Return pump plumbing

[pack93]

I am doing the plumbing for my sump this weekend. Can anyone tell me a good way to connect PVC tubing to your return pump so you can remove it easily for maintenance. Also, when I connect the parts of the PVC is there any particular type of solvent I should use. I am worried about chemicals from the solvent getting into the water and harming my fish and corals.

[barbra]

I use a threaded adapter to fit the pump and just unscrew it.

PVC glue is what bonds the pipe, and it is reef-safe.

[minireefer03]

After the pvc solvent dries it is reef safe.You can install pvc couplers to the intake and output to make it easy to remove for cleaning.Just make sure you add ball valves to turn off any flow.

[poppin_fresh]

What you need are called unions. They are devices that can be unscrewed from both sides easily so that sections can be taken apart. Any old PVC glue will be fine. Once cured (1-24 hours) the solvent is harmless, but I always run some carbon for good measure.

[Timinator]

Plan out your unions and ball valves above the union and below it if your going to be messing with the pump alot. This will keep down on the mess with backflow with the water and keep it out of the floor.

[pikachusalad]

What size pieces of PVC do you use? I went to the plumbing section at Menards and I just stand there with a blank look on my face...

[Timinator]

It depends on many things on size of what you should use. What is the pump size, are you running a sump with bulkheads etc.

[pikachusalad]

I'd like to start with just water coming from the tank into the sump... It's a "standard" megaflow overflow plumbing kit. Right now I have flexible clear tubing, threaded ends, etc.

Sorry if I'm hijacking this thread...but...if someone could just tell me a few pieces to buy to get me started (like buy one x" diameter threaded blah, one...) - then I could bring them home, figure out what to do with them, and then draw up some plans and figure the rest out on my own.