How Do You Connect Retrun Line to Tank?

[Tobman]

I am using flexible PVC to plumb my tank. I have the following questions about the end of the return line as it goes into the tank:

1. How do you go from the outside to the inside of the tank - flex PVC up to tank lip, a rigid u-tube over the lip of the tank, and then another piece of flexible PVC into the tank?

2. How do you attach the end of the line to the inside of the tank?

3. What should the output consist of - just the end of the PVC pipe or some sort of fitting or directional spout?

[30mini]

Use some flex PVC up to the lip like you said, then get a connector for loc-line and run that over the top of your tank and in. Or, you can get some rigid tubing, and then put the lockline onto the end of the rigid tubing.

[Tobman]

Good idea. So how do you attach the whole shebang to the tank so it does not slip around?

[30mini]

The weight of the water should hold it in place

[CoolUsername]

Do you have a:
1) Glass aquarium with thin plastic rim
2) Acrylic aquarium with only large access cutouts in top frame
2) Acrylic aquarium with bulkheads installed on top frame near the back.

I think the answer will vary depending.

[hllywd]

Flexible PVC???

[Tobman]

Yes flexible PVC. Although I went to our LFS and he said while the flex PVC is good and strong, it is a bear to work with due to a (metal?) band that wraps around it. Hard to get fittings for it too.

So I am instead, at the LFS' advice going to use black vinyl tubing, which is very easy to work with and even easier to modify later if I need to.

See here: http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=FT1335

[inerratum]

Flex PVC is not hard to work with, there is no metal band or anything like that. You use normal PVC fittings so its definatly not hard to find fittings for it either. A hair dryer to heat up the tubing (or leave it out in the sun for a little while) will make it even easier to work with.

[Tobman]

Anything wrong with using black vinyl tubing such as is sold at Marine Depot and other like vendors?

[hllywd]

Sounds like the guy at the LFS was talking about PEX using bands and metal fittings. PEX is easy to work with but takes a special tool to crimp the bands around the pipe to attach the fittings, it's not pvc and the fittings wouldn't be compatable with salt water.

Still not sure of the flex pvc term, are you sure it's not cpvc? PVC comes in sticks 10' and 20' and cannot be coiled. CPVC is manufactured to copper pipe sizes and uses only cpvc fittings.

In any case it should be rigid enough to use a couple of elbows to get the return over the top of the tank, make a nozzle by heating a piece of pipe with a torch just enough to flatten the cross section. You could also use a T inside the tank to make two outlets.

I have used either clear or black vinyl tubing with equal results. You'll still need some kind of pipe to go over the rim of the tank with a barbed fiting to attach the tubing unless you buy something ready made.

Hope that helps,
Tim

[30mini]

Flex PVC is not CPVC! Flex PVC is like SpaFlex! Look at a hottub and you will see Flex PVC!