PVC adapting / adhesives

StirCrayzy

StirCrayzy

Well-Known Member
As with any DIY project, ive hit a few snags building my sump plumbing.
With failure not an option, alternative methods must compensate for the shortcomings.

The scenario starts with plans for a BeanAnimal stlye overflow. (See below)
This cretes a lot of piping hanging off the back of the tank, which i would very much like to minimize.
This mass of piping is also slowly but surely increasing the space needed behind the tank, so i obviously need the fewest adapters possible to get the job done.

standpipe-close.jpg


Currently i cant find an adapter to thread into the back(female) of my bulkhead(1") and slip into a 1.5"to sanitary T .
the alternative is a street 1" male threaded adapter that when inside the slip of the 1.5"T leaves about 2mm of slop.
Im pretty sure PVC cement is not going to fill that gap, but the next best thing is what im after....
So, anyone have experience filling large nonstandard gaps? and what have you used?
My first thought is silicone, but not sure about bond syrength to pvc...
Second thought is an epoxy, but not sure if reef safe options are available....
 
BLADEYAMAHA

BLADEYAMAHA

Well-Known Member
2-part, 10 ton or 5 ton epoxy. mix till it becomes thick and slower running, it will still run after you apply but not much if you do it right or mix longer and keep using a paddle of some sort, popsicle stick, or etc. or like a plumbers putty knife to move the epoxy back into place each time it runs down every few minutes until it hardens enough to stay still, good boy sit. I've put 2 inch elbows on a bulkhead, the outside of the bulkhead with PVC glue and held till it hardened and then went back, be careful not to drip, and then glue the outside of the fitting on the outside till I knew I had a good seal too.
 
BLADEYAMAHA

BLADEYAMAHA

Well-Known Member
But epoxy will be easier to work with if you mix till it gets slow to run, you'll find it near the paint at Walmart.
 
Willie McDaries

Willie McDaries

Well-Known Member
Josh,I have used the 1" fittings and sanded the outside enough to make it fit inside a 1.5" fitting.....

the schedule 40 fitting like these,the outside diameter of the 1" is slightly bigger than the 1.5" pipe,I have used these inside the 1.5" Tees but the outside will need to be sanded down some.......

202540-Schedule-80-Male-Pipe-Adapter-grouped-a_1.jpg


don't know for sure if that's what you're looking for though
 
BLADEYAMAHA

BLADEYAMAHA

Well-Known Member
Willie McDaries said:
Josh,I have used the 1" fittings and sanded the outside enough to make it fit inside a 1.5" fitting.....

the schedule 40 fitting like these,the outside diameter of the 1" is slightly bigger than the 1.5" pipe,I have used these inside the 1.5" Tees but the outside will need to be sanded down some.......

202540-Schedule-80-Male-Pipe-Adapter-grouped-a_1.jpg


don't know for sure if that's what you're looking for though
Click to expand...


Cool idea Willie.
 
StirCrayzy

StirCrayzy

Well-Known Member
Ya willie, thats the adapter im using except locally the ouside of a schd 40 is smaller than the inside of 1.5. I would rather sand to get a tight fit.
the closest fitting i could find that was bigger needs 1/8" removed.
Thats a lot of sanding.
 
BLADEYAMAHA

BLADEYAMAHA

Well-Known Member
Like I stated you can use the PVC cement, just glue like I stated and its food safe for sure. Epoxy I'm not sure about it breaking down in saltwater, I really don't think so, and I would do it in my tank with all the carbon I run, but I won't say its completely safe and can't guarantee your corals and fish safety.
 
BLADEYAMAHA

BLADEYAMAHA

Well-Known Member
I don't think there is really gonna be a chemically safe epoxy, at least while its in liquid form, for any aquarium, you might use live rock or coral epoxy that they use to frag. What do you think about that idea?
 
Willie McDaries

Willie McDaries

Well-Known Member
StirCrayzy said:
Ya willie, thats the adapter im using except locally the ouside of a schd 40 is smaller than the inside of 1.5. I would rather sand to get a tight fit.
the closest fitting i could find that was bigger needs 1/8" removed.
Thats a lot of sanding.
Click to expand...

you are correct,I told you wrong,I checked my plumbing stash,it is the 3/4" into 1" I've used,not 1" to 1.5"...sorry 'bout that,at least I'm understanding what you're looking for,I'll see if I can come of with something in my pile of PVC that might work :D
 
StirCrayzy

StirCrayzy

Well-Known Member
Now i have no experience with, but pretty sure i remember reading that cyanoacrylate (superglue) has been regularly used in reef tanks right?
I know loctite makes a gapfiller but its not listed as food grade.

Thanks for the efforts guys! :thumbup:
 
Willie McDaries

Willie McDaries

Well-Known Member
if you can't find something that will work,I'm fairly certain that they make a Tee that is 1.5" in the straight through part and a 1" in the turn,it isn't the long sweep curve like the sanitary Tees but it would pull the plumbing in closer to the tank and it wouldn't hinder flow rate enough to cause any issues....you might look into that as well
 
steved13

steved13

Well-Known Member
PREMIUM
Excuse me in advance...I lose confidence in any kind of jury rigging, and I hate the feeling of opening the door everynight and wondering if today was the day it let go. that's just me, and in no way a comment about your abilities :)

I would stay with the proper fittings. To save the space you could think about turning everything 90 degrees so the plumbing is taking up the room along the back of the tank instead of sticking out away from the tank. I'm not sure if that would be an option if holes are already drilled, bu through a little staggering and having 1 drain go to the left and 2 to the right you might be able to accomplish what you want with proper fittings.
 
BLADEYAMAHA

BLADEYAMAHA

Well-Known Member
steved13 said:
Excuse me in advance...I lose confidence in any kind of jury rigging, and I hate the feeling of opening the door everynight and wondering if today was the day it let go. that's just me, and in no way a comment about your abilities :)

I would stay with the proper fittings. To save the space you could think about turning everything 90 degrees so the plumbing is taking up the room along the back of the tank instead of sticking out away from the tank. I'm not sure if that would be an option if holes are already drilled, bu through a little staggering and having 1 drain go to the left and 2 to the right you might be able to accomplish what you want with proper fittings.
Click to expand...

How does that work Steve if he's going for what's in the picture?
 
steved13

steved13

Well-Known Member
PREMIUM
BLADEYAMAHA said:
How does that work Steve if he's going for what's in the picture?
Click to expand...

It wouldn't look like the picture anymore that's for sure :)

This would be easier if I had the software and know how to draw a pic, but I'll give it a try to explain.

The left drain would have a 90 degree elboew to the left imediately out of the bulkhead (or as close as possible) so it sticks out as little as posible. The furthest right drain would have the same elbow facing the opposite way. The middle drain would have a 90 degree stick out just enough so it clears either of the other 2 drains (depending on which way you'd want to send it). With just the elbow on the bulkhead to PVC adapter, I don't think it would stick out much more than the Tees do now, like in the pic. You'd have to take some measurements to see if it would save the room or not, but it might be a viable alternative. If that didn't work I'd sacrifice the space and let it stick out the back...but again that's just me.

Those drains will create quite a suction, I don't think the elbows will slow down the flow very much, if at all.
 
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