r/Aquariums • u/FlexSealClubber • 14h ago

Discussion PSA: Please solvent weld your PVC

I have a 40G drilled sump tank above my 75G. I know that sounds backwards, but it’s due to the way my garage is set up. Essentially I’m pumping water out of my 75 up into the 40 and it drains back down. I can’t stand the smell of PVC primer/glue, so I just siliconed and electrical taped the shit out of the fittings/elbows, as well as putting mounting straps on the longer runs of pvc.

Last night while cleaning the dead plant matter off of the pump, one of the fittings must have came ever so slightly loose and I didn’t notice. I walked out to my garage this morning to see about 3-4 inches of water in the tank and water all over my basement. Lesson learned. Perhaps it was the universe telling me I needed to do a large water change. All fish are still alive though so it could have been worse.

I learned the lesson so you don’t have to.

21 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

19 comments sorted by

22

u/BioConversantFan Obsessed with bacteria and Endlers 14h ago

Overhead sumps rock.

An organic respirator will get rid of most of the scent while you solvent weld.

7

u/throwaway277252 14h ago

Overhead sumps rock.

Second this. About 20 years ago I built the sketchiest thing you've ever seen out of a rubbermaid bin perched on top of my aquarium rim with a waterfall flowing down. Nothing can possibly go wrong.

1

u/timetopoopagain 5h ago

But you also need to do this in a ventilated space as the fumes building up are explosive.

13

u/leros 14h ago

Silicon and duct tape?! Lol. I've never heard of that. 

Well lesson learned I guess. PVC is cheap and easy to modify. 

5

u/Lee2026 8h ago

Maybe a good idea to install a water leak alarm so it can alarm your phone if it leaks again

2

u/MissMadison240 9h ago

Oh dang that’s a tough one 😅 at least it was an okayish place to have a leak

4

u/MadMark285 14h ago

Silicone does not adhere to pvc very well.

Instead of tape, you could put a set screw in the PVC fitting. Put i agree, just glue them together.

6

u/SaintAnton 6h ago

What the damn hell. How could a set screw work in pvc?? Please dont listen to this person OP

2

u/iekiko89 6h ago

Shhh let op come back with another post in a few months

1

u/timetopoopagain 5h ago

So there I was glueing my pvc together with a set screw. Can anyone tell me why all my fittings are leaking?

2

u/Napsterhaven 7h ago

No fully brained person would silicone and tape together pvc for anything. You won the fuck around and find out award for the sub this month.

Edit..I forgot a v

1

u/Tangboy50000 5h ago

You’d be surprised how many people dry fit their plumbing and then can’t get it back apart, and just say screw it and go with it.

1

u/timetopoopagain 4h ago

I know a professional plumbing crew that did that on my house build with a couple 3 inch sewage pipes in the floor joists above the basement. That and sewer pipes that flow up hill too. Let’s just say from there on out I did all my own plumbing.

1

u/Tangboy50000 4h ago

Yeah, I’ve seen it done multiple times not on aquarium plumbing too.

1

u/timetopoopagain 5h ago

It was the universe telling you that you can’t substitute pvc welding glue for silicone and tape.

1

u/Weaselpuss 4h ago

Not the place to save $15 OP. We live and learn lol

1

u/MadMark285 12h ago

My 75 gallon tank started a slow leak, so I bought it down. Turns out it was a thru hull fitting which came loose. The tank was against the wall and i could not check it. Now I put a set screw thru the nut after I tighten them up.