Plumbing Help

[Rossim2i2]

Ball valve came in the mail today and I'm just waiting for my Home Depot order to be ready for pickup. Going to convert my current flex tubing to hard plumbing so I can reduce the return flow to the tank and kill the noise my dorso makes.

Question - You aren't supposed to use primer on the bulkhead, right? Just use the glue when making that connection? My plan is to use a short piece of PVC and directly connect it to a union so it can still be easily taken apart and accessed if needed.

 

[Sponge]

Ball valve came in the mail today and I'm just waiting for my Home Depot order to be ready for pickup. Going to convert my current flex tubing to hard plumbing so I can reduce the return flow to the tank and kill the noise my dorso makes.

Question - You aren't supposed to use primer on the bulkhead, right? Just use the glue when making that connection? My plan is to use a short piece of PVC and directly connect it to a union so it can still be easily taken apart and accessed if needed.

PVC. And CPVC. Both require primer. In New Jersey. If it was water or waste plumbing for human use. That primer must be purple. However because it is for your fish tank. You can use clear primer. Regardless, Primer should always be used it softens the polyvinyl chloride preparing to take the cement and removes things like the writing on the pipe and fitting put on by the manufacturer

 

[Rossim2i2]

Thanks @Sponge! I have the primer and the glue. I thought I read or saw somewhere that you weren't supposed to use one on the actual bulkhead itself. I plan on using it everywhere else (as well as the bulkhead if its not an issue). I have the purple as i'm just using white PVC and don't really care about the look that much as I plan on making changes within a year (at that point i'll get fancy with color PVC and clear primer).

 

[Sponge]

For the record. Clear or purple makes NO difference in quality of the joint. Purple only exist so the plumbing inspector can see that you used primer. And not fail you. Since you won’t have your tank inspected. When possible. Buy clear.

 

[Goodair]

No matter how neat you try to be, to get a good seal you will see the primer so def get the clear if your worried about aesthetics.

 

[Rossim2i2]

No leaks so far! Had to shut the ball valve a lot more than I expected to get the dorso to quiet down. Have it tuned in really nice now though.

I have a support beam on the stand where I plan on running some rope to hold the return up so it doesn't sag downward. Do you think I would have any issues using twine?

 

[Goodair]

You don't need to worry about it sagging as much as vibration, but you can add a silicon matt under the pump to help with vibration, it will dampen it a little bit and reduce the noise of it shaking on the glass.

 

[Rossim2i2]

It actually did seem like it became a problem. It was putting pressure on the bulkhead and I was getting a small drip. I originally didn't glue that part but I took it apart (thankful i used unions), glued the pipe to the bulkhead and took care of the sag in the pipe and so far so good...

 

[Rossim2i2]

So another question. I had a small leak in the drain. Hours of trial and error and 1/8 inch later it seems to be working now. However, there is the slightest slow drip from the bulkhead. I didn’t glue that part as everything was so right. Do you think gluing it down would solve it?

 

[Rossim2i2]

Pic for reference

 

[Rossim2i2]

So I pulled it apart and glued it in. So far so good!

 

[Goodair]

That ball valve is supposed to go on the overflow btw, at least on a herbie set up. I don't THINK its that big a deal though the way the rest of the pipe is set up.

 

[Rossim2i2]

I have a dorso and had to restrict the return flow to the display. My pump doesn’t have a controller so I’m using the valve to control the return flow.

 

[Rossim2i2]

But now I have water slowly creeping up from the bulkhead in the sump. I’m assuming the pvc isn’t cut 100% straight and water is finding a way through whatever opening may be there to come up. Anyone run into this before? Any suggestions?

 

[Goodair]

What gph is your pump?

 

[Goodair]

Can you tell if its leaking from the joint connection or from the bulkhead seal?

 

[Rossim2i2]

It’s rated for 700 GPH. It seems to be coming from the joint connection. Not the bulkhead seal itself (I.e. not from under the part of the bulkhead sitting on top of the sump)

 

[Goodair]

Turn off the pump, dry the pipes and see if water is leaking, its coming from the bulklhead seal, if it isn't its the joint.

 

[Goodair]

If its from the joints, you prob need to redo that strech of pvc above the union.

 

[Rossim2i2]

It’s not the bulkhead from the display. It’s the bulkhead in the sump. Thinking I may need to redo everything below the union (from the union to the sump). Might have access to a miter saw tomorrow to ensure a clean cut.