Hard Plumbing

bailey52

bailey52

Member
My 90 gal overflow... on the bulkheads, they are not hard plumbed. In other words the line coming into my wetdry is a kinda big tube that looks like what goes on a pool cleaner.. and the return line is a clear 1/2 or 3/4" tube.... I want to use PVC now so I can put valves on these for more protection... my question is do I need a diff type of bulkhead or would the ones I have now work? The bulkhead bottoms where the tubes connect are think at top and taper off toward the bottom to hold the tubes.. any help appreciated
Any pics would be great also.. thanks!!
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
The "tapered" thing you are talking about is a hose barb, probably a custom one for the hose you have, unless your hose is plain clear PVC. It sounds like it's not, that it's one of those prefab hose assemblies they sell specifically for wet/dry filters.
I'll bet if you look closely it unscrews. If it's cemented in, you're screwed. If it's cemented, then I'd cut the hose off about 6-12 inches from the overflow, and run hard plumbing from your wet dry to that spot and run flexible hose from there to the overflow.
If it's a drilled tank, that method is pointless, but it will work if you are not wanting to buy a new bulkhead. If it's a continuous siphon overflow, then the above method I'd call "Preferred."
I have two tanks with CSO's, and I have hard plumbing coming up to directly underneath them, then a 12" section of hose connecting the hard plumbing from below to the hard plumbing on the CSO. That give some "play room" and absorbs vibration from the CSO (if any). It's sort of an "expansion joint." This works pretty well and may adapt to your situation nicely.
 
bailey52

bailey52

Member
Yea it is a drilled tank, the tube going to the wet/dry it not screwed in, it just fits into the bulkhead on the hole of the tank, and those bulkheads unscrew.. anyway here are pics to make it better... basically I want to hard plumb the incoming and return lines for reliablity... and about the wet/dry bought that when I didnt know any better basically right now it is being used basically as a sump... because I took the bio balls out... anyway its small I would like to put a 20 gal under there and put all equipment in it... and also use as a refugium.. if you have any ideas about making a refugium out of this ill be glad.. but i think its too small



 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
I myself am just getting ready to build a sump with a fuge compartment, so I am on the learning curve with that too. You look pretty screwed on the plumbing. It looks like a stanard bulkhead though. Pretty cheap... just saw through the bottom of the bulkhead and remove it. Replace with a new one and you're done...
Of course, it looks like unless you have a reciprocating saw and a steady hand, you won't be able to get in there without damaging something unless you drain the tank down.

This is one of those custom hose assemblies. They are made for the length they are and nothing else. Forget my advice to cut the hose and shorten it. If you do that you'll end up with a non-functional filter and my picture on a dart board.
 
bailey52

bailey52

Member
Thank for your reply.. No its no prob getting the bulkheads off.. they unscrew.. Ive done it before... all i have to do it stop the pump... and empty the overflow and I can get to it.. My questions are that instead of hoses I wuold like to use PVC.. does anyone know the best was to do it?
 
pfitz44

pfitz44

Active Member
Very Carefuly. If you can get water to stop flowing threw the pipe, just take out the felx pipe and replace it with PVC.... They sell threaded ends, so you can attach onto existings screw fittings.
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
Bulkheads are fairly standard. Replacements are readily available. It looks like you have a 1.5" bulkhead on your inflow.
I'm assuming that the hose is cemented into the existing bulkhead.
If that is the case, then as long as the hose fits through the hole the bulkhead is installed in, then you can remove everything at once with no fuss. Just do what you said, remove the locknut at the underside, slide it down and off the hose, and go.
If the hose doesn't fit through, you'll need to cut it where it meets the bulkhead to allow you to remove the old bulkhead.
Once you are clear, just replace it with a new bulkhead fitting. You can get bulkheads in different configurations.
They make them wtih SLIP fittings to take a PVC pipe directly. I prefer the ones that are threaded as you don't ruin the bulkhead for future use. If you ever want to change your plumbing, you can just unscrew the old pipe and screw new pipe in. SLIP fittings are permanent.
The one thing you need to be sure on is that the bulkhead you get has the same style on the "inside the tank end" (the flanged end). They come with SLIP and threads on that side as well, and if you get the wrong one, your standpipe won't fit.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Yeah if the bigger blue flex line is glued you'll have to replace the bulkhead itself....If by some chance the bulkhead is threaded where the flex tube goes in you can just unthread it and use appropriate fitting to attach your hard PVC....Finding new bulkheads should be really easy, but you won't find them at Lowes or HD....Check a plumbing supply, local fish store or Savko for new ones
 
trainfever

trainfever

Active Member
I hate to tell you this but from looking at all that saltcreep on your overflow hose, it seems as though you have some kind of leak in your overflow line.
 
azocean709

azocean709

Member
Originally Posted by trainfever
I hate to tell you this but from looking at all that saltcreep on your overflow hose, it seems as though you have some kind of leak in your overflow line.
agreed. i had that problem...and from what i am looking at...it is not cemented...It is a soft rubber end or vinyl that you push up into the bulk head...i have the same thing and am going to change it. that salt creep on that pipe is a leaky seal either in the o ring or your pipe is not seated properly. the way i am going to do mine is get a pipe that fits over the bulkhead. amost like a funnel...the water drains down obviously so there is no need to glue it. you just have to brace your drain pipe, mount it to your stand some way. so that it can't be moved.
 
trainfever

trainfever

Active Member
Are you telling me that you just have the hose pushed into the opening in the bulkhead? If you do, then you have a flood waiting to happen. There should be a hose barb cemented into the bulkhead and then the hose pressed onto the hose barb with a hose clamp holding it in place. I sincerely hope you dont leave it that way.
 
azocean709

azocean709

Member
My hose was just pushed into the bulkhead of my over flow box...I thought the same thing...FLOOD! and the first time i ever took it apart to clean it i couldnt get it seated properly and it leaked and leaked.poor disgn who ever invented that IMO.
 
azocean709

azocean709

Member
yeah...but i reworked mine over good. hard plumbing al the way the the fuge, the black silicone tubing i just put in this morning from my return to UV from UV to MT.
 
gold strip

gold strip

Member
Careful about the hard plumbing. Most of the folks I know, including myself, have flexable lines or pigtails comming from the main tank and the pump for a reason. I have flexable pigtails at some point between all of my pumps and my main tank. Vibration from the pump can cause hard fittings to leak over time. Also, if you bump that flex tubing while working under your stand it bends, if you bump hard plumbing it can cause leaks or break. Worse yet, all be it unlikely, you could crack the bottom of your tank at the bulkhead if you bump it too hard.
Unless there is some specific reason to change it like damaged pipe or fittings, I'd clamp it and leave it alone. At the very least I would keep a short pigtail of flexable tubing at either end to "cushion" your system from vibration or accidental blows.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Hard plumbing has it advantages and disadvantages as listed above, but you shouldn't get pump vibration if you mount your pump like you should and if you do use hard plumbing you should use tru unions and such to make taking pump out easy to do. You should actually use the tru unions with ball valves built right in that way you can shut the water off to the pump and disconnect
 
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