Plumbing help needed

[Osprey]

I bought a used tank a few months ago and decided that I wanted to upgrade the sump (had an L-shaped one custom built so I could fit 30 gallons and a big-@$$ refugium under the corner stand). Perhaps foolishly, I also decided to completely redo the plumbing at the same time. I have had problem after problem. It's like the tank from hell. Not that it's the tank's fault... I don't know much about plumbing.

Anywho... past problems aside, here's the current one.

I was given some fittings that screw into the bulkheads I installed (no problems there... not now, anyway). One is labelled 3/4", the other 1". I assumed that the labels would correspond with the diameter of pipe required to fit into the female end of the fitting (if nothing else, because the inner diameter of that end was slightly more than the dimensions on the label. It seemed to make sense). So I purchased a suitable amount of piping of those diameters (along with corresponding elbows, ball valves, yada yada). Piping and fittings are pictured here:

It's not PVC, I couldn't find any that small. It's CPVC, which should still be inert, as it's a food-grade plastic. They look like they should fit into each other, don't they? They don't.

The fittings are just a tiny bit too big for the pipes... or perhaps it's the other way around. I wondered if maybe I was supposed to buy 1" for the 3/4" fitting, so I tried that too...

No soap. There's no way the pipe would fit inside the fitting.

What am I supposed to do? As far as I know, no-one sells 7/8" diameter PVC pipe, do they?? Has anyone worked with these fittings that can tell me what I'm doing wrong? I'm getting very frustrated, and very tired of banging my head against the wall. Help!

[Rainmaker69]

Contact your local pool and spa dealer or underground sprinkler dealer and they should be able to help. I am not sure, but I believe that cpvc is in sewer pipe dimensions which is different from normal PVC dimensions. PVC comes in various diameters, such as sewer, IPS (iron pipe size), and PIP (plastic irrigation pipe). It will probably be cheaper to replace the pipe rather than the fittings. The 1" pvc we deal with at work measure 1 5/16" in diameter and is IPS.

[midgetwaiter]

Keep in mind that when one says they have 1" PVC they mean 1" ID which is interior diameter. Easiest route: take one of your fittings to home depot and stick stuff in in until you find the right one.

Edited February 15, 2007 by midgetwaiter

[easyrider]

Or just buy new fittings to screw into your bulkheads that fit the pipe, they are cheap. I feel your pain I just went through hell plumbing in an aquagiant tank.

[Osprey]

I'm bringing the fittings with me to the store next time... decided to write on them so I don't get accused of shoplifting or anything. It's a real pain finding this stuff in Okotoks, so I'm heading into Calgary tomorrow.

Thanks, guys!

[Catmandu]

belive it or not Canadian Tire sells CPVC pipe and fittings up to about 1"

good luck

Eugene

[Osprey]

It was from Canadian tire that I bought them, and they did not fit.

I found fittings that did work at the HH building center here in town... since it's not a pressurized line (just the gravity-fed flow from display to sump) I used electrical conduit PVC. I like the gentle corners the stuff has too. Should reduce noise and increase flow.

[Steve-O]

It was from Canadian tire that I bought them, and they did not fit.

I found fittings that did work at the HH building center here in town... since it's not a pressurized line (just the gravity-fed flow from display to sump) I used electrical conduit PVC. I like the gentle corners the stuff has too. Should reduce noise and increase flow.

The guy who does all the plumbing at Golds ... his name is Albert 612-6592. He charges $150 for a completely new tank setup ... probably less since your's a fix. Good Luck.