anyone work with flex pvc? Can you use standard fittings and glue with flex?

Hmmm....at what point in your plumbing are you wanting to use flex pvc?

I'm going to use Plex for my system as well... the fact that I can run the line without any 45's or 90's will reduce head loss.

I recommend that you talk with Melev and Evan. Those guys have had the product at hand. I believe that Evan has used it for his new tank. You can find them on RC or at Reefcast. No... I'm sure Rob doesn't mind that I'm sending you elsewhere. This is what the hobby..and the medium of internet and podcasting is all about. Spreading the word about what can and can not be done in the hobby for the better of all.

Dave

I recommend that you talk with Melev and Evan. Those guys have had the product at hand. I believe that Evan has used it for his new tank. You can find them on RC or at Reefcast. No... I'm sure Rob doesn't mind that I'm sending you elsewhere. This is what the hobby..and the medium of internet and podcasting is all about. Spreading the word about what can and can not be done in the hobby for the better of all.

Dave

Dave,

I absolutely agree. It is kind of funny, last week I referred someone on RC to a podcast and they responded with that they trusted RC. I answered that I also took advice from RC but found TR valuable. I then mused to myself about how frustrated they might get in the hobby as they were willing to only seek advice in one place.

thanks, I found out what I needed to know from another site. the flex is for a closed loop i'm putting together.

For anyone wondering, YES, flexible PVC will work with standard fittings. You are supposed to use special PVC glue for flexible, but I have had no problems using regular glue (so far).

flexible pvc is great, but is not quite the same materials as rigid. most people wing it with regular glue, it wil hold, but will make the flexible more porous and brittle. i think i was told that is because the uv protective coat (top layer) is not quite compatible with normal pvc glue. i buy all my plumping materials from industrial plastic stores that deal with a lot of chemical needs, they seem to know a lot more about techinal details that a plumbing or hardware store, and never home depot...those guys barely know what a pipe is.

maybe someone will chime in here that's used PVC flex tubing for an extended period of time.

I had just read in http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1883693144.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg that PVC flex tubing won't be as good over a long period of time - that it's still better to go with rigid PVC. I'm at work now, but I'll try to quote something in this thread tonight from the book. Of course, that's just two peoples opinions, so that's why it would be great to hear whether people have had long-term success with it! :-)

im no plumping expert, but u guys consider useing gray water flex tubing. they should be uv protected and have a strong half life!
spa braided plumbing could be used for the rest

The option I am looking at is a PVC bender. This helps avoid the use of elbows but keeps the rigid strength of regular PVC. I have seen the spa flex used to and it was a clean job and still holdong up well though.

im no plumping *expert

okay...you guys are going to HAVE to start spell-checking your posts!!! Sometimes I feel like we're talking about two different things! :-)

talking reef police jumping in here ^^^^^^^

Actually.....now that I read through this thread...I'm talking about a different product than the rest of you. Rather than PVC Flex Tubing, I'm talking about something called "PEX". It is a PVC based product that is flexible, and is replacing the use of copper in home plumbing. It has a flex memory so that if it is blocked, it expands, freeing the blockage and then returns to natural shape. The only problem is that you can't use the PEX connectors or fittings and would have to use traditional PVC fittings to connect the sections.

It's sold at HD and Lowes etc. See....

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p=Improve/PEX.html

Dave

are we talking about the stuff used for ponds & pools?.....i had wondered why this wasn't used

PEX piping (cross linked polyethelene) has been used in homes for years. I installed about 3000 feet of it in my house for radiant heating.

I am not aware of a way to adapt it to PVC, I dont believe the glue will adhere. Its adapters are primarily designed to adapt to copper pipe. I would have used it on my tank, but the lack of adapters made it prohibitive.

As far as the pipe swelling, this simply doesn't happen. PEX may expand and not burst if the water insde freezes, but there are no gaurantees it wont split. I leak tested my PEX @ 100PSI for a month before I filled it. Trust me, it wont expand under normal pressures.

I love working with PEX and hope that the manufacturers make more pieces/parts for us. It would make plumbing a tank a lot simpler and cheaper.

interesting... to bad i just bought LOADS of PVC pipe and fittings for my new fuge and frag tank setup..

The option I am looking at is a PVC bender. This helps avoid the use of elbows but keeps the rigid strength of regular PVC. I have seen the spa flex used to and it was a clean job and still holdong up well though.
you can find pvc elbows that not a short 90, but are very long. it is sometimes refer to as long sweep elbows or continuous curve. when i helped my friend move his fish store, all the flex pvc crumbled at the fittings, but the rigid stuff held well.

and never home depot...those guys barely know what a pipe is.

easy on the big orange box there buddy.... Revenues from HD built the GA Aquarium :mrgreen:

I always stick up for hometown companies....

easy on the big orange box there buddy.... Revenues from HD built the GA Aquarium :mrgreen:

I always stick up for hometown companies....
hey, no offense intended. i buy plenty from big orange. i just take plumbing seriously, but at the end of the day, a lot of the wood that my tank sit on, and those screws. staples and glue that holds the whole fishroom together came from big orange. also my hat off to you for defending a local boy

Ok much better- glad to hear that :mrgreen:

Right now, I'm saying my prayers for Delta.

Ok much better- glad to hear that :mrgreen:

Right now, I'm saying my prayers for Delta.
and may your prayer be answered tenfold. and may all our prayers add to yours tenfold

okay...you guys are going to HAVE to start spell-checking your posts!!! Sometimes I feel like we're talking about two different things! :-)

i belive i posted this, what was wrong with it RB?
i dont belive i swore before it did i?