Plumbing overflow to sump

[Sharkey18]

I hate DIY projects! Well maybe it's cause it's my first one.

 

I just finished putting acrylic baffles into a 40 breeder for my new sump and it's the UGLIEST sealing job you've ever seen.

I will eventually use the sump for both the 54 DT and a 30g frag tank from NAGA.

 

My question is this: I bought an Eshopps overflow for the frag tank. The overflow bulkhead has a 1.5 inch tube out the bottom with threading on the outside. I also bought a 1.5 inch flexible tube to run to the sump. What do I use to attach this bulkhead to this tube (or any tube) and where do I get this stuff!

 

Now I remember why I buy everything already put together.

 

Laura

[Quantum Aquaria]

you should be able to put the tubing overtop of the threading on the outside of the bulkhead. If it's too tight, you can try to but the end of the tube in some boiling water to soften it up so you can stretch it out. If this works, you'll need to get one of those metal or plastic ring clamps in the plumping department at Home Depot or Lowes so that you can tighten the it.

 

Another thing you can try is to take the overflow to box to HD or Lowes, and get a threaded coupler 1.5 size pvc... or reducer from 1.5 to a 1 1/4 inch... get a small piece of 1 1/4 pvc pipe about 2 inches long.. and that should fit... then put the tube over top of the pvc pipe and use the clamp to tighten.

 

 

I hate DIY projects! Well maybe it's cause it's my first one.

 

I just finished putting acrylic baffles into a 40 breeder for my new sump and it's the UGLIEST sealing job you've ever seen.

I will eventually use the sump for both the 54 DT and a 30g frag tank from NAGA.

 

My question is this: I bought an Eshopps overflow for the frag tank. The overflow bulkhead has a 1.5 inch tube out the bottom with threading on the outside. I also bought a 1.5 inch flexible tube to run to the sump. What do I use to attach this bulkhead to this tube (or any tube) and where do I get this stuff!

 

Now I remember why I buy everything already put together.

 

Laura

[dschflier]

If you are talking about 1.5" flex PVC you dont push it over the outside it will fit in the inside of a slip fitting just like regular PVC would( you use PVC cemet just like with rigid PVC). You realy shouldn't be pushing anything over the outside threaded portion of the fitting. If it is not flex PVC but some other kind of flexable hose then you should put some rigid PVC into the bulkhead fitting and attach the hose to that. Pictures of the product would be helpfull.

Edited April 16, 2009 by dschflier

[Origami]

My question is this: I bought an Eshopps overflow for the frag tank. The overflow bulkhead has a 1.5 inch tube out the bottom with threading on the outside. I also bought a 1.5 inch flexible tube to run to the sump. What do I use to attach this bulkhead to this tube (or any tube) and where do I get this stuff!

 

I'm assuming that this "1.5 inch tube" is actually the threaded part of the bulkhead. Is that correct? If so, the threaded part on the outside is for the bulkhead nut. What's the inside of the bulkhead look like outside the overflow? If it's threaded, you probably have a slip-thread bulkhead. If it's not threaded, it's probably a slip-slip bulkhead. (I'm assuming that inside the overflow, you've got a slip - or unthreaded - connection.)

 

Also, when you say "1.5" bulkhead," are you describing the bulkhead type or is it an actual measurement of the bulkhead that you've taken? I ask because a standard (light duty) 1-inch bulkhead is about 1.5" across on the outside. If you've got a 1-inch slip-slip bulkhead, you'll find that a piece of 1-inch PVC will slip right into the bulkhead (just like it was made to fit it). If it's a 1.5" bulkhead (slip-slip), you'll find that a piece of 1.5" PVC should fit.

 

In either case (slip-slip or slip-thread), if you're going to connect to a piece of flexible tubing (not spa-flex or flex pvc), you're probably going to want a barb adapter in a size that matches the inside diameter of your tubing. You can find barb adapters in both slip- and threaded configurations at Lowes.

 

If you've got a threaded connection to your bulkhead, you can use a threaded barb adapter right at the bulkhead if you want (personally, I like to put a valve in line so I can shut the overflow down if I need to). Use 3-5 wraps of teflon tape on the threaded joint to keep it from leaking.

 

If you've got a slip connection on your bulkhead, you'll need to do some cementing but the connections are simple enough. The simplest connection sequence would be bulkhead=>pvc_pipe=>barb_adapter. Another option would be bulkhead=>pipe=>valve=>pipe=>barb_adapter.

 

As David (dschflier) said, a picture of your bulkhead (maybe with a ruler so we can gauge the size) would be helpful.

[Sharkey18]

Thanks for all the help!

 

This is the bulkhead, it measures 1.5 inches from out side edge to outside edge. Any suggestions are welcome!!

 

[Origami]

It's a standard 1-inch "slip" type bulkhead. Standard 1-inch schedule 40 PVC should easily fit it. You can get it at Lowes. You can cement a short bit of 1" pvc pipe followed by a 1" pvc barb adapter, or can follow the pipe with a threaded adapter and a threaded barb adapter. Either way will work.

 

(BTW, standard 1-inch schedule 40 PVC pipe has an outside diameter of about 1.3".)

Edited April 17, 2009 by Origami2547

[Sharkey18]

Thanks so much! Off to home depot!

 

Laura

 

It's a standard 1-inch "slip" type bulkhead. Standard 1-inch schedule 40 PVC should easily fit it. You can get it at Lowes. You can cement a short bit of 1" pvc pipe followed by a 1" pvc barb adapter, or can follow the pipe with a threaded adapter and a threaded barb adapter. Either way will work.

 

(BTW, standard 1-inch schedule 40 PVC pipe has an outside diameter of about 1.3".)

[reefmontalvo]

Let me know when you want to be rid of the overflow. A drilled tank is the way to go.