Black, White or Clear PVC?

[LaurieC]

I've seen a lot of info on PVC pipe vs. Flexible PVC tubing, but I'd like to know from people who've had systems set up for awhile if they feel it would make a difference to use black or clear PVC? I've heard black pipe reduces algae and I've heard clear is good because then you can see where there may be a clog. Advice please?

 

[reefs4life]

what are you going to be using it for? Return plumbing from sump to tank or plumbing inside the tank such as spray bar, etc?

 

[LaurieC]

Everything--all plumbing- drain, manifold, return and lines that feed chiller and a display fuge.

 

[THEDLO]

for return i use regular tubing because there is less friction. and for the the overflow i used white PVC pipe

 

[chinatown]

between black or white, it's purely aesthetics, since light can't penetrate either, so algae growth within will be the same.

 

[rkaragozler]

clear pvc is twice the amount of white, and i never seen black pvc, only cpvc.
schedule 80 is grey. is that what you were refering to as black.
I personally have all clear flexible tubing for everything except for my manifold.

 

[LaurieC]

clear pvc is twice the amount of white, and i never seen black pvc, only cpvc.
schedule 80 is grey. is that what you were refering to as black.
I personally have all clear flexible tubing for everything except for my manifold.

Here's the black.
http://savko.com/PartList.asp?pgid=4&ptid=18&pid=146

I was thinking white pipe for the manifold and drain and all else flexible too. Maybe black tubing on anything that goes back into the tank--like the return line and line from the chiller. Although clear tubing could be good to see when it needs a good flushing out.

 

[reefs4life]

wow that's a nice find, wish i had that when i first set up my tank. Personally white pvc is your best bet because it is the most readily available IMO but if you're going to use any tubing inside your tank I would use black because it blends in well, it's not as noticeable in the tank. I have spray bars that I made by just poking a few holes in white pvc but it's so noticeable that I'm starting to not like them anymore, maybe I'll change them to black if I get the chance

 

[rkaragozler]

thanks reefs, never saw them before are they schedule 40? 6 bucks for 5 feet of 1" that is a lot of dough.

 

[bigdog1428]

I used clear tubing on everything


Sent from my iPhone using Reefs

 

[Boomer]

As far as black vs white vs clear it is like catch 22. Clear is nice as you can see things but clear will also grow more algae, both outside and inside the pipe. White, if in water, will also grow more algae on the outside of the pipe, where as "black" will grow less. As pointed out by karagozler there is no black PVC, but gray and it alos is rather costly. In Schedule 80 you would also need to buy bigger diameter pipe as the walls are very thick. I Have lots of it. With that said, I also like the idea of clear plastic tubing, with PVC for manifolds or overflow

 

[LaurieC]

I believe all of the colors are sched. 40 so they fit all PVC fittings. I just noticed how much more $$ the black and clear are--white for manifold under cabinet it is, but perhaps black tubing for the lines into tank. did you fit your tubing to your pipe with barbs? I can't take credit for the find, Custom King turned me onto that site.