bulkhead question... again

jamest0o0 · 12/07/2009, 05:59 PM

So I'm drilling a hole in my refugium to drain into my DT. Seems like most people recommended a 1.5" bulkhead. I was looking at these http://www.aquacave.com/detail.aspx?ID=684#Reviews would they work? And what does it mean when it says FITP and slip? Sorry for all the bulkhead questions I'm just a total newb with this and since I'm ordering it and I can't actually see it I want to make sure I get everything right.

thanks

cdbias2 · 12/07/2009, 06:07 PM

Threads on the outside of the bulkhead and smooth on the inside.

My refugium is also plumbed to drain into the DT. I just wanted to give you a heads up warning about micro bubbles entering the DT through the fuge drain.
The bubbles popping on the surface of the water is really rough on lighting and bad for salt creep also.

ChadTheSpike · 12/07/2009, 06:11 PM

Yep, that looks good, it is what you are looking for.
The FITP is female internal threaded pipe, TP is a standard as far as thread goes, it basically means that if you get a threaded PVC pipe, it will thread to other PVC components (if you got a large nut of the same diameter it may not, just an example).
Slip is the type of plumbing that is meant to be glued as the two parts 'slip' into over one another.
As far as which one to get... Usually I get slip-slip, because I tend to hard plumb and like glued vs. threaded components, but you can get good leak-free seals either way. Think about the way that you are more comfortable with and get that one.

ChadTheSpike · 12/07/2009, 06:20 PM

By the way, I just noticed my own lexdysia (apparantly Im not the only one with the problem)... FITP is supposed to be FIPT, and its not internal, its iron pipe thread... nonetheless a piping thread standard. In this case aquacave is specifying both on the internal portion of the bulkhead. Sorry for my confusion.

jamest0o0 · 12/07/2009, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChadTheSpike

Yep, that looks good, it is what you are looking for.
The FITP is female internal threaded pipe, TP is a standard as far as thread goes, it basically means that if you get a threaded PVC pipe, it will thread to other PVC components (if you got a large nut of the same diameter it may not, just an example).
Slip is the type of plumbing that is meant to be glued as the two parts 'slip' into over one another.
As far as which one to get... Usually I get slip-slip, because I tend to hard plumb and like glued vs. threaded components, but you can get good leak-free seals either way. Think about the way that you are more comfortable with and get that one.

By hard plumb you mean with PVC right? So you would do slip-slip if you planned on glueing the bulkhead to the PVC rather than like screw it in? Is there advantages/disadvantages from hard plumbing and using vinyl tubing?

thanks for helping me with all this!

ChadTheSpike · 12/07/2009, 09:14 PM

No problem!

Yes, I mean hard plumb with PVC.
The biggest advantage to using slip PVC connections and gluing (vs. threaded and barb connections that fit to vinyl tubing) is that the barbed connection constrict to a smaller diameter at the barb. This is really isnt that big of a deal except that it adds extra head loss to the system which in turn requires a larger pump to overcome (this usually isnt noticable except for finicky engineers like me

). Threaded connections are usually easier to plumb. I would do whatever you are more comfortable with, the important thing is that you make sound leak free connections, and either method will give you that.

cdbias2 · 12/08/2009, 03:26 AM

As soon as you slip a piece of pvc into that bulkhead, you also reduce the diameter of whatever it is your plumbing.
I like to make a clear pvc slip connection from my bulk head to my first piece of pvc. I use a little bit of silicone over the threads of the bulkhead and slip a clear piece of pvc over that and then I slip a hard piece of pvc into that.

12/07/2009, 05:59 PM	#1
jamest0o0 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2,325	bulkhead question... again So I'm drilling a hole in my refugium to drain into my DT. Seems like most people recommended a 1.5" bulkhead. I was looking at these http://www.aquacave.com/detail.aspx?ID=684#Reviews would they work? And what does it mean when it says FITP and slip? Sorry for all the bulkhead questions I'm just a total newb with this and since I'm ordering it and I can't actually see it I want to make sure I get everything right. thanks

12/07/2009, 06:11 PM	#3
ChadTheSpike Reef Engineer Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Washington DC Posts: 1,526 Blog Entries: 1	Yep, that looks good, it is what you are looking for. The FITP is female internal threaded pipe, TP is a standard as far as thread goes, it basically means that if you get a threaded PVC pipe, it will thread to other PVC components (if you got a large nut of the same diameter it may not, just an example). Slip is the type of plumbing that is meant to be glued as the two parts 'slip' into over one another. As far as which one to get... Usually I get slip-slip, because I tend to hard plumb and like glued vs. threaded components, but you can get good leak-free seals either way. Think about the way that you are more comfortable with and get that one. __________________ ~Chad "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." Current Tank Info: 195 gallons of fun Last edited by ChadTheSpike; 12/07/2009 at 06:16 PM. Reason: grammar was poor... :(

12/07/2009, 06:20 PM	#4
ChadTheSpike Reef Engineer Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Washington DC Posts: 1,526 Blog Entries: 1	By the way, I just noticed my own lexdysia (apparantly Im not the only one with the problem)... FITP is supposed to be FIPT, and its not internal, its iron pipe thread... nonetheless a piping thread standard. In this case aquacave is specifying both on the internal portion of the bulkhead. Sorry for my confusion. __________________ ~Chad "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." Current Tank Info: 195 gallons of fun

12/07/2009, 09:14 PM	#6
ChadTheSpike Reef Engineer Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Washington DC Posts: 1,526 Blog Entries: 1	No problem! Yes, I mean hard plumb with PVC. The biggest advantage to using slip PVC connections and gluing (vs. threaded and barb connections that fit to vinyl tubing) is that the barbed connection constrict to a smaller diameter at the barb. This is really isnt that big of a deal except that it adds extra head loss to the system which in turn requires a larger pump to overcome (this usually isnt noticable except for finicky engineers like me ). Threaded connections are usually easier to plumb. I would do whatever you are more comfortable with, the important thing is that you make sound leak free connections, and either method will give you that. __________________ ~Chad "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." Current Tank Info: 195 gallons of fun

12/07/2009, 06:07 PM	#2
cdbias2 Appalachian Reef Society Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alum Creek, WV (No more) Posts: 1,433	Threads on the outside of the bulkhead and smooth on the inside. My refugium is also plumbed to drain into the DT. I just wanted to give you a heads up warning about micro bubbles entering the DT through the fuge drain. The bubbles popping on the surface of the water is really rough on lighting and bad for salt creep also.

12/08/2009, 03:26 AM	#7
cdbias2 Appalachian Reef Society Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alum Creek, WV (No more) Posts: 1,433	As soon as you slip a piece of pvc into that bulkhead, you also reduce the diameter of whatever it is your plumbing. I like to make a clear pvc slip connection from my bulk head to my first piece of pvc. I use a little bit of silicone over the threads of the bulkhead and slip a clear piece of pvc over that and then I slip a hard piece of pvc into that.