90 gallon Reef Ready Plumbing Question

[jbilliel]

Guys - This is my first time with saltwater tanks and I got a Aqueon 90 gallon used tank that is reef ready. My question is around the plumbing. The standard kit comes with a 1" and 3/4" bulkhead but at the bottom of the bulkheads is only a nipple to connect hose to instead of PVC. Given that I want to do it right by installing unions, gate valves and check valves is the best way to handle this to replace the Aqueon bulkheads with something from BRS that will accept threads?

Additionally the return side is only 3/4" inch. Is there a benefit to plumbing it from the pump using 1" and then reducing it to 3/4" before the tank?

Any thoughts would be very much appreciated

Thanks!

Jeremy

 

[T_BONE]

You can change out e bulkheads for some that accept hard pipe or you could use flex pipe and then hard pipe out of the return pump for your valves. I found that this reduces vibrations resonating through the hard pipe. See photo below. Running 1” and reducing to 3/4 has no change. It is a reduction in flow so I would personally just stay 3/4 all the way.

 

[jbilliel]

Thank you T_Bone. That picture is helpful

 

[T_BONE]

Thank you T_Bone. That picture is helpful

No problem, that’s what we are here for. Hope you get it worked out. And be sure to start a build thread with tons of pics! We all like pics.