Plumbing question... hard or flexible?

[klayko]

I'm 2-3 weeks away from setting up my new 150g reef tank!!! I have acquired just about everything, I'm just waiting for the stand and canopy to be completed, my question is... Does any one have a preference for hard line pvc plumbing the main pump (Gen X) or can I use lack ultraviolet flexible 3/4" tubing? Obviously the flexible tubing would make my life easier and I would like to use it where I could but most tanks I see are hardline plumbed... Thoughts???

Thanks
Chris

 

[Len]

Hard PVC is preferred because PVC will never harden, but most soft vinyl tubing will. But FWIW, I use a lot of flexible tubing in my system. I live in CA like you and the soft tubing will probably help if an earthquake hits (heaven forbid). I change the tubes once a year to be safe.

 

[Rainman]

Yeah, hard looks really bad-ass too.

 

[Mihai]

Len,

Soft vinyl hardens, but how about soft PVC?
I believe that there are some places that sell this stuff... is it reef safe? Does it harden?

Thanks,
Mihai

 

[Len]

PVC is a type of vinyl tubing But there are different types and grades of vinyl tubing as well as Polyurethane tubing. To be honest, I don't know which ones work better for reef applications. I know from experience that some last longer then others, but unfortunately I don't know which is which since they're sold as regular ol' tubing :?

 

[KSum]

I'm just researching a reef tank but have a 94 gallon freashwater tank that I had set up for 12 years. 3 years ago I had new carpet installed and decided it was the perfect time to harrd pipe the tank. I am glad I did. The hard pipe does not give me any of the problems I had with the vinyl tubing moving around. I do have vinylt tubing going from the stand up to the intake and output tubes, as well as from just after the valves down to the filter, the the rest is pvc and it is a dream! I recommend the combination, using vinyl ONLY where the flexibility is helpful.

Karl

 

[MrZ]

Look in to a product called Spa-Flex. It is available from alot of quite a few pool and spa stores as well as some Home Depots. I just started working with it and its quite nice to plumb. Standard OD and ID as rigid PVC tubing and can be solvent welded with normal PVC glue to normal SCH40 PVC rigid fittings. I recommend priming first just like with regular PVC. What I was able to do was eliminate a handful of elbows making a much simpler plumbing job.

 

[Fl_Seagull]

On my 125 gal saltwater tank, I started with Hard PVC. Spa-Flex though expensive (1" at $2 / ft locally), made plumbing a lot easier. Just make sure you use the "rain or shine" cement. Regular pvc cement doesn't work well even if you prime it. I have used it in other setting and have gotten just as long of life (15 yrs) as the hard PVC.

Spa-flex is available locally in Florida from Home Depot and Ace Hardware. Ace had 3/4", 1", 1 1/4", and 1 1/2". Home Depot only stocked 1 1/4" and 1 1/2". If you need a smaller diameter look in the electrical department. 1/2" flexible conduit is available just make sure you don't get the version which is metal lined.

Aquatic Eco-Systems sell Flexible PVC in sizes up to 8" diameter!!

 

[fungia]

i like my flexible pvc. it cant bend like soft tubing but bends just enough to make install very easy.

 

[Fl_Seagull]

Another trick to use on hard PVC is to heat it evenly with a heat gun and then bend it to form long sweeping turns. It work best if you use sch 40. Thinner material can get too thin (especially when bending > 1 1/4" pipe)to hold pressure if your heating is uneven.

It takes a little practice and time. But, it is worth it if you want to minimize tight radius bends and want to use hard PVC pipe. Don't try to make tight bends. It is less trouble to just use standard fittings. Keep the heat gun moving and roll the pipe so all side are evenly heated. Heat about 12" for a 6" radius 90 degree bend.

I also use this trick to form Spa-Flex and flexible conduit. They may be flexible;but, they don't alway like to bend the way I want them to.

Don't try to heat the pipe on a plastic tile floor unless you want to replace part of the floor .