Switching from vinyl tubing to PVC

[clifg]

Can anyone point me to a good thread about switching from tubing to hard plumbing? I'd like to have my return and overflow hard plumbed with PVC. I have a sicce 1.0 and a cpr HOB overflow with a 1/2" bulkhead if that helps. Is there a certain type of PVC I need? I'm really not familiar with plumbing and have a hard time understanding it if you could be detailed with exactly what I need. For example, if you tell me about valves and what not it's like I'm reading a government form. Thanks so much!

 

[HuduVudu]

You can get your PVC and fittings from any big box store (Lowes, Home Depot). Go to the plumbing section and find the white stuff. PVC cement is reef safe, most prefer the clear cement. Cool tip super glue will also bond PVC (stronger than the cement believe it or not), this is great for small leaks once you have everything glued.

If you are new to this then I would glue up everything but the pump fittings first, because more likely than not you will mak mistakes and better to make mistakes on cheap PVC fittings and not on your pump fittings. This is moot of course if your pump takes standard NPT fittings.

Some other tips. When you are fitting the tubes together don't measure for a glue joint that the PVC goes completely into. The glue will make this impossible and your measuring will be inaccurate (more than it already is). Also note that hard plumbed pumps can get akward angles and can cause pump vibration issues, try to be exacting as possible. PVC has some give but if it is to far out of wack better to start over.

Hope this helps.

 

[Pistondog]

Can anyone point me to a good thread about switching from tubing to hard plumbing? I'd like to have my return and overflow hard plumbed with PVC. I have a sicce 1.0 and a cpr HOB overflow with a 1/2" bulkhead if that helps. Is there a certain type of PVC I need? I'm really not familiar with plumbing and have a hard time understanding it if you could be detailed with exactly what I need. For example, if you tell me about valves and what not it's like I'm reading a government form. Thanks so much!

Watch your 90 deg fittings, if any, they really restrict flow, your vinyl has none, any turns are very gradual due to limited bend radius.

 

[HuduVudu]

Watch your 90 deg fittings, if any, they really restrict flow, your vinyl has none, any turns are very gradual due to limited bend radius.

This ^

To further on this there is a product that can provide the best of both worlds flexibilty that fits standard NPT fittings called SpaFlex. Also at big box stores. Head (restriction) is a real issue to deal with in plumbing.

 

[un5tab1e]

If you want to go pvc and really keep it simple just get flex pvc. No need for 90's and such just a good gate valve and some unions for easy adjustment and teardown.

 

[mfinn]

Can anyone point me to a good thread about switching from tubing to hard plumbing? I'd like to have my return and overflow hard plumbed with PVC. I have a sicce 1.0 and a cpr HOB overflow with a 1/2" bulkhead if that helps. Is there a certain type of PVC I need? I'm really not familiar with plumbing and have a hard time understanding it if you could be detailed with exactly what I need. For example, if you tell me about valves and what not it's like I'm reading a government form. Thanks so much!

Before you go to ( any) of the big box stores, make a detailed diagram of the path you want the piping to go.
Once you get to the store, find a little space on the floor and lay out all the fittings, just like your diagram.
I've even taken my return pump with me to make sure I got the correct connection fitting.
It's not all the complicated. Just plan it out, and double check everything.

 

[Weasel1960]

You can get your PVC and fittings from any big box store (Lowes, Home Depot). Go to the plumbing section and find the white stuff. PVC cement is reef safe, most prefer the clear cement. Cool tip super glue will also bond PVC (stronger than the cement believe it or not), this is great for small leaks once you have everything glued.

If you are new to this then I would glue up everything but the pump fittings first, because more likely than not you will mak mistakes and better to make mistakes on cheap PVC fittings and not on your pump fittings. This is moot of course if your pump takes standard NPT fittings.

Some other tips. When you are fitting the tubes together don't measure for a glue joint that the PVC goes completely into. The glue will make this impossible and your measuring will be inaccurate (more than it already is). Also note that hard plumbed pumps can get akward angles and can cause pump vibration issues, try to be exacting as possible. PVC has some give but if it is to far out of wack better to start over.

Hope this helps.

I would recommend keeping some of your vinyl tubing. Connect pvc barbed fittings to your pvc connect your tubing to that and your pump. The softer connection will help with vibration noise allowing you piping some flexibility.

 

[HuduVudu]

I would recommend keeping some of your vinyl tubing. Connect pvc barbed fittings to your pvc connect your tubing to that and your pump. The softer connection will help with vibration noise allowing you piping some flexibility.

Just a note on doing this, this will cause a lot of head (back pressure) from the fittings. You are correct that it will help dampen vibration. Better to use the SpaFlex to provide the benefits that you are describing.