Does my plumbing look okay? First timer!

[FishyFish]

I just finished dry fitting the plumbing for my new 75g tank. It didn't go exactly according to plan but I think it came out okay. I haven't done the bean animal plumbing inside the overflow yet but other than that it's done. I would love some opinions since I haven't done thse before. Does anyone see any issues with this layout before I start gluing? Thanks in advance!!!

 

[OutsideBrian]

Only thing I can see is maybe supporting those return lines, particularly the one far right in the picture.

 

[Irishman]

I would add unions right in your return lines close to the tank. If you have to ever disassemble you love it later. What does underneath look like where everything goes into the sump

 

[W1ngz]

Have you screwed some kind of adapters onto the outside of your bulkheads? The outside threads of the bulkhead are meant only for the retainer ring. PVC pipe of the correct diameter should then go on the inside of it. Bulkheads aren't designed to have plumbing screwed onto their outside, and risk splitting or breaking if you run it that way.

Your drains don't need 2 gate valves. Only the main siphon needs a valve for tuning. Keep the secondary valve wide open in case of emergencies, or remove it entirely.

You mention the plumbing inside the overflow box, so I guess you know you need some sort of standpipe or double 90 to quiet the secondary drain, and a taller standpipe to make sure the emergency is just above that.

 

[W1ngz]

I'd add too that, from this angle it looks like your return plumbing is sitting low over, or almost resting on the sump. That's going to be a huge pain in the whatever later on if you want to add/remove/replace/clean equipment.

 

[W1ngz]

Sorry, I'm in the middle of plumbing my own tank now so all this is fresh in my head. Reconsider the double 45s on the returns also. A street fitting into the bulkhead directly would save a ton of space and let you back it up much closer to the wall. Technically, 45s improve flow, but that really only applies in higher velocity and higher pressure plumbing, the difference is negligible in an aquarium

 

[FishyFish]

Only thing I can see is maybe supporting those return lines, particularly the one far right in the picture.

Thanks, I have some clamps and a threaded rod but haven't been able to find the actual mount to connect the rod to the stand. I'll be heading to Home Depot tomorrow, hopefully I can find them.

I would add unions right in your return lines close to the tank. If you have to ever disassemble you love it later. What does underneath look like where everything goes into the sump

Thanks, I have some extra unions so I'll add them there. I'll try to post a better pic of the inside tomorrow morning.

Have you screwed some kind of adapters onto the outside of your bulkheads? The outside threads of the bulkhead are meant only for the retainer ring. PVC pipe of the correct diameter should then go on the inside of it. Bulkheads aren't designed to have plumbing screwed onto their outside, and risk splitting or breaking if you run it that way.

Your drains don't need 2 gate valves. Only the main siphon needs a valve for tuning. Keep the secondary valve wide open in case of emergencies, or remove it entirely.

You mention the plumbing inside the overflow box, so I guess you know you need some sort of standpipe or double 90 to quiet the secondary drain, and a taller standpipe to make sure the emergency is just above that.

I didn't screw anything to the outside of the bulkheads, they're threaded on the inside and outside. The white part that you see is a threaded reducer that's screwed into the inside of the bulkheads. The return bulkheads are 3/4 but everything else is 1" so I need a reducer somewhere. Is this okay?

Thanks for the input on the gate valve, wish I'd known that before I bought two of them but I think I will remove it. There's not a lot of room and that one is at a sloppy angle anyway. Removing it should also allow me to raise the return plumbing.

I am relatively confident on the plumbing inside the overflow, there are lots of videos on that part. I might be on here begging for more help once I get to that part but for now I think I understand what needs to be done.

 

[W1ngz]

I didn't screw anything to the outside of the bulkheads, they're threaded on the inside and outside. The white part that you see is a threaded reducer that's screwed into the inside of the bulkheads. The return bulkheads are 3/4 but everything else is 1" so I need a reducer somewhere. Is this okay?

Yeah that'll work. My preference is slip bulkheads with a street 90. On the system I'll be gluing probably tomorrow, the pipes don't protrude farther than my overflow box.

 

[W1ngz]

 

[dugthefish]

Sorry, I'm in the middle of plumbing my own tank now so all this is fresh in my head. Reconsider the double 45s on the returns also. A street fitting into the bulkhead directly would save a ton of space and let you back it up much closer to the wall. Technically, 45s improve flow, but that really only applies in higher velocity and higher pressure plumbing, the difference is negligible in an aquarium

This. Dont leave plumbing hanging out in space, nothing good ever comes from it.

 

[FishyFish]

This. Dont leave plumbing hanging out in space, nothing good ever comes from it.

Do you think having them that far out will cause problems even if I have the pipes supported by clamps? I tried using 90s instead but then the return pipe is running into the main pipe. I'd have to redo the main line if I switch the returns to 90s.

Yeah that'll work. My preference is slip bulkheads with a street 90. On the system I'll be gluing probably tomorrow, the pipes don't protrude farther than my overflow box.

Thanks again for all of your advice! I made a lot of changes this morning, removed the gate from the secondary line, added clamps to all five pipes and another around the manifold, raised the return line inside the sump to the top of the stand, and added unions to the top of both return lines. Think I'm finally ready to start gluing.

The only thing I'm not sure on is whether to glue the pipes inside the overflow box to the bulkheads or not. Should they be glued?

 

[W1ngz]

The only thing I'm not sure on is whether to glue the pipes inside the overflow box to the bulkheads or not. Should they be glued?

Anything submerged doesn't need to be glued, since leaks or salt creep can't happen.

 

[FishyFish]

Anything submerged doesn't need to be glued, since leaks or salt creep can't happen.

Alright, thanks a bunch I really appreciate all of your help!!!

 

[dugthefish]

Do you think having them that far out will cause problems even if I have the pipes supported by clamps?

Anything hanging out in mid air will be vulnerable to damage (inadvertant bumping, banging, pulling, etc), and stress. I would do everything possible to keep pipes as tight to the tank and stand framing.

 

[MnFish1]

You may want to use something that allows it to sit closer to the wall (its hard to see from the picture - but the 'overhanging' pipe without support may cause a problem - as others have said - is there a reason you chose to use the angled joints as compared to a 'right angle' (which you could put closer to the back of the tank? It looks nice either way and I'm not a plumbing expert by any means

 

[W1ngz]

If you're not sure about anything else, posting updated pictures taken straight on and directly from the side would be helpful.

 

[FishyFish]

If you're not sure about anything else, posting updated pictures taken straight on and directly from the side would be helpful.

Yeah I know that pic was garbage, sorry! The tank is in a tiny room and unfortunately that was the best shot I could get. I ended up moving it to the living room to give me more room to work and so I won't have to glue in the same room as my other tanks.

I do have one last question if you don't mind, my sump has 2 pipes built into it that are connected to the overflow. I'd like to avoid gluing into these pipes if possible since they're connected to the sump itself. Do these need to be glued or will they be okay since the pipe beneath them is open?

In the pic, you can see both pipes that are built into the sump, one of them has the rest of the plumbing connected to it and the other doesn't yet. Nothing has been glued yet

 

[W1ngz]

1. I have 3 bulkheads in mine and didn’t glue them either.

2. Don’t ever apologize for asking questions

I do have one last question if you don't mind, my sump has 2 pipes built into it that are connected to the overflow. I'd like to avoid gluing into these pipes if possible since they're connected to the sump itself. Do these need to be glued or will they be okay since the pipe beneath them is open?

In the pic, you can see both pipes that are built into the sump, one of them has the rest of the plumbing connected to it and the other doesn't yet. Nothing has been glued yet

 

[FishyFish]

1. I have 3 bulkheads in mine and didn’t glue them either.

2. Don’t ever apologize for asking questions

Man I really can't thank you enough for all the help! I feel so needy but I'm really outside of my element here haha! I'm glad to know that I don't have to glue the sump that's a big relief. Thanks again!!

 

[Mastiffsrule]

I recently redid mine. Mine didn’t even come close to looking nice as yours. Good job.

And W1ngz, way nice. You are more than welcome to stop by this weekend. If you pay for the gas and drive down here I’ll be happy to supply the ribs and coleslaw while you redo mine.