plumbing question

[J.russell]

Well all my PVC is donr and I am now ready to test everything out. I am planning on testing it out in the drive way just incase there are any leaks but its going to be twice the work since Ill have to break it all down again and put it all together in the house.

So I guess my question is, do you guys think its ok to just test it inside :eek2:

 

[coralfragger101]

All the plumbing is done on what? An entire system?

I certainly wouldn't set up a tank complete with plumbing "outside" first.

 

[Phyxius]

I would just test it inside if its the plumbing on it, Usually plumbing will show small leaks unless you forget to glue or connect a fitting then it could be more. Small leaks are pretty easy to control and repair on initial setup. Breaking it all down and putting it all back together again could possibly cause a leak to appear also.

If I was testing something that could release lots of water all at once if it failed I would do it outside possibly

 

[J.russell]

Yea the whole system is done. All my equip. is under the stand and I have 3 unions that I can take apart to lift the tank off the stand and that disconnects all the pluming.

I just didnt know if it would be worth the trouble or not. What reasons would you not test it outside first? Reason I ask is because this is my first "system". Ive had plenty of tanks before but this is the first time I have had to plumb for a sump and closed loop.

 

[J.russell]

Gotchya Phyxius. Thanks.

One more question then. Im feeling pretty confident on my PVC gluing but lets say there is a small leak. Do I have to redo that whole part or is there anything I could put around the seam/joint to seal it up? Like maybe some sort of silicone that would bond to the PVC?

Pictures to follow once I get some progress here

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1388840

 

[coralfragger101]

Why try to cross the bridge before you get there?

Fire it up, see what (if any) leaks you have and then we'll deal with it.

 

[J.russell]

haha ok wish me luck guys

 

[J.russell]

dbl post

 

[Phyxius]

Small leaks can sometimes be plugged by putting a little more PVC glue around the fitting when dry and it will "sometimes" plug the hole. Other times it may be necessary to replace that piece so it can be re glued. If its at a screw in fitting a little teflon tape or more on it may help to plug it.

From looking at your build thread and the care you took on everything else I think your plumbing should be fine :thumbsup:

 

[spleify]

If you glued all the joints and you got at least the majority of the joints covered with primer and glue, it will spread and cover the rest of the joint as you squeez the pvc together.
Feel confident you did it right and hook it all up and let er' rip.

HTH

Spleify

 

[IslandCrow]

For very small leaks at a joint, I've been able to get away with using some of the Oatey Rain-R-Shine PVC cement. The biggest leak I've used it on, though is one where there was just a little bit of water beading at the joint. Of course, the best answer is to cut away that section of PVC and do it again. Hopefully, though, everything works perfectly.

Otherwise, I agree with everyone else that you should be just fine testing it indoors. I'd test with freshwater first just in case there is a leak or you have to drain the system. Just triple check that everything is connected, all your unions are tight, all the ball valves that are supposed to be opened are open, and the ones that are supposed to be closed are closed. Lastly, have in your mind what ball valves you have to close or pumps you have to turn off if the sump or main tank looks like it's going to overflow.

Good luck!

 

[greatXss]

Re: plumbing question

Just wandered through your thread...i want to see update pics!

As long as your confident that you got a good amount of primer and glue on EVERY fitting, then id say go ahead and set it up...just triple check every fitting to make sure they are glued before adding water :rollface:

 

[J.russell]

Well after spending 3 hours trying to hook everything back up in the house and not being able to get anything to line up right, I have decided Im done with fish tanks. I quit. Im so frustrated right now its not even funny. This is one build thread that you wont see finished. Sorry guys.

 

[sminker]

twist as you are putting the fittings together.

this is a mistake alot of people that are not familiar with plumbing make. by twisting the pvc as you are connecting fitting the glue will fill all the holes and i never wipe off the excess glue. i will hold the fitting down so all the glue stays on the fitting side till it is dry.

 

[J.russell]

Everything is aready glued and done. I primed every part and I gave each connection a half turn as I was gluing. Been that way for about 3 months now.

Everything lined up as I was plumbing it. Now that its in the house it seems like nothing is going right for me. Inorder for this to work, Im going to need to redo the drain from the overflow down to the union and part of my CL plumbing too.

Im ready to toss in the towel.

 

[Phyxius]

Just take a break from it and come back to it later and you'll feel better about it.

I have spent the last couple months getting parts together for my 210g, building my stand, canopy and all the other items. Been taking it slow and built my sumps and got all my pumps, built my return manifolds and had even gotten more live rock ready and curing. Got down to the literally the last minutes and ready to do a water test and dropped my dart pump on my sump bulkhead and broke the sump tank. Not just 1 side but I took out 2 sides. Nobody local had one so I had to order an new tank and it finally arrived. Out of 12 tanks the store had come in my 50g was broken/cracked so I have to wait 7 more days now...I`m pretty frustrated but just going to step away for awhile and come back to it.
It gets frustrating but it pays off 10 fold in the end.......trust me or better yet trust all of us here on RC....

 

[J.russell]

Sorry to hear about your sump man.

I know Mike but the past two day have been nothing but crap with this damn thing. I moved the top of the stand yesterday and the plug from my switch panel smacked one of the baffles in my sump cracking that, now the plumbing problems. I just dont know whats next.

The whole reason I started this was to have a better running, more maint. friendly system. So much for that idea

 

[emissary43]

did you use all hard lines? I like to use some flex pvc so that it dosen't have to line up perfectly. but they are right take a break, it will work out.

 

[J.russell]

Ok well after last nights headache, I get a call today from my girlfriend who went out with my mom to Home Depot AND Lowes and bought all the 1" and 1 1/2" fittings they thought I would need and some more pipe so I could take a break and rethink it all.

Well after thinking about it today I decided to give it 1, just 1 more try. So far its looking good. I have everything lined up and glued. Going to test it tomorrow after work.

 

[das75]

a girl friend that goes out to buy your plumbing parts, sounds like a keeper.

Go slow and remember what they say, (measure twice, cut once) also dry fit and put alignment marks .