# Plumbing issues



## CamH (Jan 5, 2014)

Good morning everyone,

Having some issues getting my tank up and running because of leaks in my plumbing. I've done my third test run with tap water and now have a 3rd issue with leaks. I originally had micro leaks from the bulkheads but that's been fixed. The next run revealed a leak in a coupling but Doug at JJ Downs has fixed that for me. Now when I was tuning in my gate valve the union just below that started leaking 

I'm thinking it might have to to with the fact that I'm using PVC and that when I manoeuvre the tank and stand back in place it may unseat the seal inside the unions.

Thinking of redoing it all with spa flex and just using a ball valve that I can control from under the stand.

Thoughts?


----------



## saltmeup (Nov 12, 2015)

Sorry to hear about your problems. I'm following because I'm about to start plumbing and was going to go to jj downs too to grab material. 
Hope someone can give you guidance and you get up and running.


----------



## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

If you are setting up a Herbie or Bean Animal I would stick with the hard plumbing and the gate valve. 

Some things to consider:
Are you using primer before the glue. Are you letting it cure 24 hrs. Before moving. Are you allowing a full inch of pipe to enter each joint? Are you twisting 45degrees when gluing in pieces? Have he rubber washers fallen out of the unions? 
There are YouTube videos on assembling and gluing PVC. Have you checked to see that you are doing it properly? 

Plumbing is frustrating and a bit of a pain but once you get the hang of it it's well worth the effort to stick with PVC using lots of unions for easy disassembly.


----------



## fury165 (Aug 21, 2010)

fesso clown said:


> If you are setting up a Herbie or Bean Animal I would stick with the hard plumbing and the gate valve.
> 
> Some things to consider:
> Are you using primer before the glue. Are you letting it cure 24 hrs. Before moving. Are you allowing a full inch of pipe to enter each joint? Are you twisting 45degrees when gluing in pieces? Have he rubber washers fallen out of the unions?
> ...


What fesso said..only thing to add is to look for plumbing videos by PLUMBERS, not reefers as they spread a lot of bad info around.


----------



## CamH (Jan 5, 2014)

fesso clown said:


> Are you using primer before the glue. Are you letting it cure 24 hrs. Before moving. Are you allowing a full inch of pipe to enter each joint? Are you twisting 45degrees when gluing in pieces? Have he rubber washers fallen out of the unions?


 washers are still there and Idid use primer

I wonder if maybe I didn't tighten or city the union properly this time? Didn't have this issue the last time. I connect the top unions after i swing the stand into place so as not to crack the glass if there is any jostling around

<edit> I've checked again and I think my problem is that the the bulkheads aren't line up perfectly. They're off by about 1/2". Seems there are two ways to fix it:
Move the tank back 1/2 and inch creating a gap between bottom lip of the front and the trim or just cut off 1' section off the bottom run off each drain and connect with spa flex. Gives a little play to the pipe. Shouldn't cost much and wouldn't have a gap in the front of the display. Sound viable?








[/URL][/IMG]


----------



## ana_oliveira1980 (Jun 20, 2014)

Were you at jj downs today? Around 3:30pm


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## CamH (Jan 5, 2014)

ana_oliveira1980 said:


> Were you at jj downs today? Around 3:30pm
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


No, though oddly enough, I did have my coat on at that time ready to go down to JJ's and decided not to because of the traffic.


----------



## Jmbret (Nov 6, 2010)

I invited a plumber friend over before I plumbed my system to show me the correct way to do it, and FESSO has the right idea!

Make sure to sand paper the connecting ends, and prime. Use lots of glue and make sure the pipe is long enough to press all the way into the joint. Give a small twist after.

Don't be discouraged! Once you learn how to do it and fix any small leaks you will be glad you stuck with pvc. Looks like a good design/setup! Also, the gate valve is the most expensive part and you already have it!


----------



## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

Rounding off the cut edges at the end is important as it will scrape the solvent (glue) away and not seat properly/enough into the fitting. Use enough solvent so that some oozes out. Then smear the excess around the fitting and pipe, like the inside corner seam of an aquarium, for a "clean looking" finish and helps seal up the gaps.

A leaky union is either:
- an useated/deformed o-ring
- misalighned pipe run where the matching surfaces are not parallel
- slightly too short of a pipe run

Look at the union surface where the o-ring is seated. The o-ring should have a 0.5-1mm exposure above the union face.

You can use SpaFlex but you have to get the segment you want to use as straight as possible is it will have a curve. Soak it in blazing hot water or use a hot air/paint stripping gun.

HTH


----------



## CamH (Jan 5, 2014)

wtac said:


> You can use SpaFlex but you have to get the segment you want to use as straight as possible is it will have a curve. Soak it in blazing hot water or use a hot air/paint stripping gun.
> 
> HTH


I think the union is not seating properly, so thanks for listing the potential causes. It didn't leak before. I was thinking with the spa flex, I was thinking off cutting part of the pipe below the gate valve and making that connection with spa flex so as the stand and aquarium move, there is some play in the line. so if, for example, the distance (including union fittings) is say 22", make that part of the run 25". Sure the spa flex will bow a wee bit, but that should be ok. This way I make sure that both union connections at the bulk heads are properly seated. Make sense?


----------



## CanadaCorals.com (May 12, 2013)

Ever since I started using SCH80 glue for SCH40 plumbing, i haven't had a leak since.

SCH80 is much thicker than the SCH40 glue.


----------



## CamH (Jan 5, 2014)

Thanks for the advice everyone. Redid the mains, saving the gate valve and it works fine now


----------



## joeby97 (Jan 22, 2014)

a little late to this but if you have any further questions I should beable to help. Plumber by trade here. glad you got the issues fixed.


----------



## CamH (Jan 5, 2014)

joeby97 said:


> a little late to this but if you have any further questions I should beable to help. Plumber by trade here. glad you got the issues fixed.


Thanks for the offer Joe! Very much appreciated

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------

