plumbing options? Squidd or others...

[fishnet]

I'm trying to make my plans for my sumpfugium (20 L supporting a 55) and I've learned a ton from all your experiences. BUT... I can't help but notice that almost all solutions I see use PVC pipe. Certainly that's a good solution, but isn't every joint another potential leak? Is there a good reason why people do not use tubing? Even the reinforced tubing if you're concerned about water pressures? Also, wouldn't the tubing create smoother turns, thereby lessening the head loss? Or is it an aestetic thing? A well-plumbed PVC system looks very good and professional.
I guess all of this is to say that as a homeowner, I HATE PLUMBING!!!

I just never seem to get all the seals on the PVC and it always leaks. I don't want to take any shortcuts that will jeapordize my system, but I'm really not interested in self-inflicted torture either.

 

[acrylic51]

You could use spa flex tubing if your afraid of joints......Personally I've never had a joint

fitting or elbow fail on me........As long as they are glued properly they should be fine.....

 

[m000240]

Do you use standard PVC cement, or what?

 

[kneescar]

I'm an HVAC person. We use a ton of PVC
Make sure you make nice, straight (square) cuts.
Use a knife to cut the debris (PVC shavings if you've made a cut with a saw) away from the pipe end.
Use PVC cleaner on both the fitting and the pipe piece. (You can use the purple PVC primer to do the same thing. The coloring lets you know that have complete coverage, but it looks very messy)
Use plenty of glue and put it on both the fitting and the pipe piece.
Push the two pieces together and hold it for a few seconds. If you don't hold it, the pipe will tend to back out of the fitting and you won't have a good joint.
Don't use PVC cement that is old or has started to thicken up... You won't get a good joing.

If you follow these steps, leaks should not be an issue.

 

[m000240]

I was worried about toxins released into the water, less about leaks, I assume its safe, as everyone else is using it, right?

 

[fishnet]

Thanks a ton kneescar. Now that I know how to "properly" do PVC, I might have a little more luck. (yeah, I'm still a bit unsure of myself -- I'll have to have some success before I feel more confident)
But still, is there a real reason why people use PVC rather than tubing?

 

[guyute]

just to make you feel a little better...
I had NO experience with pvc. I just last week got done plumbing a 125 display tank, to a filter room where a 55 fuge and 29 sump are. it's a good bit of pvc. didn't have a single leak everything is now fully running and cycling. the clear primer is nice because it's less noticeable once it's together, but I bought the purple, and I'd recommend doing the same. it really helps to see if you're fully covering all areas.
a hint that I was given that I think is a good idea, along with holding the pieces together for a few seconds... is when you put the pipe into the fitting, give it a 1/4 of a turn. it helps to make sure the cement spreads around fully.
as for pvc vs tubing... the inner wall of pvc is totally smooth... which creates less resistence than say spa flex tubing (which has slight 'ribs' in it). probably not a huge difference though.
personally I think the look of hard-plumbing seems a whole lot "cleaner" than tubing bending all over the place. matter of opinion though I guess.

 

[squidd]

Smoother and slightly larger ID (especially if you go with thin wall schd 30) means better flow, but that can be negated by excess "elbows" compared to a bendable Spa Flex...
So a good part of it is looks...cause either way it needs to be glued securly...

 

[zman1]

I haven't used spa tubing. However, I think it may or would be more forgiving than rigid PVC when it comes to bends and turns or just plain inaccurate cuts that after glued come up short for a critical bend. I have used tubing on the drains and for a manifold, but prefer rigid pipe when it can be used.
I'll post few pictures to help describe it. I am not going to say it's pretty....
The clear ubing on the returns I thinks was a bad choice for algae growth, but it's what I had availabe.