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Today on BRSTV we are going to do to do a top ten on our favorite plumbing. We will
hit on our favorite valves, fittings not available at most hardware stores and even solvent.
Hi I'm RT, today's host of BRSTV where each week we hit on new topics related to reefing.
This week we are going to nail down our top ten favorite plumbing items. starting with
number ten, Uniseals.
Uniseals are a very cool item which allows you to add pipe to all kinds of surfaces especially
curved ones. While bulkheads are one of the most common way to connect fittings to flat
surfaces they don't work very well on curved surfaces and they may require expensive models
designed for this purpose.
Uniseals work by drilling a hole for the rubber fitting and sliding the pipe through the hole,
you may need to use some soap as a lubricant which obviously should be thoroughly rinsed
off later. Once the pipe is inserted you are free to glue on your desired fittings or valves.
Number nine is Loc-line. Loc-line is one of the most popular solutions for returns because
it is easy to attach to bulkheads on the back of the tank and it's extremely flexible. There
are a variety of nozzles and flow patterns as well as ball and check valves as well.
A vast majority of all hard mounted returns are going to use Loc-line or something similar.
Number eight is silicone tubing. Because silicone tubing is fairly expensive it is not a solution
most people use for long runs but it is super popular for connecting pumps and piping to
hard surfaces that would typically transfer vibration and create noise.
External pumps are one of the best examples of this. Just a few inches of silicone between
the pump and sump can drastically reduce the vibration transfer and the resulting noise.
Number seven is street 45's and 90's. Street fittings are designed to fit directly into
other fittings or valves. By using a street 90 on this valve here we can skip cutting
a connecting piece which is not only going to save on materials but also time and space.
Street fittings are also more compact than a standard elbows.
Number six Wye check valves. Check valves are a cool solution which prevents water from
siphoning down from your return line and overflowing your sump where other solutions are not possible.
Check valves are a strange fitting in the essence that you may need to rely on them
to prevent damage however on a long enough timeline they always fail because something
collects on the surface of the valve seal.
The inexpensive check valves use a flapper which works well but is hard to clean or maintain.
The wye check valve differs from these because it is easy to disassemble and maintain which
make it a much more reliable solution on the long run and easy to fix if you ever do have
issues.
Number five is going to be diamond coated glass drill bits. If you are worried about
drilling your tank yourself I understand but seriously using one of these it is ridiculously
simple. There are a hundred videos on Youtube showing how to do it and as long as the tank
isn't really small, thin or tempered pretty much anyone can do it.
Number four is braided vinyl. Standard vinyl tubing is soft and flexible which makes it
way too easy to kink. Braided vinyl is much stiffer and harder to kink which makes it
a much better choice. Some people might find it too stiff but this can be fixed fairly
easy by heating it up, commonly done by soaking it in hot water and shaping it to your needs.
Number three is Weld-On solvents and primers. The standard cements and primers found at
local hardware stores absolutely work well however high performance cements like the
Weld-On provide a buffer for people who haven't done many plumbing projects.
Trust me when I say there is nothing worse than finishing a plumbing project that took
all day, cost a hundred bucks or more and then find a leak that forces you to rip it
all apart. Weld-On is also a low volatile organic compound or VOC solvent which makes
it safer to use.
Number two is high quality ball valves. Anyone who has used a one of these worthless white
valves from a big box store will attest to how hard they are to turn the day you bought
it and how it is pretty much impossible to turn a year after installing it.
The true union Cepex valves are as easy to turn today as they will be years from now,
they have unions on the ends which makes it easy to turn, remove or replace, and they
have the ability to tighten the seal on the ball which lengthens the lifespan of the valve
and reduces the chances you will have to cut it out for replacement.
Our number one favorite fitting is unions unions and more unions. Unions are a small
fitting which allows you to easily unscrew and attach basically any fitting, valve or
pump. This not only makes for easily changes, replacement and maintenance but if you are
not a PVC pro it can make assembly much easier.
With a standard fitting you have about 10 seconds to achieve the precise angle you need
when gluing. If you are off even just couple degrees it may make assembly impossible. If
you add a union on the elbows it allows you too simply unscrew and adjust to whatever
angle you need.
We often say most beginners don't use many unions. Intermediate reefers put them on pumps
and where the plumbing attaches to the tank or sump, advanced reefers put unions basically
everywhere they possibly can. If you have any questions or comments go-ahead and ask
them in the comments area down below we look forward to seeing what you have to say. If
this is your first time with us hit that subscribe button and give us a thumbs up. See you next
week with another episode of BRStv.