which, last I heard, is good.
If it's so terrible, does everyone duct tape thier skimmers too?
I'm genuinely interested in learning, I'm not trying to be a schmuck. If it is important, I would like to know. I'm only going on what I've learned and want feedback for my own system.
Posted by MandarinFish:
-If it restricts the flow then it is to me.
-Yes it probably would, however I don't use 2" tubing, more like 1/2" and 3/4".
-Well this is true, but I just can't seem to run a reef without some algae.
-Not if it restricts the flow of water or causes mechanical devices to not function, otherwise I think it is great.
-My skimmer is an AquaC which does not have a clear base so I don't have this problem. I also clean my skimmer once in a while which eliminates any algae that might grow. Now the tubing that feeds my skimmer from my pump is a different story, if I don't clean this out every 6 months or so then it can get a heavy layer of algae which will restrict flow.
Steve
-If it restricts the flow then it is to me.
-Yes it probably would, however I don't use 2" tubing, more like 1/2" and 3/4".
-Well this is true, but I just can't seem to run a reef without some algae.
-Not if it restricts the flow of water or causes mechanical devices to not function, otherwise I think it is great.
-My skimmer is an AquaC which does not have a clear base so I don't have this problem. I also clean my skimmer once in a while which eliminates any algae that might grow. Now the tubing that feeds my skimmer from my pump is a different story, if I don't clean this out every 6 months or so then it can get a heavy layer of algae which will restrict flow.
Steve
Sponsor Reefs
We're a FREE website, and we exist because of hobbyists like YOU who help us run this community.
Click here to sponsor $10:
