just starting at 44

[schlegelli]

hey all you reef geeks, maybe you can help me out....i wanna build a manifold for my 75 gal. & i've noticed this loc-line plumbing( didn't have that back when they invented dirt) could someone please explain how this stuff works....are the lengths bendable( if so, to what extent), glue? will they mesh with normal pvc, suppliers, tips, advice etc. any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance. soon-to-be reef geek.

 

[Krish]

Welcome to RF!!! And yes, they are bendable Each link in the lockline tubing can be detached or attached and at these same points is where it bends. No glue needed. They just squeeze/snap into place. Kinda hard to do with bare hands. Sometimes I have to put my body weight on it to get them to snap but they do make lockline pliers that will make life easier. Where they are so snugly fit into one another allows it to hold its form. So if you bend it in an "S" it will stay in that shape. I have tons of attachments here from when I did my closed loop that I can get some closeups for you. You buy the actual tubing by the ft (which comes in 1/2 inch or 3/4 ) and the nozzles, male threaded connectors etc, you buy seperately. I'll take a few photos for you and post them here in a bit. Maybe that will make it easier for you to see how they work

Hope you enjoy it here and good luck on the closed loop

 

[schlegelli]

this stuff really does look amazing, any info, pics, advice would be great. by the way...is it watertight...guaranteed(?), even outside of the tank?

 

[Krish]

LOL...Outside of the tank is not usually suggested. They say any lockline out of the water may cause you to shoot micro-bubbles into the tank which comes from air getting in so if a little bit of air can get in, then there is a possibility a little bit of water may get out. Usually you will just use hard plumbed pvc and pvc fittings and when you get it to the tank, you use a female pvc adaptor and thread the lockline male adaptor into it and do all of your lockline work from there. I'm going now to get you a few pics. In the meantime, here is an old thread of mine where I diod a closed loop on my old 75gal. The first pic shows what I meant by pvc and lockline being used together. I painted the pvc to match the lockline. I'll go take a few pics for you now...

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13588

 

[schlegelli]

you're link is what caught my eye in the first place...hehe

 

[Krish]

LOL...Here are a few photos of some lockline.


Attachment:

(1) 3/4 lockline tubing with 5/8 straight nozzle on the end and 1 link I seperated from the lockline tubing. I bent the links as much as I could with just 5 links.

(2) This is a male adaptor and a threaded bulkhead which shows how the adaptor can be used in a bulkhead if you drill through our tank

(3) This is a picture of a manifold I made for my return on my new cube which is all PVC and at the end, I used a female elbow, threaded in the male lockline aadaptor, added 5 lockline links, a 3/4 to 1/2 inch lockline reducer, and a 1/2 inch flared nozzle. I checked for you to see if the lockline was leaking at all at any of the links and it was all dry. Also, I don't have any microbubbles at all in the tank with the lockline exposed so I guess it doesn't always happen. I personally still would not use it anywhere but over the tanks surface and submerged as much as possible.


(4) This is a side shot of my cube showing the threaded bulkheads with the lockline valves to control the flow, the lockline tubing and nozzles on the end.


(5) Forgot this one This is a male adaptor which you can use to thread into a female pvc adaptor on one side (or a bulkhead like the 2nd pic) and the other end goes into the other lockline pieces


Hope I was able to help you some

 

[schlegelli]

thanks for the pics krish, absolutely helpful and in my opinion, a lot better looking than a slew of powerheads in the tank. found the site for loc-line while sitting here.... if you don't have it already.http://www.modularhose.com/...... they say that loc-line is leak resistant...not leak proof. thanks for all your help and good luck with the cube....will watch for updates.

 

[Krish]

No problem and thanks That's a cool link. Not a bad way to add color either with all of the orange and blue Good luck with the lockline and closed loop

 

[Brenden]

I have a 8500GPH closed loop that uses loc-line on every outlet. If you have any problems/questions feel free to PM me. Also loc-line will not glue PERIOD so make sure you buy the threaded locline coupler to attach it to PVC or whatever you use.

 

[tike]

Here's a site that sells loc line.
http://www.modularhose.com/

Regards
willie

 

[NaH2O]

schlegelli - Welcome to Reef Frontiers!!! (if I missed ya before)

 

[shallowreef]

Your never too old to enjoy the joys of a reef tank.