Roast my plumbing before i glue please

[ChunkyBlenny14]

First time plumbing a tank, it's all dry fitted finally. I ran out of 3/4 pvc so going to finish tomorrow, just the pipe to the pump. But overflow/ emergency drain and return is done. I placed unions where I thought was needed, are they in the right spots?
I'm connecting vinyl hose from the pump to the pvc with that fitting its threaded , is it the right fitting I need? Couldn't find plastic hose clamps locally cant I just use zip ties ? Thanks for the help, p,s blue is return to pump in pics, do I add union after pump hose to pvc connection?

 

[19Mateo83]

looking good. Personally I would add unions on those return lines coming out of the back of the tank. In case you ever have to move the tank you can disconnect the return lines like you can your drains. If this helps here’s how I did mine. Also, you are going to want a barbed fitting for that return line not a threaded one. What light mount do you have that fits over a rimmed tank?

 

[KrisReef]

YOu need a hose barb to connect PVC to flex hose. The hose will not glue to PVC unless you use flexible pvc instead of vinyl hose.

Edit: The threads will leak, otherwise.

 

[ChunkyBlenny14]

looking good. Personally I would add unions on those return lines coming out of the back of the tank. In case you ever have to move the tank you can disconnect the return lines like you can your drains. If this helps here’s how I did mine. Also, you are going to want a barbed fitting for that return line not a threaded one. What light mount do you have that fits over a rimmed tank?

Thank you, I have 2 unions left for the return just wasn't sure where to put them. Nice setup. My light mount is AI prime mounts ,I love them .

 

[mfinn]

I would not use zip ties, especially on the return. Unless you had a very good zip tie gun, they will probably not hold and the hose will come apart and it's usually when you are not around or awake.
I've used stainless hose barb clamps in a pinch. Never had an issue.

 

[Dom]

YOu need a hose barb to connect PVC to flex hose. The hose will not glue to PVC unless you use flexible pvc instead of vinyl hose.

Edit: The threads will leak, otherwise.

I find a small amount of petroleum jelly on threads make it easier to screw into place and creates a nice seal.

 

[RocketEngineer]

1) the valves are in the wrong spot and are the wrong type. They are way too high in the drain line and will be almost impossible to reach. They are the wrong type and will be hard to adjust with any degree of control especially once the system begins to mature and the valves are no longer new.
2) the 45s at the end of the return gain you nothing but more places for problems. A single 90 in each corner is a better option. Also, see #3
3) all these fittings will be out of position once glued. Glue lets the pipe go deeper into sockets as it melts the two plastics
4) that is NOT a barb fitting and will not work for the vinyl tubing connection

 

[ChunkyBlenny14]

1) the valves are in the wrong spot and are the wrong type. They are way too high in the drain line and will be almost impossible to reach. They are the wrong type and will be hard to adjust with any degree of control especially once the system begins to mature and the valves are no longer new.
2) the 45s at the end of the return gain you nothing but more places for problems. A single 90 in each corner is a better option. Also, see #3
3) all these fittings will be out of position once glued. Glue lets the pipe go deeper into sockets as it melts the two plastics
4) that is NOT a barb fitting and will not work for the vinyl tubing connection

I know they aren't gate valves , but I find it hard to believe I would need to adjust the drain flow at all by the time these are hard to turn. And the place they are at will be easy to reach as there is a half wall behind the tank. I'll replace the 45s with 90s . I just kept hearing to avoid 90s if possible. How do you make sure they align after glue?

 

[RocketEngineer]

I know they aren't gate valves , but I find it hard to believe I would need to adjust the drain flow at all by the time these are hard to turn. And the place they are at will be easy to reach as there is a half wall behind the tank. I'll replace the 45s with 90s . I just kept hearing to avoid 90s if possible. How do you make sure they align after glue?

Yeah. Think years of pipe crud. Trust me, adjustments will be needed. However, being so high, the siphon side won’t be as quiet vs having a gate valve low because right now the “siphon” isn’t full except that short bit above the valve. The rest is an air/water mix that’s likely to make noise. And truthfully, you only need one gate valve. The other valve should ideally just be straight pipe.

Regarding elbows: use as few as possible. Using two 45s vs one 90 doesn’t help. Using TWO 45s for TWO 90s does. But that’s because when you need to jog a pipe sideways, you don’t need that sharp a corner to shift it over. Otherwise a corner is a corner.

To align after gluing, I glue everything up to the last straight double connection, measure including the socket depth, then cut that piece last. I also make sure it fully seats when I glue that piece in. Unions help with this a bunch as I can install pieces, measure, remove and glue, then reinstall.

 

[RocketEngineer]

Oh, and alignment marks on both pieces.

 

[ChunkyBlenny14]

Yeah. Think years of pipe crud. Trust me, adjustments will be needed. However, being so high, the siphon side won’t be as quiet vs having a gate valve low because right now the “siphon” isn’t full except that short bit above the valve. The rest is an air/water mix that’s likely to make noise. And truthfully, you only need one gate valve. The other valve should ideally just be straight pipe.

Regarding elbows: use as few as possible. Using two 45s vs one 90 doesn’t help. Using TWO 45s for TWO 90s does. But that’s because when you need to jog a pipe sideways, you don’t need that sharp a corner to shift it over. Otherwise a corner is a corner.

To align after gluing, I glue everything up to the last straight double connection, measure including the socket depth, then cut that piece last. I also make sure it fully seats when I glue that piece in. Unions help with this a bunch as I can install pieces, measure, remove and glue, then reinstall.

Thanks, this has really been a headache for me. I am not a fan of plumbing 100% lol. Heading to home depot to pick up a couple 90s and more unions. Can I put a union directly onto a street 90 ? I figure i can do that after the 90 so ill have 2 unions on my return, or do they have to be apart from the 90? Does it even matter?
Maybe I'll order a gate valve online then, they don't have them locally here. Inside the over flow box I'm stumped should I put a inch or 2 pcv into the drain? The herbie method right?

 

[Harpo]

These are garbage. Do your self a favor and and replace with tru union valves. Big box stores typically don't carry them.

 

[RocketEngineer]

I use 1”

I would put the unions above the corner elbows so you can build the entire horizontal as one piece, then thread it onto the vertical pipes. Also, make sure the union nut is on BEFORE you glue (ask how I know).

 

[RocketEngineer]

These are garbage. Do your self a favor and and replace with tru union valves

True unions are only good for on/off stuff. And pricy for that. Otherwise use gate valves. At least those are designed for fine adjustments over time.

 

[ChunkyBlenny14]

True unions are only good for on/off stuff. And pricy for that. Otherwise use gate valves. At least those are designed for fine adjustments over time.

Also. The only threaded I'm using is into my bulkheads on return. Everything else is slip. Slip unions are okay?

 

[ChunkyBlenny14]

looking good. Personally I would add unions on those return lines coming out of the back of the tank. In case you ever have to move the tank you can disconnect the return lines like you can your drains. If this helps here’s how I did mine. Also, you are going to want a barbed fitting for that return line not a threaded one. What light mount do you have that fits over a rimmed tank?

I notice you hard plumb your pump. Is it easy to maintainence with the union? I hate vinyl tube but don't want vibrations, is it quiet? I have a new DC pump but idk how loud it is. Maybe I should just run pvc like yours

 

[19Mateo83]

These are garbage. Do your self a favor and and replace with tru union valves. Big box stores typically don't carry them.

Most of the time I have one just set to a trickle and the other wide open. They work just fine for my application.

I notice you hard plumb your pump. Is it easy to maintainence with the union? I hate vinyl tube but don't want vibrations, is it quiet? I have a new DC pump but idk how loud it is. Maybe I should just run pvc like yours

I have a jabao dc return and even with it hard plumbed it is dead silent. The sicce silent pump I have running my carbon reactor is way louder. It is also nice piece of mind not having to worry about a hose clamp rusting or blowing off. Maintenance is easy with the true union anti backflow valve. I can remove the pump and not get water everywhere.

 

[Kfactor]

one of your main drains should be higher then the other

 

[SpursFan]

Gate valves only on siphon drains and in the location you have it set you'll be breaking down the tank to correct. Rocket engineers covered it all.

 

[19Mateo83]

Thanks, this has really been a headache for me. I am not a fan of plumbing 100% lol. Heading to home depot to pick up a couple 90s and more unions. Can I put a union directly onto a street 90 ? I figure i can do that after the 90 so ill have 2 unions on my return, or do they have to be apart from the 90? Does it even matter?
Maybe I'll order a gate valve online then, they don't have them locally here. Inside the over flow box I'm stumped should I put an inch or 2 pcv into the drain? The herbie method right?

Just fyi, I ended up doing something like this. I use a strainer in the left side and my water level keeps a slight trickle into the right side where it is open on top so it can’t pull a siphon.. With the 2 pipe setup I would think you will want a tiny trickle going over the stand pipe and full siphon on the other.