Need some help general PVC help in converting used tank's durso to a herbie

Evieeeeee

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I picked up a used tank and I am following this guide for converting the derso to a herbie. I understood most of it and now I'm trying to figure out some related questions that I had that I wasn't too sure on. The tank has 2 drilled holes, so I am converting 1 to main drain, 1 to emergency, and making a return over the back. It's got 1" schedule 80 with 2 bulkheads. I assume I can just pickup 2 1" bulkheads from BRS and be good?

1. How do I take my 1" drain and step it up to a 1.5"? I picked up the thieling compact rollermat and it has a 1.5" union or 1.5" barbed fitting option. I'd prefer the barbed fitting since it would be easier to move the rollermat to clean things underneath it from time to time, but I couldn't figure out what fittings I need to find to do this.

1.5 Related, how do I take the return pump and step up the size to the 1.5" unions on a UV? The pentair unit has 1.5" unions and I'd like to put a apex flow sensor on one end, so it'd need to be 1" union there as well. So it'd be return pump/manifold/small pump -> 1" union -> flow sensor -> 1" union -> something to step it up to 1.5" union

2. If I am connecting a UV & a carbon reactor, would it be wise to make a manifold for this instead of running 1 pump for each? Is there a benefit of making a manifold? Or is it just a nice to have kind of thing?

3. Should I use hard plumbing for the return if it's hanging off the back of my tank? And then use something like a mounting plate to hold it in? Or is soft tubing safe enough? I've seen a lot of photos with soft tubing but I'm kinda worried about that

4. On my older Red Sea tank, the PVC parts disconnected from the tank via threading, but the suggestion I've been reading is to cement the PVC to the bulkhead. But that means if I need to ever move the tank somewhere that the PVC needs to be cut so it can be removed right?
 

Mastiffsrule

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Hi,

I am not familiar with the roller mat fitting size. If they are 1.5 inches I would look to get an adapter after the bulkheads from 1” to 1.5 “.

It would be best to draw out all the equipment you have first and try to see if any of them have several different fitting sizes. I know my uv came with a 2“ pvc and 3/4“ barb.

The return can be hard or vinyl. No soft. Reactors are best on a manifold. The uv should also be fed off a manifold or branched off return with a flow meter and gate valves somewhere in line to comtrol the flow volu,d.
 

ca1ore

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Pictures would help a lot. Be aware that Sch40 and sch80 bulkheads use different sized holes for a nominal pipe size. The apex 1” flow sensor is pretty restrictive to flow, so if you’re going to upsize to 1 1/2” pipe use the 2” sensor. I’m personally a fan of flex PVC. Rigid PVC second and vinyl hose only if I must.
 
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Evieeeeee

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Pictures would help a lot. Be aware that Sch40 and sch80 bulkheads use different sized holes for a nominal pipe size. The apex 1” flow sensor is pretty restrictive to flow, so if you’re going to upsize to 1 1/2” pipe use the 2” sensor. I’m personally a fan of flex PVC. Rigid PVC second and vinyl hose only if I must.
I'll try to get some pictures tomorrow. So the thing is I am dealing with protozoans for the UV which means my recommended flow range is 79GPH recommended ~ 131GPH max. I actually re-read the description and I need the 1/2" flow sensor since the 1" one can't read this low anyways. Does rigid PVC work with barbed fittings? I was hoping to switch it to barbed fittings coming out of the UV to reduce the amount of pipes I need to run
 
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Evieeeeee

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Hi,

I am not familiar with the roller mat fitting size. If they are 1.5 inches I would look to get an adapter after the bulkheads from 1” to 1.5 “.

It would be best to draw out all the equipment you have first and try to see if any of them have several different fitting sizes. I know my uv came with a 2“ pvc and 3/4“ barb.

The return can be hard or vinyl. No soft. Reactors are best on a manifold. The uv should also be fed off a manifold or branched off return with a flow meter and gate valves somewhere in line to comtrol the flow volu,d.
Appreciate the advice! Is it okay to branch off my return for the UV? Wasn't sure if it's wrong to do this or not. I'd definitely prefer this if I could
 

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