ABS pipes?

[Silent Night]

the LFS that I have ordered my tank from only sell ABS pipes.

i have never used them before. they assure me that PVC is no good long term (erosion)

anyone used ABS for their set-up's? is it worth it?

"If you are planning a reef tank, we recommend that you use ABS piping grade A or B not PVC. Salt water is abrasive just think what it does to the rocks on our coast line. The last thing you want is the erosion of the pipe leeching toxins from the plastic into your tank water"

thanks!

 

[Jimbo7]

Never used ABS, always used PVC and I have never had any problems. You can bump up to the high schedule PVC if you are worried about it.

 

[Silent Night]

to be honest, id rather have used PVC as i can plumb that easily. ABS is joined with a 'welding glue'. more effort than its worth then?

 

[Jimbo7]

I would imagine so.

 

[HN1]

ABS works fine and will last longer than PVC, but it doesn't tend to matter because PVC life should be enough for any single tank. i.e. When your reef setup is 20 years mature, then worry.

It does require a different glue than PVC, but there is one available that will work with either ABS or PVC and can be used to join both. Most bulkheads are ABS.

 

[BigJim]

They assure me that PVC is no good long term (erosion)

I'm pretty sure they're telling you that to sell their pipes. PVC pipe is used in home plumbing all the time and that's designed to last a long time. If you're worried, step up to schedule 80 PVC. It's got thicker walls than schedule 40.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

I'm pretty sure they're telling you that to sell their pipes.

The quote you posted on the reasons to use ABS vs PVC seems a little odd and not necessarily correct. Yeah... saltwater is corrosive, but I have a hunch that pounding surf and sand particles in the surf have a bit more to do with shoreline erosion than the simple fact that it's salt water. Also... unless you melt the PVC, I'm not sure how any toxins are going to get in the tank. Tiny PVC particles from erosion are just as inert as the pipe itself. No issues there.

 

[Silent Night]

thats the end of that chapter!

nice one, fellas