How to hang PVC in tank

[IronMan72]

I ordered black PVC pipe and fittings from Savko and am planning to hang a 1.5" pvc pipe horizontally along the length of the inside top edge of the tank from one side to the other and am looking for suggestions on the best way to hang it. I intend to make a screen cover for the tank to keep the jumpers in so I need a way that doesn't interfere with it. The 1.5" pipe will stick slightly below plastic trim of the top frame so I want to be able to hold the pipe firmly along the top edge and against the glass.

My first thought was to create a small slot in the top plastic frame and feed black zip tie through the hole. The idea would be to wrap the tie around the pipe and tighten it so the free end is in the corner. I would then feed the free end through the slot and using only the fastener end of another tie I'd zip it down to hold it securely. My biggest concern is if I'd be compromising the integrity of the top frame making it prone to failure? To create the slot I thought I could just heat up the tip of a flat blade screwdriver and push it through the plastic then trim off any melted material with an exacto knife.

 

[Conesus_Kid]

You can drill small holes in the lip of the plastic tank frame and feed your zip ties through the holes. I believe that's how Gary M. suspends his return lines, but I'll let him chime in if I'm incorrect.

This won't affect the integrity of the frame and is easier than heating up a screwdriver.

 

[Capt_Cully]

What will the function of the PVC be? Is it to support the netting top? OR will it be a source of water flow? Not sure I'm following your intended application? Why 1.5"?

 

[cardiffgiant]

1.5 is pretty big. That's what I used. I should have reduced mine to multiple smaller returns further away from the top of my tank.

 

[IronMan72]

What will the function of the PVC be? Is it to support the netting top? OR will it be a source of water flow? Not sure I'm following your intended application? Why 1.5"?

I have an OM 4-way valve as part of my closed loop circulation. The closed loop is driven by a Reeflo Super Dart pump. The tank is setup as a peninsula so two of the returns are drilled through the glass on one end of the tank. The PVC in the tank will carry the water from the other two outputs to the other end of the tank. There will actually be two of them, one across each the front and the back. The previous owner just had the pipes running over the top of the tank and it worked well for him but they will interfere with my lighting that way. I will be using a screen cover and it will be a PIA to move them for feeding and maintenance if they are over the top. It also makes getting into the tank for maintenance, the top rim of the tank is about 66" high and adding the PVC to on top adds another couple inches in height plus a couple inches toward the center. I considered running 1" instead of 1.5" but don't want to restrict flow that much.

 

[Capt_Cully]

Gotcha. I see why you went with black if they're gonna be 1.5's. I drilled holes in the inside tab of the trim on a couple of different tanks without any ill effects. I would try to go with what conesus said. I'm not sure that will suck it against the glass like you want, but its what I was thinking initially too, and sounds easier than melting.

 

[IronMan72]

I'm not sure that will suck it against the glass like you want....

Think a few dabs of silicone sealant would help hold it in place (in addition to the zip ties of course)? Not sure if silicone will adhere to PVC as it doesn't adhere well to acrylic.

 

[Capt_Cully]

Yeah, historically over time, silicone from acrylic to glass isn't supposed to bond well. I would imagine the same could be said for PVC. But, anyone who's ever ripped out an acrylic overflow from a glass tank will tell you the opposite. It can really stick well.

My biggest concern for you is aesthetics. With 1.5" PVC and silicone with zip ties etc.. it sounds a bit cumbersome and forgive me here, ugly. Especially when considering time, coralline, regular green & red algae, and so on. Without seeing it, this is how it sounds to me. I'm sure it can be done with clean lines, but this is how it sounds to me as I read it. Sincerely no offense intended, just having trouble visualizing it.

 

[IronMan72]

Interesting thought, I appreciate the comments. I hadn't considered the inevitable corraline growth. I have a couple shots of the mocked up plumbing in white I'll post tonight. The bottom of the pipe only sticks down about 1/2" from the bottom of the frame and for a while the black PVC should be almost undetectable but it may make it difficult to clean the corraline from the glass and as it grows on the PVC there will be a purple line at the top of the tank. I seriously considered the 1" but was really concerned that I'd limit flow too much. Guess I'll try it with 1.5" and see how it goes. If it starts getting out of hand I can always do something different.

 

[Capt_Cully]

Cool. I'd have to see it. If it were me, stuff hanging down would drive me nuts. Never used an OM so I'm not sure how down sizing would mess with it. I know Gary M does something similar. Not sure how he has his rigged, with the PVC running along the surface. Then he has penductors facing back towards the overflow at the other end of the peninsula. And we all know how it worked for him......

Snap some pix. I'd love to see it.

Oh, and P.S. I told the wife/mother-in-law/bear joke at work 3 times last week. Always funny!

 

[IronMan72]

Not the greatest picture but you can see the white prototype. Most of the other plumbing in this picture is ready to be tested but I may paint it black to make it blend in better.

 

[Henry Colf]

I drilled mine. I think with an 3/16 drill bit. use the small zip ties(i had to use 2). It's been like this for a couple of yrs. and no ill affects...

 

[CarlitosReef]

Where did you get your red and black valve control? I am also getting black PVC Thank you so much for the link!!

 

[pascal32]

Not the greatest picture but you can see the white prototype. Most of the other plumbing in this picture is ready to be tested but I may paint it black to make it blend in better.

Nice setup!

good move on the ball valves. if you find the flows hard to adjust consider replacing them with economy gate valves from BRS. If you are ever looking for esthetics on teh plumbing you can use clear primer and cement so that the purple doesn't show.

 

[cardiffgiant]

Those are usually listed as "true unions" which combine a union and a valve. You can get them online at places like flexpvc. I got two at a LFS, and I noticed that the pool supply store had some in stock the last time I was in there.

 

[CarlitosReef]

Quick question if my PVC pipe is 1" my union would have to be 1.5" in order to fit?

 

[reefboarder]

It should be labeled as 1" union if that's what you mean.


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[reefboarder]

Where did you get your red and black valve control? I am also getting black PVC Thank you so much for the link!!

I believe the valves in the pic are just standard schedule 80 PVC valves or true unions as posted above, they should be at most of your local plumbing stores like fergusons, commercial pipe etc.... Lowes and HD typically don't carry sched 80



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[IronMan72]

Where did you get your red and black valve control? I am also getting black PVC Thank you so much for the link!!

The larger valve is a 2" Schedule 80 Cepex True Union Ball Valve that I got from BRS. The other is a 1.5" Schedule 80 Georg Fischer True Union Ball Valve. They are a dark grey color.