Helpfull hints applied

[dgasmd]

During MACNA this year, I saw David Saxby's (owner of Deltec) talk on a 4000g tank they built for a guy in Chicago. During the talk, he had some video footage of some of the stuff they did on the tank, how they did it, and some tricks associated with it. It was a very helpfull learning experience for me personally. Enough that if I was to do my tank over again, I would do it very differently because of it.

One thing I saw is how they do flared outlets for their close loops out of 1", 1.5", and 2" PVC. It seemed like it would be simple enough to do, but I personally did not think they would make such a difference until I did it a couple of days ago. It made a world of difference in my tank. It is like it double the spread of the flow coming from my close loops. Mine were done out of 1.5" PVC. I used 2 different types of PVC I had here. The thinner stuff was so much easier to work with.

Here are some pictures.

Always stick them in as far as possible into another piece of PVC of the same diameter. It acts as a handle and it also prevents you from warping the part that would go inside the plumbing fitting. I found a length of PVC of 2.5" to be the perfect size to do it.

The key is a heat gun. I got one from HD fairly cheap. I guess you could use a hair blow dryer too, but you'd be there so much longer waiting for the PVC to soften up.

Other utensiles used to form the outlets:

 

[big t]

That is a great idea they had there Alberto. Thanks for sharing. FWI, a pot on the stove w/ some vedgtable oil in it heated to about 350 makes shaping pvc go very quickly, and when you are done just throw them in the dishwasher to clean them up. I think that i will go and make some flares now for my closed loop on the frag system.

 

[CarlaW]

great thought Alberto, but those tools look like something I saw in my dentist's office.
I don't go there anymore.
It definitly beats the flare nozzles that tend to cost a bit much!!!!

 

[plack]

Thank's for sharing who know's I may use it on my 150 I am planning on soon

 

[dgasmd]

It definitly beats the flare nozzles that tend to cost a bit much!!!!

The thing is they don't make anything like this for bigger than 3/4". Even then, locline has a monopoly on it. :lol:

 

[Detri]

Wow great Idea. I am definately going to try that when I am ready to make mine. Thanks!

 

[reedman]

They've been doing this on fresh water tanks for years. On the thin wall PVC and smaller diameter pipe (3/4" and down) you can just use boiling water and it works great.

Nice tip for people that are not familiar. Thanks Alberto.

 

[Krish]

Cool idea...Thanks for sharing.

 

[NaH2O]

Awesome Alberto! Thanks for posting the pics.

 

[shallowreef]

Very cool idea. Deffinately worth trying.
Thanks!!

 

[lizardarm]

this beats the idea that i've been tinkering with- to cut the pvc at angles and glue it back together to make flared nozzles.