Hard plumbing advice?

kayraw · 07/24/2017, 05:49 PM

I have this Red Sea pipe but it's a bit smaller than the 25mm-3/4" elbow I have..

Does anyone know how I can make the pipe fit in the 45 degree elbow with a tight fitting?

Would teflon tape work or is there something else that can make it fit tightly? Thanks

der_wille_zur_macht · 07/24/2017, 06:07 PM

That fitting is a slip fitting. It is meant to be a tight fit to the (correctly sized) pipe and it should be glued in with an appropriate cement and primer. There's really no other acceptable way of doing it. If it doesn't fit, either the pipe or the fitting is the wrong size, you should just try to find the correct part(s).

Lsufan · 07/24/2017, 06:09 PM

I would get the correct pipe & not use the teflon. I would just get regular schedule 40 pvc & not use the pipe u have. If u want to keep it grey then u can use schedule 80, but it may be hard to find at the big box stores so u will probably have to order it online. The pipe u have looks like irrigation pipe which has a smaller OD then pvc.

der_wille_zur_macht · 07/24/2017, 06:13 PM

"Furniture grade" schedule 40 pipe comes in every color of the rainbow and is safe to use on a tank. You can order it right on Amazon in various lengths, don't even need to go to the hardware store. Bonus, it fits standard slip fittings.

Also, it's easy to paint pipe. Color shouldn't be a factor.

kayraw · 07/25/2017, 01:14 AM

This pipe is already glue to red seas emergency drain and I have no way of getting it off?

kayraw · 07/25/2017, 01:57 AM

Could I not use a heat gun to melt the gap closed? I'm kinda stuck with this pipe due to it being glued to red seas fitting :/

mossimo654 · 07/25/2017, 02:02 AM

You wouldn't need to get it off the drain, just find the appropriately sized piece, get some primer and pvc glue and go at it.

TRUST ME you do not want to try and rig up something, only to find an unfixable leak later on, especially when the part in question is so cheap and easily available.

mossimo654 · 07/25/2017, 02:03 AM

Why do you need to replace the pipe, can't you just get a different elbow?

kayraw · 07/25/2017, 02:08 AM

Unfortunately I'm in the uk so think this is the closest match to red seas size I can find (metric/imperial?), the next size down is 20mm and that's to small.

mossimo654 · 07/25/2017, 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kayraw

Unfortunately I'm in the uk so think this is the closest match to red seas size I can find (metric/imperial?), the next size down is 20mm and that's to small.

Hmm, that sucks. Here in the us if I take something like that to a big box hardware store there's generally enough metric and imperial stuff that I can find a good fitting. If you have time I'd recommend trying to find it. If not or you can't... I dunno, maybe call Red Sea?

kayraw · 07/25/2017, 02:28 AM

The outer diameter of the Red Sea pipe is 24mm and my elbows inner diameter is 25mm so I'm literally 1mm off :/

mcgyvr · 07/25/2017, 08:10 AM

Use flexible tubing/hose clamp..
Even just a short piece of tube with a barb/proper fitting at the other end and you can continue your hard tubing from there..

mr.maroonsalty · 07/25/2017, 09:20 PM

Weigh the pita it would be if it leaked. I am generally in the find the right fitting camp, but if failure of the connection did not spell catastrophy i might just make it work until i could cross the correct fit off the list. Teflon could make a leak free filler as well as a tight fitting. Some black tape over the top might make things safe abd secure enough to long list the correct fix. Again, a lot would have to do with the problems associated with and when it may fail to hold.

Often factory tubing is scd20.

Sent from my SM-S120VL using Tapatalk

raley011 · 07/27/2017, 04:45 PM

Is there going to be a high flow rate? Would it be too crazy to sand where the fittings meet and just silicone it?...as a last resort...

Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

der_wille_zur_macht · 07/28/2017, 12:39 PM

Yes that would be crazy. Silicone sticks to plastic very poorly.

With the availability of internet vendors I don't see any reason to hack this. I've plumbed entire systems via eBay, Amazon, and a handful of plumbing vendors online. You don't need to find stuff locally. Call red sea and ask them. Do some googling. Sorry if this sounds harsh but botching a plumbing job because you can't get the right fitting seems silly to me.

07/24/2017, 05:49 PM	#1
kayraw Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 73	Hard plumbing advice? I have this Red Sea pipe but it's a bit smaller than the 25mm-3/4" elbow I have.. Does anyone know how I can make the pipe fit in the 45 degree elbow with a tight fitting? Would teflon tape work or is there something else that can make it fit tightly? Thanks

07/24/2017, 06:07 PM	#2
der_wille_zur_macht Team RC Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 17,749	That fitting is a slip fitting. It is meant to be a tight fit to the (correctly sized) pipe and it should be glued in with an appropriate cement and primer. There's really no other acceptable way of doing it. If it doesn't fit, either the pipe or the fitting is the wrong size, you should just try to find the correct part(s). __________________ Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman)

07/24/2017, 06:09 PM	#3
Lsufan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Baton Rouge Posts: 1,410	I would get the correct pipe & not use the teflon. I would just get regular schedule 40 pvc & not use the pipe u have. If u want to keep it grey then u can use schedule 80, but it may be hard to find at the big box stores so u will probably have to order it online. The pipe u have looks like irrigation pipe which has a smaller OD then pvc. Last edited by Lsufan; 07/24/2017 at 06:14 PM.

07/24/2017, 06:13 PM	#4
der_wille_zur_macht Team RC Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 17,749	"Furniture grade" schedule 40 pipe comes in every color of the rainbow and is safe to use on a tank. You can order it right on Amazon in various lengths, don't even need to go to the hardware store. Bonus, it fits standard slip fittings. Also, it's easy to paint pipe. Color shouldn't be a factor. __________________ Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman)

07/25/2017, 08:10 AM	#12
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Use flexible tubing/hose clamp.. Even just a short piece of tube with a barb/proper fitting at the other end and you can continue your hard tubing from there.. __________________ Who me?

07/25/2017, 01:14 AM	#5
kayraw Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 73	This pipe is already glue to red seas emergency drain and I have no way of getting it off?

07/25/2017, 01:57 AM	#6
kayraw Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 73	Could I not use a heat gun to melt the gap closed? I'm kinda stuck with this pipe due to it being glued to red seas fitting :/

07/25/2017, 02:02 AM	#7
mossimo654 Registered Member Join Date: May 2016 Posts: 78	You wouldn't need to get it off the drain, just find the appropriately sized piece, get some primer and pvc glue and go at it. TRUST ME you do not want to try and rig up something, only to find an unfixable leak later on, especially when the part in question is so cheap and easily available.

07/25/2017, 02:03 AM	#8
mossimo654 Registered Member Join Date: May 2016 Posts: 78	Why do you need to replace the pipe, can't you just get a different elbow?

07/25/2017, 02:08 AM	#9
kayraw Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 73	Unfortunately I'm in the uk so think this is the closest match to red seas size I can find (metric/imperial?), the next size down is 20mm and that's to small.

07/25/2017, 02:28 AM	#11
kayraw Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 73	The outer diameter of the Red Sea pipe is 24mm and my elbows inner diameter is 25mm so I'm literally 1mm off :/

07/25/2017, 09:20 PM	#13
mr.maroonsalty Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: upstateny Posts: 2,504	Weigh the pita it would be if it leaked. I am generally in the find the right fitting camp, but if failure of the connection did not spell catastrophy i might just make it work until i could cross the correct fit off the list. Teflon could make a leak free filler as well as a tight fitting. Some black tape over the top might make things safe abd secure enough to long list the correct fix. Again, a lot would have to do with the problems associated with and when it may fail to hold. Often factory tubing is scd20. Sent from my SM-S120VL using Tapatalk __________________ Back from the dead! Current Tank Info: 140 dt reef

07/27/2017, 04:45 PM	#14
raley011 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 1	Is there going to be a high flow rate? Would it be too crazy to sand where the fittings meet and just silicone it?...as a last resort... Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

07/28/2017, 12:39 PM	#15
der_wille_zur_macht Team RC Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 17,749	Yes that would be crazy. Silicone sticks to plastic very poorly. With the availability of internet vendors I don't see any reason to hack this. I've plumbed entire systems via eBay, Amazon, and a handful of plumbing vendors online. You don't need to find stuff locally. Call red sea and ask them. Do some googling. Sorry if this sounds harsh but botching a plumbing job because you can't get the right fitting seems silly to me. __________________ Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman)