Plumbing ready for PVC glue...Comments & suggestions

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

MLHoenig

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Mar 24, 2015
Messages
132
Location
Papillion, NE
My first potential plumbing setup is ready for the glue.

I understand 90° bends in the return line are bad but I don't think I can entirely avoid them; hence vinyl tubing. I have enough leftover ¾" & elbows to create a three-bend, all-PVC (except a short length of tubing going straight up from the pump to the PVC) but I presume that would be too many bends.

Glue goes on next weekend at the latest.

What do y'all think?

I'm trying to upload a picture but it fails every time I try...whether from my iPhone or iPad. (Any and all suggestions appreciated!)


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
Pictures are screwing up now(at least loading them).
When you get them up(after they fix this) I may be able to accurately comment.
Elbows are the bane of returns!
I believe they say 1 90 = 1foot of tube!
I use almost all re enforced vinyl tubing in combination with pvc for the best results.
 
Reinforced vinyl tubing: Where to buy?

Pictures are screwing up now(at least loading them).
When you get them up(after they fix this) I may be able to accurately comment.
Elbows are the bane of returns!
I believe they say 1 90 = 1foot of tube!
I use almost all re enforced vinyl tubing in combination with pvc for the best results.

Thanks!

I've got some ¾" clear tubing but it's massively stiff and I'm barely able to get it to bend into place as a 90° curve; definitely unable to put an S bend into it in order to go straight up from the pump then straight up into the riser...

What does reinforced vinyl look like, how flexible is it, and where can I get some? Is it that vacuum cleaner hose stuff?
 
12105970_1655886474657531_6359753650492092911_n.jpg
 
Last edited:
That should work fine.
You could go flex from outlet to sump if you wanted.
Where are all your planned 90s?
On top for return??
Do you have 'lockline' for the return on top??

The 90-degree PVC hasn't even been cut, awaiting reviews of the current arrangement (much simpler to assemble ;-) )

The first bend would be at the base of the riser, where the push-in currently resides; the second would be along the back of the cabinet, turning toward the front; the third would be the final downward elbow, right above where the pump would finally rest, coupled to the pump via flexible tubing...

I'll post a pic of the overflow plumbing soon...
 
Do you have 'lockline' for the return on top??

Not yet; I don't plan on using much. I have a 3/4" 'Y' and one flare, my LFS, Nebraska Aquatic Supply, had only one, so I'm waiting until next weekend to get the second; they expect delivery on Thursday.

Two 90-degree bends at the top...
 
You are better off IMO with the vinyl.
The 90s on the return is how it is done.
Your tank looks like an aqueon 75g mega flow by pic from below.
Got me 2@120,1@180 and 1@75 aqueon mega overflows!
I split all my locklines but no flares for me.
They are easy to find online if you are looking for special parts.
 
You are better off IMO with the vinyl.
The 90s on the return is how it is done.
Your tank looks like an aqueon 75g mega flow by pic from below.
Got me 2@120,1@180 and 1@75 aqueon mega overflows!
I split all my locklines but no flares for me.
They are easy to find online if you are looking for special parts.

Don't know the manufacturer...

But for $300 (or was it $200? Senior moment) it felt like a nice deal: Tank, plumbing (all of which is now gone), sump (not the 20g long I just picked up at PetSmart for $20), cabinet (modified so I could actually get *into* the under-tank area), LED light...and it all fit into the back of my '05 Forester in one trip... How could any sane person pass it up?

Next move is to try my hand at fitting a few baffles into the 20g...

That part's got me baffled... (ouch!) :lol:
 
Of course...there's gotta be a safe paint or other coating for the PVC...

Haven't been convinced yet by any suppliers; Krylon, Rustoleum, nobody seems to have a coating rated for constant submersion - particularly saltwater environment...
 
So I bought a can of Krylon Fusion; easy as expected to work with and does a nice job of painting the patio black (overspray, don't ya know).

The plumbing came out much blacker than the patio ;-)

Got most of it glued and mounted, and I'm running a basic leak test of the bulkheads — one hour and still holding about ½ gallon in the overflow...not a single drop lost.

ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1444960610.470599.jpg




Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
Heater recommendations and placement...

OK...the tank is mostly plumbed and ready for the final setup.

No drips from the bulkheads in the overflow (huzzah!) after over 24 hours with ½ gallon of water in the overflow.

I'm gonna need a good heater for roughly 85 gallons (75 in the tank plus about 10 in the sump.

What size heater should I buy, and is there any benefit to placement in the sump vs in the tank? :confused:

The sump will only be about half full to allow for power loss; it's a 20g long (I'll measure the depth soon). No baffles yet, and I'm not sure how strong my skills are for mounting glass panels; I'll probably get that done by Nebraska Aquatic Supply...

Looking like I'll be starting the cycle by the end of October. :dance:
 
I keep my heaters and any other equipment I can fit in my sumps.
A 200 watt heater should work out.
I like aqueon PROs myself(have over 20).

Heaters work more on how much over room tempature you need to achieve then just gallons of water heated.
A 200 watt aqueon Pro will raise 75 g 10 degrees above room temp of 68-72.
Should be enough?
 
I keep my heaters and any other equipment I can fit in my sumps.
A 200 watt heater should work out.
I like aqueon PROs myself(have over 20).

Heaters work more on how much over room tempature you need to achieve then just gallons of water heated.
A 200 watt aqueon Pro will raise 75 g 10 degrees above room temp of 68-72.
Should be enough?

I've been reading a bit just now; it seems like a lot of people recommend multiple heaters to spread the load and to provide for individual heater failure...

Your thoughts...?
 
Back
Top Bottom