2 ?s - straightening flex pvc and cooking rock

[jacksonpt]

Anyone know of an effective way to straighten out flex pvc (spa flex)? I can't get it to not curl up from being on the spool at Lowes which is making it exceptionally hard to work with.

I bought a bunch of base rock from BRS that I am going to seed with LR from my tank. I've got a 50g rubbermaid that I'm using to cook the rock while I finish the build on the new tank. How much flow should I have? Also... light isn't necessary for the bacteria to spread, right?

 

[pilotguy]

Anyone know of an effective way to straighten out flex pvc (spa flex)? I can't get it to not curl up from being on the spool at Lowes which is making it exceptionally hard to work with.

I bought a bunch of base rock from BRS that I am going to seed with LR from my tank. I've got a 50g rubbermaid that I'm using to cook the rock while I finish the build on the new tank. How much flow should I have? Also... light isn't necessary for the bacteria to spread, right?

maybe put two cinder blocks on either end of the pvc and straighten it out that way.
as far as the rock, I had success with a single power head without a light for a couple months. My tubs were 20 gallons each(had 3 of them) and I put one in each of them. Maybe 2-3 powerheads strategically positioned around the rock?

Hope it helps and good luck

 

[naprestsleep]

Off the top of my head(never tried it with spa flex), heat it up a little(hair dryer, heat gun, hot water, or lay it out in the sun on a blacktop driveway) and then bend it the opposite direction past straight. Then leave it with something riding inside of it to cool, say a broom handle or smaller rigid PVC.

No light for bacteria, don't think you need to much flow, just enough to keep the water from being stagnate or dead spots.

 

[captain7359]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2049131

 

[naprestsleep]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2049131

Don't show people were I got my knowledge from... I knew I had read that post recently just could not find it.

 

[jacksonpt]

Thanks. I tried putting it in a hot bath tub, but no luck... maybe it wasn't warm enough. I'll try the driveway thing if we get a hot day soon.

 

[captain7359]

The heat gun or blowdryer is the way to do it. If you can touch it for any amount of time it's not hot enough. Just keep the heat moving so you don't char the tubing.