Need the Advice of American Aquarists

[dava6711]

Hi my friends

I need the advice from my American brothers as the fittings I'm going to purchase will be shipped from the states as they're not available in my country (England). I've already got Loc-Line on my current setup attached to the return pump outlets but it's not as neat and tidy as how you guys do it stateside. I notice you guys screw the Loc-Line into slimline threaded bulkheads http://i39.*******.com/dlm9vc.jpg (these are not available in the UK in black, well I can't find them anywhere anyway)
My question is: whichever bulkheads I decide to purchase ie 1/2", 3/4" or 1" will a standard imperial threaded 90 degree elbow http://i44.*******.com/dnowg4.jpg screw onto it, for instance will a 1/2" threaded 90 degree elbow screw onto a 1/2" bulkhead?

I'm racking my brain trying to figure this out

If any of the American aquarists on Reefcentral can answer this for me I'll be really, really grateful

Many thanks in advance: Stu

[BLKTANG]

Yes it will.

HTH.

[BLKTANG]

Your drain volume will drop significantly though,if you put in a 90 degree elbo right at the base of the Bulkhead though.Keep that in mind.

[dava6711]

Thanks for the reply but it's going to be for the returns coming off the main recirculation pump in the sump not the overflow, similar to this http://i44.*******.com/2bd0zq.jpg

[dava6711]

It looks to me as though a 1/2" bulkhead would need a 3/4" elbow to screw onto the 'larger- external' thread, can anyone confirm this?

[dava6711]

I'm not sure if I'm explaining this very well lol! If I had this 1/2" bulkhead and the threaded part that you can see was on the 'outside' of the aquarium,
http://i40.*******.com/2ch6v4.jpg
would I use a 1/2" 90 degree female threaded elbow to screw onto this thread or would I need to go up one size to a 3/4" as a 1/2" female thread elbow would surely be too small?

[barjam]

You want something to fit over the male threads of the bulkhead? Generally there isn't anything that will fit that as they are some non-standard size. The only thing that is standard is the inside female threaded (or slip) part.

[barjam]

So say you bought a 1/2 threaded bulkhead (1/2 is tiny, is this for a nano?) and had 1/2 loc-line. You screw in the loc-line in one side and a male 1/2 elbow into the other.

Also keep in mind that if this is for anything other than closed loop and it is below the water line a power outage will drain your tank to the level of the loc-line (or where there is an airhole).

[dava6711]

Thank you for the reply barjam

Really so the threaded part of the bulkhead is redundant how strange, why on Gods green earth would they make the thread a non standard size? I had a feeling this would be the case as every image I've seen on the net has had the elbows inserted inside the bulkhead (the slip part) as well, why even bother to put a thread on the outside in the first place then?

[dava6711]

Double post sorry!

[Amoore311]

Dava,

With our plumbing here the threaded fittings screw on the INSIDE of that bulkhead. So you will need a 90% Elbow like this:

http://www.hardwarestore.com/media/product/635990_front200.jpg

The outside threads on the bulkhead are only used to tighten down the nut on the back side of the bulkhead.

The reason they are so long is so that 1 bulkhead can be used for many different glass thicknesses.


Be sure to use teflon tape, or paste, with any threaded fittings to prevent leaks.

[dava6711]

No it's for a 50 gal, I'll be using two 3/4" bulkheads with the Loc-Line on the inside of the aquarium, my sump can easily handle the excess water in the event of a power outage but they'll be near the surface anyway. I have a similar setup now just want to tidy it all up for my next setup which I'm currently in the preliminary stages of now.

[dava6711]

Thanks Amoore311

It's so bloody obvious why there's a thread there now you've explained it lol, how else was the nut gonna tighten down against the aquarium without the bloody thread lol

[dava6711]

So in my case then I'll screw the 3/4" Loc-Line into the inside 'female' thread part of the 3/4" bulkhead which will be on the inside of my aquarium and the the part of the bulkhead that's on the outside an elbow get's inserted inside the bulkhead!

[jdhuyvetter]

I'm in the process of setting up a new tank. I have a two piece sump and some overflows that I made (drilled my own holes) and used these same bulkheads. The overflows are 1-inch and the sump is 2-inch. A couple pics to give you a "feel" for how they go together:

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss55/jdhuyvetter/PICT0002-6.jpg

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/ss55/jdhuyvetter/PICT0001-3.jpg

[Amoore311]

Ding Ding Ding.

We have a winner!

Just an FYI for you as well. You can cut down the back end of the bulkhead if it protrudes out to much from the back of the tank. I honestly wouldn't advise it though since it's such a pain in the butt for you to get a replacement if you cut to much off.

[jdhuyvetter]

Now, just to clarify, the 2-inch bulkheads are "smooth" on the inside. So, that is why you see the glue.

You can get them threaded inside (most common) or smooth inside. A 1-inch bulkhead will take a 1-inch threaded male fitting. A 2-inch smooth bulkhead takes a straight piece of 2-inch PVC.

Personally, I prefer threaded. You can use teflon tape on the male adapter and take it apart at any time. Once it's glued, you're done. Better be happy with it!. Unfortunately, when I put this together, the only 2-inch I had available was smooth.

[dava6711]

Thanks jdhuyvetter

Yeah it's a right pain as you can't get these kinds of bulkheads or the strainers that fit them in the UK! I'm Definitely gonna get the bulkheads threaded both ends and use the male threaded elbows Amoore311 recommended that way I can re-use them as you say!

Thank you very much everyone who contributed to this thread you've really helped me out and I'm certain this thread will prove invaluable to a hell of alot of people especially anyone in the UK lol

Thanks again