Durso Pipes / Bulkheads...or Megaflow?

[Hawkeye]

So...I'm still in the planning stages and thinking if I should drop the $100 on two megaflow accessories - or if someone here can help me save some money by guiding me on how to DIY by getting the pvc at a "borg" store (aka home depot/lowes etc).

Part of me really doesn't want to mess around with critical points (e.g. the bulkheads) - but I'm getting the feeling Aqueon is like making $80 profit on the $100 retail fee.

Mind you - I'm not at all handy - my definition of handy growing up in nyc was going downstairs and talking to the super in the building and having one of "his guys" fix things for me.

I need two of these durso devices for the 120 I'm setting up. Thanks in advance!

 

[panmanmatt]

Check these Phil.

http://www.dursostandpipes.com/BuildYourOwn/tabid/54/Default.aspx
http://www.dursostandpipes.com/

 

[Hawkeye]

thanks...i guess i'll be back in an hour after I read up... ;D

 

[Hawkeye]

Thanks...it took me less than an hour to read... ;D

So uh...next question.

How do you know how long to cut the pvc pipe (section 6)? The tank is 24" in height. Also - how do you actually cut pvc? Do I go into the kitchen and grab my wife's henkels knives and have at it?

or do I need like a saw or something?

 

[Hawkeye]

ok - so I see on that link they actually sell pre-fab durso pipes...hehe so this won't be exactly a DIY project.

My questions are now as follows:
Does it matter if I should choose threaded or slip bulkheads?

Does it matter whether I choose "Cleaned" or standard PVC?

Finally - what are the bulkhead sizes for a 120?

Again thanks much!

 

[MikeNapoli]

I say save your headache instead of your money. Go with the megaflow kit.

 

[JasonR]

I think I used threaded for both bulkheads
Using threaded you can reuse the bulkheads when you use glue/slp you are limited to what pipe you have glued in the bulkhead
With the durso I did not glue any of the pipes together
Just go to lowes and get the peices

Jason

 

[JohnS_323]

For cutting PVC, there are a number of different things you can use like, a table saw, chop saw, hack saw, etc. But IMO, if you're going to be doing a bit of PVC work, THESE are worth their weight in gold. The only thing is, I think they will only cut upto 1.25" PVC. For anything larger than that you'll need these Monster Cutters.

 

[rgarofalo]

these work great also easy on the hands. I was on a job once and had to cut over a hundred drain pipes. it saved me

 

[MikeNapoli]

For cutting PVC, there are a number of different things you can use like, a table saw, chop saw, hack saw, etc. But IMO, if you're going to be doing a bit of PVC work, THESE are worth their weight in gold. The only thing is, I think they will only cut upto 1.25" PVC. For anything larger than that you'll need these Monster Cutters.

John do you think those will cut through the ORA frag plugs?

 

[panmanmatt]

I doubt they will mike. They are designed for PVC which is a lot softer then those frag plugs. have you tried a Dremel on them?

 

[MikeNapoli]

I doubt they will mike. They are designed for PVC which is a lot softer then those frag plugs. have you tried a Dremel on them?

Not yet. I don't have a dremmel and the last one I had broke after a week so i'm reluctant to buy another one.

p.s. sorry for hijacking the thread.

 

[Hawkeye]

I doubt they will mike. They are designed for PVC which is a lot softer then those frag plugs. have you tried a Dremel on them?

p.s. sorry for hijacking the thread.

GRRRRR!

thanks all - I'm going to swing by a hardware store - see if I can't help my local shop a bit (may as well help boost revenue in my town) and if that doesn't work - i'll just order something from the durso website.

 

[mladencovic]

...
Finally - what are the bulkhead sizes for a 120?
...

Isn't your tank already drilled? If NOT make sure you CAN drill it because it could be tempred glass (often used for bottoms)!!!

If it is already drilled, then that will dictate what size of the bulkheads you should use.

 

[Hawkeye]

well i'm tossing it because the Dihydrogen Monoxide is just too risky. ;D

seriously though - it is drilled with dual overflows already (aga) - but I wasn't sure what size I was supposed to get. Do I just take a tape measure to it?

 

[JasonR]

I guess your tank did not come with bulkheads ?
I am thinking you have a 3/4" and a 1" in there

http://www.savko.com/partlist.asp?pgid=2

Also Will @ Aquatic Obsessions has a good assortment

Jason

 

[JohnS_323]

I guess your tank did not come with bulkheads ?
I am thinking you have a 3/4" and a 1" in there

http://www.savko.com/partlist.asp?pgid=2

Also Will @ Aquatic Obsessions has a good assortment

Jason

I agree, they're typically 1" for the drain and 3/4" for the return.

Also, I'm not sure if it's still the case or not but I know a couple of members had their CC info stolen as result of buying from Savko a year or so ago. They probably got it straightened out by now but I figured I'd put it out there.

 

[Hawkeye]

I guess your tank did not come with bulkheads ?
I am thinking you have a 3/4" and a 1" in there

http://www.savko.com/partlist.asp?pgid=2

Also Will @ Aquatic Obsessions has a good assortment

Jason

The tank has dual overflows - each has a drain and return hole - but no bulkhead.

Thanks for the info!

John - it's happened to me enough so I am scrupulous about checking my cc statement monthly - and I'm the first to protest a charge. A while back (before the clampdown on air travel) I had two guys travel on southwest from Arizona to LA on my cc. I guess back then SW Air didn't need a billing address... :

 

[panmanmatt]

Both holes should be the same size IIRC. They are drilled for 1" bulkheads. AGA sends one 1" bulkhead for the drains and the other is a universal that is the same size as the 1" but the inside hole is 3/4". If that makes any sense.

 

[mladencovic]

Yes, definitively use something to measure the holes, but something very precise. As previously posted AGA tanks use different sizes, and what is worse, when I tried DIY and bought "appropriate" bulkheads from MarineDepot, they didn't fit, so I ended up buying AGA kit. It turns out that the walls of their bulkheads are thinner then the walls of the standard bulkheads, so the smaller drilled holes can still give enough flow if used with THEIR kits (which really p...ed me off).