Plumbing Help!

[Fsp2]

Any more experienced reefers want to help a relative newbie with some plumbing issues? I've had reefs on and off for years but never done much of the plumbing myself.

 

150g Build. Eshopps ADV-300 sump. Sicce 4.0 return pump Marineland w/corner overflow (and corner overflow kit that it comes with). Plumbed initially by the store owner who was nice enough to drive a bunch of equipment up to D.C. and help out.

 

Filled her up with RO/DI to do a leak test. Started running the plumbing and was shocked at how loud the overflow is. Along with a flushing effect making it worse. Flexible PVC for both drain and return (vacuum hose style for drain, clear tubing for return).

 

Did some research and I think it's a "u-bend problem". Basically, the hose dips and climbs back to the intake for the sump. If I hold the tubing level (which involves pulling it to the front given the slightly-too-long length) flushing effect stops and overflow becomes normal sounding. Seems a solid solution except that I have a job and other things to do beyond holding up tubing. No real bracing I can tie it off to in the front either (tying it to the back makes it a little flatter but the length of the hose still means a small u bend with less frequent but still annoying flushes). Was thinking of a command strip attached to the inside front of the stand with a tie off to that but would welcome other ideas. Was also considering hard plumbing it but have very little confidence in my ability to do that without flooding the living room.

 

Two other small questions. Where the return line is plugged onto the barbed fitting, there's seems to be a small amount of water that VERY slowly seeps until one drop runs down the line. Hose clamp? Seem to remember that from the last tank.

 

And finally, where the drain enters the sump, there's a small amount of water seeping from a slip fitting. Tried plumbers tape and that slowed it to an even tinier trickle, but it's still there. More plumbers tape? Or is it time to silicone the little PVC piece to the bulkhead?

 

Whew! I think that's it. Any of you plumbing artists out there have any advice, I'm always happy to learn.

 

Thanks!!

[Marc Weaver]

I would cut the excess length off of the overflow tubing and be done with it.  Grab a set of ratcheting PVC cutters for around $12 from Lowe's/HD.  They work great for flexible tubing as well as hard PVC.

 

Definitely add hose clamps to all of the tubing connected to barbed fittings.  If the barbed fitting has a flat area at the top, tighten the clamp around the flat part.  Try not to tighten around one of the barbs if you can.  Use stainless steel hose clamps for connections out of the water and plastic snap-type clamps if you need to use them underwater or close to the water's surface.  Stainless clamps will rust eventually if under water or close to the surface.

 

As for the slip fitting, more teflon tape is your best bet if you would like it to be removable later on.  If not, you can use silicone but a better option would be PVC glue.

[zygote2k]

I'd ditch all flexible pipe and do a correct plumbing install using hard pvc, gate valve, check valve, and  glue...

If you have un-glued joints, youre only asking for a flood. The gate valve on the pump allows you to fine tune the flow rate to match the drain rate and having a check valve allows you to run long loc-line returns without worrying  about an over-filled sump when the power goes out.