Hooking up a Resun LP 60

[Aquaman]

Hi Folks,

I'm about to hook up my recently purchased resun for the first time.

I've seen various setups, some use 20mm irrigation pipe, others use 40mm conduit.

I'm thinking of going the 20mm route as I have heaps of the stuff and fittings already available to me in the garage. I'd like to eventually run it around my garage and then under the house to run my house tank, just not sure the pump would be up to the task.

My current tanks are as follows:

1 x 4'x18"x18"

2 x 2'x18"x18"

2 x 3'x18"x14"

1 x 22"x18"x18"

1 x 2'x1'x1'

1 x 18"x8"x10"

I've heard that this sized pump can easily handle 20 odd tanks, so I should be fine for quite some time...

My main question - could a resun LP 60 run my current quantity of tanks (plus say another 10 so that I can expand) using 20mm irrigation piping over say a 20 meter length?

Cheers and thanks in advance

Richard

[Colfish]

hi Richard

ah, finally bit the bullet. good on ya

yeh mate i'd go with 19mm poly, as you say quick easy and cheaper, and is the std outlet size on the pump. plus i think you would need a bigger pump to handle 40mm.

don't know about stretchin' it under the house, could be ok till ya hook up the extra tanks latter on

if ya hav'nt done so, order a set of flapper valves, just so as when ya need to replace them, you'll have 'em on hand

cheers

[bru55el]

I can't see any problem with what you are thinking. I run a LP20 with 19mm PVC pipe approx 10m long feeding 8 tanks and it works beautifully. I get no appreciable loss of pressure between the first and last tanks.

Shane

[rosco]

Richard,

I use 19mm pipe for two reasons. The main one was it so much cheaper and conduit and also ease of adding extra outlets in the pipes, all you have to do is punch a hole with a hole puncher a put a 4mm joiner in the hole and attach the 4mm silicone tubing, nice and easy. I have run my pipe in a circuit around the room and I think I used almost a 20m roll of pipe.

I have an LP60 running 12 2x18x18 (half of them have 2 corner filters), 1 standard 2' and a fry tank and various other airstones for fry savers and it is doing it easily. But you will have to get those little value controls to balance the amount of air coming out of the airstones, something that I overlooked initally and it has cost me more than it should have as I have to get them from LFS and pay 5 times the price they are worth. I intend to get more fry tanks soon and a couple more 2' standard tanks. But I will probably get a second air pump before I do that.

HTH

cheers

Rosco

[BaZ]

I've used 19mm poly for mine also, but I reckon I lose a lot of air out of the joins. The joins are those barbed push-in fittings for garden watering systems, and I have just used the screw-in fittings where the individual lines come off the main line (no silicon).

I was talking to Waz (plumbing guru) about this and he recommends using pressure pipe with fully primed and glued joints, because this is the kind of situation it is designed for.

I'll eventually run some air across to my new rack and when I do I'll do the pipe properly and I reckon I'll get enough extra air out of it that I wont need to upgrade the pump.

[rosco]

I've used 19mm poly for mine also, but I reckon I lose a lot of air out of the joins.

I am definitely losing air through the joins and it is the hardest corner to reach (off course) but ATM I am not running enough tanks to warrant changing may be later. Not trying to high jack this thread but if you were to use pressure pipe how would get the air to the tanks?

cheers

rosco

[Luke]

I just drill a hole in the pipe slightly smaller than the dia of the joiners you use for the airlines and then just push the joiners in using a pair of pliers .

( 40mm pressure pipe with 40 outlets )

I have not had any blow out in the past 5 years but it could be more luck than anything else

[BaZ]

Yeah luke that's how I have seen it done also.

With the right sized hole, those small green airline fittings are a nice snug fit.

[WAZ]

As Baz has said there is 2 ways to run pipes for your air lines.

1. Black polypipe - using the barbed fittings.

2. PVC pressure pipe with primed and glued joints.

No. 1. Is definately the wrong system to use (o.k. it might be a bit cheaper initially - but it won't be in the long run).

This system is designed for garden sprinkler systems and drip systems where there are open ends throughout the system relieving any pressure build-up. This system will not hold constant pressure and will leak from almost every joint.

No.2. In my opinion, this is the only way to go for air lines. (yes it costs more initially - but once done, it is forever. It can be extended or altered very easily.

The pipes and fittings are designed to withstand the constant pressure and if all joints are primed and glued there is certainly no leakage possible. Thus maximising the pumps output for what you want - air in the tanks - not leaking everywhere but in the tanks. You would be amazed how much extra air you will have if you changed your system and not upgrade to a larger pump.

To give you an example I have recently changed over 72 tanks with a sponge filter in each tank. (This was in an aquarium LFS) They were running 2 x huge air pumps and all tanks were connected via black polypipe with the barbed fittings (leaks everywhere). They were about to upgrade to either a massive blower or an extra pump, as the sponge filters would only work when they were floating on the surface of the water and not in the bottom of the tanks where they should be.

I replaced the air lines with PVC pressure pipe, primed and glued all the joints, connected the 2 x pumps into the system. The owners could not believe the difference - it runs all the tanks sponge filters and they have added heaps of air stones as well.

Rosco - It is simple to connect into the PVC. Drill into the PVC pipe (I use a 4/5mm drill bit) where you want, and then just push in one of those green coloured valves into the hole - there is no need to glue or silicone the valve in either - just make sure the hole is a tightish fit. Then just connect the air lines to maybe a sponge filter or an air stone or whatever, and regulate the desired flow rate with the valve.

Richard - I would not run 20m of pipework to your house tank, as you will get a lot of friction occurring over that distance plus extra friction for each change of direction (ie. fittings, bends etc). This will give a substantial pressure drop in the house tank and will also make your pump work that much harder. If I was you I would have a seperate pump in the house, mate.

WAZ.

[WAZ]

Hi Luke.

40mm pressure pipe for air lines - Holy smoke - thats overkill on a massive scale.

My fishroom runs on 19mm with over 70 outlets.

The LFS I did recently was in 25mm.

I did a LFS with 365 tanks with 50mm main run with 32mm branches feeding each aisle way.

WAZ.

[Aquaman]

Man I love this place, I posted yesterday and now look at all this invaluable information - much appreciated.

OK, just taking in all your feedback and I think I'll have to go the 20mm irrigation just to get me going, but I won't make it as permanent as I originally thought. I'll just use it to solve my immediate air problems and then work towards a more permanent solution as funds permit (I have tanks with very poor air flow and I'm surprised I haven't lost any fish as a result)...

Waz, just to clarify are you suggesting 20mm PVC pressure pipe as the best way to go? Is there any way at all to run any sized pipe to my house tank? I'd just love to get rid of the single pump - it's a little shiruba and it's a great pump but I'd like to get rid of the noise (loungeroom tank)

Colfish - yeah I got the pump second hand - 2 years old for $80 so I'm happy... I'll upgrade to a hiblow later if I need to

Thanks again everyone for your replies - I'm off to get this thing connected...so great to make progress in the hobby (I run this thing on a shoestring budget - the fish pay for any expansion and their food, etc, so it can get a little hairy at times )

Cheers

Richard

[AMK]

Wazza,

where do we source these PVC pressure pipes and components from?

I think its about time I do something about my room rather than jumping over all my trip wires.

cheers mate

Andrew

[WAZ]

Hi Richard

Yes, I suggest you run 20mm for your fishroom.

You could run a 20mm branch line to your house tank and try it out. You will probably find though you won't have the same pressure as in the fishroom. But if you only need it for a couple of air stones it will probably be o.k. If there is plenty of space under the house and your not too worried about how it looks then try to run the length (from the pump to the house tank) with minimal bends (elbows). This will minimise the friction loss at the elbows. In other words bend the pipe to where you want it rather than fitting tight elbows. If that makes sense.

I can fully understand the cost implications too, we all had to start off on a shoestring budget - so use the polypipe for the moment until you can afford the PVC system - just don't expect miricles though.

Whats the saying.................................you pay peanuts.........?

Hi Andrew

I get all my pipe and fittings on my account (At greatly reduced prices too) as BAZ will no doubt attest to.

If you would like to discuss it in more detail, either come over to my place or I will meet you at yours, no probs mate.

WAZ.

[BaZ]

I get all my pipe and fittings on my account (At greatly reduced prices too) as BAZ will no doubt attest to

Yes, Waz saved me a small fortune on my plumbing gear

[Aquaman]

I can fully understand the cost implications too, we all had to start off on a shoestring budget

Yeah I was thinking about it last night and I've actually done quite well. My Red Empress are pretty much supporting the hobby for me. As my other species kick off (which wont be far away) then I can move ahead in leaps and bounds!

Cheers and thanks again for the advice,

Richard

[Luke]

40mm pressure pipe for air lines  - Holy smoke - thats overkill on a massive scale

I was told that bigger was better I think the reason was that the bigger pipe allowed a build up of air creating more air pressure to run the airstones I don't know if it is true but my system seems to work very well

[camry_csx]

ill have to set mine up with the pvc stuff, i shouldnt need much so it should be ok, what does the stuff cost anyways?

oh richard, the red emps i got off you are going great have grown pretty fast, they should be spawning in a couple months,

[Aquaman]

the red emps i got off you are going great have grown pretty fast, they should be spawning in a couple months

Great to hear Shaun - I trust they'll fit into your colony well...I ended up losing 5 multi's (2 left) will setup a new tank for them soon and then buy another blood line eventually...

Cheers

Richard