Plumbing - True Union Ball Valves vs. Single Union vs. Gate Valve
- Thread starter tbone28
- Start date
marcrunner
New member
gate valve for fine tuning flow
true union ball valve for inlet and outlet of pumps so pump replacement can be done without removing any water
I always buy threaded valves so they can be reused
I get mine at savko.com
true union ball valve for inlet and outlet of pumps so pump replacement can be done without removing any water
I always buy threaded valves so they can be reused
I get mine at savko.com
Sch80 is generally just a thicker walled PVC. Not necessary for most fittings, but most, if not all true union ball valves are Sch80. A true union ball valve (TUBV) is a ball valve with a union on both sides of the valve. Not *necessary* but very convenient at times.
Lowes and other hardware stores usually sell single union ball valves which can be had in Sch40 and Sch80, some Lowes may sell TUBVs but I've never seen them. Single union is just the name describes - a ball valve with a union on just one side.
Gate valves allow for finer control, good for skimmers but not necessary for most other applications in this hobby.
IME, threaded fittings don't leak if quality parts are used and used properly but YMMV. Many folks prefer socket (slip) fittings for the reasoning you mention - leak prevention. While this is valid reasoning, I haven't found it to be problematic. If mistakes are made in plumbing or you want to reconfigure, threaded fittings can be unscrewed and reused, not always the case with socket fittings as they can't be unglued.
HTH,
James
Lowes and other hardware stores usually sell single union ball valves which can be had in Sch40 and Sch80, some Lowes may sell TUBVs but I've never seen them. Single union is just the name describes - a ball valve with a union on just one side.
Gate valves allow for finer control, good for skimmers but not necessary for most other applications in this hobby.
IME, threaded fittings don't leak if quality parts are used and used properly but YMMV. Many folks prefer socket (slip) fittings for the reasoning you mention - leak prevention. While this is valid reasoning, I haven't found it to be problematic. If mistakes are made in plumbing or you want to reconfigure, threaded fittings can be unscrewed and reused, not always the case with socket fittings as they can't be unglued.
HTH,
James
nyvp
Active member
its made for high psi usage. we dont run our tanks anywhere near the rating. Its a penis thing that I "thought" I needed. It's usually gray. Schedule 40 is the white plumbing you find in HD and lowes is perfect for what we use.
as for the questions about threaded you can add a small amount of silicone around the threads to make sure it doesnt leak but it still can be opened later.
as for the questions about threaded you can add a small amount of silicone around the threads to make sure it doesnt leak but it still can be opened later.
tbone28
Active member
It's coming together now 
...
I won't be needing a gate valve - will have in-sump skimmer
I'll use Savko TUBV's before/after my return pump and on each of my overflows (between the tank and sump)
I'll use sch 40 plumbing elsewhere
Is Home Depot/Lowe's a good source for the sch 40 stuff? Or do you recommend an online vendor?
...I won't be needing a gate valve - will have in-sump skimmer
I'll use Savko TUBV's before/after my return pump and on each of my overflows (between the tank and sump)
I'll use sch 40 plumbing elsewhere
Is Home Depot/Lowe's a good source for the sch 40 stuff? Or do you recommend an online vendor?
Treg
Premium Member
You do not Need to buy union ball valves from Savko, Lowes and Home Depot have a nice selection of Sch 40 valves for a fraction of the cost. Since it sounds like this is your first go at a plumbing project, I would suggest sticking with Lowes for your plumbing needs. You'll see why... 
You'll probably need to make multiple trips for "oops" and idea changes. 
Savko stuff can add up fast. Its not hard to drop a few hundred bucks on fittings and valves.
You'll probably need to make multiple trips for "oops" and idea changes. Savko stuff can add up fast. Its not hard to drop a few hundred bucks on fittings and valves.
asnatlas
New member
Do you mean the unions, or the ball valve ?? The Savko TUBV are very nice and the ball valve (handle) turned like butter and the unions are very smooth but as others have stated you don't really use them alot and it's usually its on or off, not really for fine tuning... In my case I didn't want to go with a gate valves so I am using TUBV in a few placed so that I can "tweak" the flow to a few areas of my system and with the Savkos tuning with such ease I can make finer adjustments then with one from Lowes/HD...
GhostCon1
Rebmem Deretsiger
I was just searching for some plumbing stuff... and this showed up. lmao
dave.m
Active member
???GhostCon1 said:
Not sure what there is to laugh at. All the info presented is pretty accurate and just as applicable today as the date of the original thread. As for Sch40 vs 80 valves, it really is worth your while to calculate actual pressure in your pipes with larger pumps for larger tanks. This need becomes more apparent once you've seen one of those cheapo Sch40 valves ripped open by water pressure and the resulting flooding (it never happens when you're in town or on site to be able to react in a timely manner).
Dave.M
GhostCon1
Rebmem Deretsiger
Dave read the second sentence, a little autocorrect laugh.
GhostCon1, that's as good a reason as any to resurrect an old thread. :lol2:
And as long as we're here...
This is rather misleading. It only takes one time when you want to turn a valve but can't to ruin your day (or week).
If a valve is sticky and hard to turn when it's brand new, how do you think it's going to act after it has some calcium or other mineral deposits within? If you can't rotate the valve ball (or move the gate or globe), then it's no longer a valve... it's a nightmare. I would never use those cheap plastic big box store valves on my home plumbing (with softened water), so I'm definitely not about to use them on a water system that intentionally carries high calcium and mineral content.
No matter what valve you use, after installation it needs to be operated from time to time to make sure it remains free. I'd recommend that at least once per month, you fully turn any valves that are permanently installed in your lines -- particularly any that are below your tank -- to help keep them operating as freely as possible. Even high quality valves can be rendered useless pretty quickly in a reef tank environment if they are not used... and even if they rotate freely, they can still collect deposits that prevent them from closing fully.
And as long as we're here...
I wouldnt say "as easy" but how often do you need to turn them?
Most of the time you get them set and leave them alone. Which is often, wide open.
This is rather misleading. It only takes one time when you want to turn a valve but can't to ruin your day (or week).
If a valve is sticky and hard to turn when it's brand new, how do you think it's going to act after it has some calcium or other mineral deposits within? If you can't rotate the valve ball (or move the gate or globe), then it's no longer a valve... it's a nightmare. I would never use those cheap plastic big box store valves on my home plumbing (with softened water), so I'm definitely not about to use them on a water system that intentionally carries high calcium and mineral content.
No matter what valve you use, after installation it needs to be operated from time to time to make sure it remains free. I'd recommend that at least once per month, you fully turn any valves that are permanently installed in your lines -- particularly any that are below your tank -- to help keep them operating as freely as possible. Even high quality valves can be rendered useless pretty quickly in a reef tank environment if they are not used... and even if they rotate freely, they can still collect deposits that prevent them from closing fully.
I don't see the issue with resurrecting old threads. I'd imagine for every thread on this site there are 10 duplicates. At least someone is using the search function.
Here's my two Lincolns...
As mentioned, I wouldn't use a standard ball valve anywhere in my system. They're hard enough to turn when clean, give it a few months and you'll be sure to be have a cuss storm at an inanimate object.
I see a lot of people make their manifolds from standard ball valves and I cringe. Aside from when you can no longer turn it, what are you going to do when it clogs or flow it substantially reduced and it must be cleaned? I'll tell you what you're going to do... Hack up your plumbing and do it over right.
For flow control plumbing I would only use true union ball valves. For drain control I would only use gate valves as they provide the ability for the fine tuning we need to dial in skimmers and full siphon drains. Both can be removed for vinegar cleaning and I also only use threaded connectors for obvious reasons.
Other than that, I put standard unions everywhere. Directly on pumps, sea swirls, bulk heads, long plumbing runs, through wall plumbing or anywhere that I think I might need to take it apart in the future.
And just to elaborate a little more on plumbing. I never use tees, only true wyes and whenever possible I use 45's instead of 90's.
Here's my two Lincolns...
As mentioned, I wouldn't use a standard ball valve anywhere in my system. They're hard enough to turn when clean, give it a few months and you'll be sure to be have a cuss storm at an inanimate object.
I see a lot of people make their manifolds from standard ball valves and I cringe. Aside from when you can no longer turn it, what are you going to do when it clogs or flow it substantially reduced and it must be cleaned? I'll tell you what you're going to do... Hack up your plumbing and do it over right.
For flow control plumbing I would only use true union ball valves. For drain control I would only use gate valves as they provide the ability for the fine tuning we need to dial in skimmers and full siphon drains. Both can be removed for vinegar cleaning and I also only use threaded connectors for obvious reasons.
Other than that, I put standard unions everywhere. Directly on pumps, sea swirls, bulk heads, long plumbing runs, through wall plumbing or anywhere that I think I might need to take it apart in the future.
And just to elaborate a little more on plumbing. I never use tees, only true wyes and whenever possible I use 45's instead of 90's.
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