plastic hose clamps?

[scarface70706]

so i had to upgrade my return pump from a mag 9.5 to a eheim compact 5000. unfortunately the mag spoiled me with the threaded fittings. so since the eheim is a barbed 1" fitting i have to use those cheap plastic hose clamps. i am now fearing my worst fear. coming home to a flooded room. are there any other methods or better ways to plumb this up? as of right now i used duct tape as a second locking technique to insure the clamp wont some how pop off. any insight would be great. thank you

 

[matty0206]

I use cable ties (zip ties) for my return. Just make sure they are the ones that don't have the metal tab in them.

Is duct tape reef saltwater safe?

 

[scarface70706]

im not sure if the duct tape is reef safe or not but i would rather take that chance then replacing the carpet and the thousands of dollars spent on equipment.

 

[cakemanPA]

I have always rigged up pvc fittings to my return pumps and glued everything. I use union fittings so I can remove things as needed. I don't trust clamps and I don't trust hoses.

 

[scarface70706]

so how would you plumb up a barbed fitting thats fixed on the pump? this pump is barbed so i cant glue it

 

[moondoggy4]

My eheim 1250 came with the option of barb or fitting does the Compact have that option also?

 

[rishma]

funny not trusting hoses....

I used pvc for years, even got grey sch 40. It sure looked slick, but I found that hose is easier for me to achieve a truely silent system. It dampens vibration and allows me to adjust pump positions, etc with ease.

Now I only use tubing and typically zip ties for clamps on barbs. I have used plastic hose clamps but prefer a good zip tie. I

am obsessive about reliability, redundancy, etc, and I have never worried about the hose. I would go back to PVC with a very large system, fish room, etc; however, I will continue to use hose for smaller sump-under-tank type systems.

 

[azjohnny]

The "cheap" plastic hose clamps you can get from a LFS are just as good as a metal one. Remember we are only putting 5-10 psi through the pipe unless you go to a pressure rated pump like the Iwaki's and that goes up to 20psi

 

[JP Reef]

I have plastic hose clamps on my return line. Never had one come off or go loose. I also don't use hose outside the sump, so I am not sure how I would flood anything if one came off unless it was used externally, and then you already run the risk of the pump leaking and flooding.

 

[billdogg]

I don't bother with anything on my barbed fittings. If you use thick walled vinyl tubing, heat it in boiling water to soften it, stick it on the fitting then cool it fast, it shrink wraps itself on there so good you have to cut it off. Been doing it that way since the mid 1980's. Have not had one come off yet.

 

[Bigcefa]

^^ what he said but I use a heat gun

 

[scarface70706]

I don't bother with anything on my barbed fittings. If you use thick walled vinyl tubing, heat it in boiling water to soften it, stick it on the fitting then cool it fast, it shrink wraps itself on there so good you have to cut it off. Been doing it that way since the mid 1980's. Have not had one come off yet.

Perfect! good idea. thank you very much.:bounce3: