Newby Plumbing Question

[Singlemalt]

Getting close to setting up my new 120RR and have been researching everything I can.

After reading about 1000 threads on aquarium plumbing I've come to the conclusion that most of the experienced reefers out there prefer hard plumbing fixtures to flexible hoses.

So after all that reading I'll be using hard PVC to plumb the tank into my basement. Since so much fun of this new hobby is learning my question is why is hard plumbing better?

 

[fareforce]

It's really personal preference. On larger tank hard plumbing is cheaper, easier to work with, and easy to fix if there is a problem (most of the time). Can you imagine plumbing this with all flexable vinyl plumbing?

 

[fareforce]

Ohh yeah, I forgot to add.. You dont want 100% hard plumbing.. You will at least want to use some spaflex.. The give will help isolate noise caused by vibrations.

 

[silverwolf72]

My own plumbing is about half and half.

 

[Singlemalt]

So then if I used hard plumbing with ball valves where necessary then spaflex when it makes my life easier it should be ok??

 

[silverwolf72]

Thats what I did

 

[Steverino]

I have gone through that same research and what experienced people tell me is that the junctions from flexible to hard, for example flexible to a flow ball valve then back to flexible, then to a T-joint, then back to flexible, is too much of a pain and potential for leaks. A friend of mine with a setup I want to duplicate uses the flexible for the piece that drains from his bulkhead, and on the return, the piece that connects to the diffuser into the tank.