Plumbing: Sch40 vs Sch80

[clugo]

What's your preference 40 or 80?

What difference does it make?

What about ball valves w union all in one. I heard the 80'd function much better.

Thanks for your help.

 

[noahm]

In low pressure aquarium use, for piping and regular fittings, there is absolutely no reason to waste money on sch 80 and you could even use thin wall pipe if you wanted, but some valving and unions can be better quality or have positive/negative size characteristics in sch 80. Sch 80 is thicker walled, but same OD pipe, so is more restrictive, and some unions and valves may have more or less restriction depending on manufacturer.

 

[Reefahholic]

Most people use 40. I prefer a ball valve w/ union so I can take the pipe apart at the valve and clean/ do mantience.

 

[reefermad619]

I've always used 40. I figure why waste money on 80. The 40 is more than suffice for our use.

 

[username in use]

We don't even come close to the limits of 40. I have a pool company, and the pumps are rated at hundreds of gallons a minute, and we always use sch 40. I've even seen people use the elbows for drainage line and it hasn't broken. So for hundreds of gallons an hour, even a few thousand, 40 is beyond sufficient.

 

[cody6766]

many of the people using 80 are doing it for looks, at least several that I've spoken with or read about

 

[gimmito]

I got a pretty good deal on a box of schedule 80 fittings on eBay, so I went all schedule 80 for my build. I like that the schedule 80 is quiter than schedule 40 and I've heard it's less resistant to algae build up from some speakers....plus it plain looks cool.
That said, it's a matter of preference and you could always go with the black schedule 40 (like the one Melev used on his tank on RA). Definitely go with schedule 80 tru union ball valves...well worth the price !

 

[vorm]

I have schedule 80 bulkheads, because I wanted the extra thickness and strength for those parts at those critical connections to the tank, but the rest of my plumbing is schedule 40 as I see no need to use schd 80 for anything else.