Top 5 Reef Aquarium Plumbing Mistakes

[@deviantpersona]

I LOVE your face when you say "until its not". Absolutely classic!

[@harkinsaquatics]

Liked this video alot, made me think alot about my plumbing before I start. Thanks again Than.

[@serenabowman2214]

Greatly explained buddy fantastic video I've learned alot for this video hope other people have aswell 😊

[@WCorbin182]

Awesome video Than. Where's the music 🎶 lol I feel like you fussing at us 😂.

[@ReeferGil]

Great vid

[@ManCaveReef]

Good video great information 👍👍👍

[@sethwilliamson]

Sure, I'll throw one out there. This is mostly for home aquarists and mostly for those just starting out. Don't get too overwhelmed by the elaborate PVC plumbing jobs you see on other tanks and think you _need_ to do the same. Hose, properly selected and secured, will work fine and even better in many cases. I like double hose clamps on each connection in case one fails. I inherited that from boats with through-hull fittings. They aren't sinking left and right so I reckon it's fine for an aquarium too. You can get really strong plastic clamps for submersible saltwater applications. For a home aquarium, I think 2 return pumps, each with a dedicated line to a back corner of the display tank is ideal for simplicity and redundancy. It's even about the same price to buy and operate as one pump of combined capacity. + Hose inherently avoids elbows and things that restrict flow. + Hose can sometimes take a more direct route for less friction loss. + Hose makes it a lot simpler to change things around over the years. + Hose is inexpensive. Sure, so is PVC pipe, until you start adding in all the fittings. + Fixtures like pumps are easier to wiggle around and move for things like maintenance. + Each fitting is a potential failure point. + Thinking of return plumbing, you could take the submersible pump and the hose, drop it in a bucket of vinegar with the hose coiled, and run the pump for a few hours. If you followed the tip on redundant returns, your tank will hardly notice the missing pump. Give the hose a good shake or smack it around some beforehand and you'll loosen up a lot of the calcium build-up. Much harder to do any of this with rigid plumbing. - The hose doesn't look as impressive when sharing videos/photos. Lose even more style points for not using the colored PVC. It's a contentious opinion and I know people will strongly disagree, but I think it's the way to go most of the time until you get into the several hundreds of gallons or more.

[@seakingsfishing7706]

I'm going to build a 250 gallon reef, will definitely use this advice. Thanks

[@devildawg4947]

Seth Williamson good points. I was thinking of just doing soft plumbing. Much easier

[@CescaTheDarkHorse]

Great video Than. We are a about to build a 96x24x24 reef and you have given some good information :)

[@stevedodd7883]

nice to see you in person after just hearing your voice for ages

[@RogueAquariums]

Great how to tips on the important part of the hobby.

[@katerkate]

this is so smart. thank you

[@zacks2368]

Great video!! Im building a 75 gallon saltwater with a 36g sump and im trying to make the plumbing easy to maintain, fail safe, quiet and of course look good!! I just recently discovered your page and im really enjoy your content!! Keep it up!!

[@thedallinwatson]

Zack s what kind of sump are you using?

[@zacks2368]

@@thedallinwatson thanks for responding! We are looking at a manufactured sump, like a 36 trigger sump with a possible a bean animal set up....? We want to keep both LPS and SPS corals.

[@HarryESwan]

Great video! IMO, we are always looking to improve it.👍

[@Reject06]

shit my new plumbing jobs consist of recycling left over parts from the old tank. i'm talking about cutting out elbow sections and using couplers older than me and such. its like a Frankenstein project down there

[@deltaforcemusic5035]

Nado gotta do what you gotta do :)

[@kenhickey4730]

Very good Video, my biggest upset has been matching the pump flow rate to the proper turn over rate. I find that most plumbing jobs consist of way to many bends for what the expected flow rates. Not to mention the newer DC pumps fall way short of advertised rates!

[@Supern0va28]

Thank you!

[@MrPaulviles]

God I wish you were coming to MACA (marine aquarium conference of Australia)! You are such a awesome speaker!

[@camelbroe2533]

Very enlightening im getting ready to plumb my reef tank. Speaking of rigged im using a empty canister as my return sump and a siphon as my over flow ;)

[@duckslinger999]

Thanks Than. I know of a huge tank failure 240gal, because the power went out and the sump overflowed a little bit.... Well that little bit of overflow was onto an MDF stand

[@deltaforcemusic5035]

Dlucks I don't trust that mdf at all. Was just in the pet shop and was literally shocked at the new shipments of tanks and stands that came in. One strong kick and I could karate that stand in half with the tank on it.

[@kevincaliva7907]

Hey man. This video makes so much sense in everything that u point out. I have a question

[@matthewwagner4042]

Literally... you don't have a question... ;-)

[@frankhuang4700]

what ring light do you use? you look radiating in the video! also very good content. I definitely have committed the majority of these five.

[@JohnArcycle]

Even large soft tubing with hose clamps can be used as a reusable coupling

[@cubanreefer1582]

I love the fifth mistake cause am a plumber and I see a lot of videos that people posted in KZbin very proud of the pluming that they did in their tanks and is hard to cash for the eye that don't know Plumbing but for me is a bit crazy to mix DWV fitting with pressure fitting in a supply line when the pressure can be above 50 psi Reefers out there read the pvc parts DWV stand for DRAIN WASTE AND VENT and CAN'T be use in pressure lines, also return lines has to be in same pvc parts made for pressure Small tip Drain fitting has longer turn or wider open flow Pressure fittings has sharper edges and stronger turns on elbows and tees

[@josephpettit8572]

first! btw i love your videos they are informative and entertaining

[@HD-vu9wn]

At 5:40... is there a name for that 45 degree style of intake? Is it quiet?

[@corbinmorris1793]

Being in the plumbing business, #5 also is my biggest pet peeve! Use pressure fittings for returns and use dwv for drains please

[@gtamantube]

Is a Brass check valve bad? Brass fittings in salt water in general

[@dangappa]

My pet piev is syphon style overflows with aqualifter pumps to maintain the syphon and restart after a power outage. It's not a matter of if, but when it will fail. HOB style syphons are a flood waiting to happen.

[@silkjc]

#1 - Oversizing a dursal full siphon in relation to the return pump speed, meaning the return pump can not force enough water through the dursal full siphon to successfully start the siphon. Not really mentioned anywhere on dursal tutorials...

[@russellkeith3193]

am working on my first sump 55 gallon main tank is 220 salt got a one way flow valve in line got unions think this will work sump tank thx you

[@josediegoist]

What about the bean animal overflow?

[@Deckert9922]

External Overflow boxes should have made the list. Like the ones with the u pipes

[@turbocpt1]

So on the drains. I could not find any large hole saw where I live and could only find a 35mm.. that is like 1.37 inches, I think. Anyway, i just ended up drilling 4 holes inline. It is able to handle a lot of flow, but yeah the additional plumbing is an overkill.

[@FreeSwimmer]

Very informative video.. Im an ex sprinkler/plumbing guy. Im also totally into DIY with my 3rd 1000gallon plywood aquarium in build process. Complete with 210gallon plywood sump. Im going to do a pipe system that comes apart easily, as I will be running 2-1800gph magdrive pumps from sump..( I already have them and would rather still have 1 running if other fails ) Im using 1 1/2" id pipe with stockman overflows. Each return will have its own 1" return line. I so understand having more gravity drain, then pumps can return. I have expressed on my channel how the system is self regulating that way. I explain how too much return can be a problem by sucking dry the sump.

[@daltonnovak199]

Aye bro nice eye brows

[@daltonnovak199]

Please don't take this as a joke I 100% mean this

[@ziggyman77]

Mine was not being able to take it apart and also to not put a siphon break in my return.

[@TwoOnesTanks]

+1 for drainage capacity. Local fish store thought I was nuts when I asked for a 2” bulkhead. So I caved a little & went with 1.5”

[@malachigrey4895]

I wanted 2" for my frag system but they only had strainer cones for 1.5" haha

[@Bhodges9582]

My downstairs neighbors wine new to at 2am one time because it was raining in their living room, it was caused by a snail in an overflow. 25 gallons at around 1100 gph, oops, quick mess.

[@photosbyjb007]

1

[@jonathanlee97]

When I first hooked up my cooler to the aquarium I didn't have the right pipe fitting so I made a makeshift fitting and turned on the pump for the cooler then I went in the house to look at the tank and realised the water level dropped so I went out and saw that the pipe flew off the cooler and was spewing tank water out lol

[@maddawgzzzz]

I use all dry rock to turn live, I never had worms or critters for over 5 years. I also RX all my corals and fresh water dip and 1 month QT all my fish.

[@nicholassoong1981]

Nice tips. Can I use brass plumb components for a reef tank? R they safe?

[@tidalgardens]

No, don't use brass. Copper in the brass can leach out.

[@nicholassoong1981]

@@tidalgardens No wonder. That's probably explains the reason my corals keep dying till this day, but fish is not affected. Will take out the brass fittings ASAP n do water change

[@leo11877]

Always add a gate valve on the return (never on the overflow) to regulate the speed of return. Also the pipe from the return pump to the tank bottom needs to be flexible to counter vibrations from the pump.

[@johnmartinez4943]

I'm not sure how or why gate valves came into favor, but ball valves are designed to handle pressure. Gate valves are supposed to be either totally open, or totally closed to the flow. I learned this in boiler class where PSI is going to be higher, but the same principles apply. Also, a ball valve on the return is handy for maintenance, especially sump maintenance. With regards to the flexible connection to the pump-solid tip. This will not only cut down vibration but also prevent small leaks from forming.

[@janananmahesan5585]

You should do asmr videos

[@herper6]

My biggest mistake was not installing a check valve immediately after the overflow box. Every time I have to take it apart it ends up just pouring out water after around an hour and if I forget to put a bucket under the first union it ruins the kitchen ceiling!

[@619timbercali]

Dry fit, every fitting. Once it's glued it's glued. Make marks if you need to but don't waste pipe with bad welds.

[@JohnArcycle]

Poor man,s union can be a short length large soft tubing with hose clamps.

[@dickerson89]

The formula is based on poiseuille's law.. basically if you double the radius flow will increase 16 fold so if your flow rate was 100ml/min and you doubled the radius flow could increase to 1600ml/min

[@DeeFromBrooklyn]

I would say dry fit all your connections before using the glue as well to avoid possible mistakes which become permanent mistakes

[@w4ngsta]

Glue? Who uses glue? Lol jk

[@tnipp1285]

👍👍

[@michaelstevenbric]

Doubling the pipe size gives you 4 times the cross sectional area, so 4X the flow.

[@lpad321]

Poiseuille's Law, it's 16x

[@Tiburon100]

I build fish tanks for my biology and marine biology classrooms, so for budgetary and logistical reasons, I fall victim to #5 all the time. My science lab budget has to go for more than just aquarium parts.

[@lpad321]

the formula is dumbed down to drainage is proportional to radius to the forth power. So increasing the radius by 2x increases the drainage capacity by 2^4= 16x.

[@lawiez]

correct me if i'm wrong. doubling the radius will increase the area of a circle by 4x. a 2 inch pipe should drain 4x more than a 1 inch and vice versa.

[@lpad321]

Doubling radius does increase area by 4 but area isn't a direct factor in flow rate through the entire tube. If we are going to get technical the rate of flow in any tube be it plumbing, a blood vessel, etc is determined by Poiseuille's Law. The formula is: Q=(Pi x P x R^4) / (8 x L x n). Q is flow, Pi is roughly 3.14, P is pressure, R is radius, L is length of the tube, n is viscosity of the fluid. So increasing radius by 2 increases the flow by 16.

[@lawiez]

wow, learn something new everyday! thanks for the explanation!

[@lpad321]

It's obviously a bit more complicated when you factor in things like bends height and friction in the tube, but all things being equal that's the theory behind it

[@slowbros1048]

ugh stop im in physics..... i need to escape with aquatic life not more kinetic friction......

[@Mitch1732]

My intake is 2 1" PVC and my return is 0ne 1" PVC and I couldnt ask for my flow to be better. It's almost perfect....but I guess it depends on the design

[@lawiez]

lol do you realize you do this thing where you raise your left eyebrow lol

[@jeroromouse9699]

Please make a leak drain or tank crack

[@stevepopick5790]

Janky plumbing... XD