Back plumbing - Stress on glass?

[Armando]

I hope Nuno doesn't mind that I am using his pix for this question

Question is - could the weight of the pipe with water put stress on the tank glass and cause it to eventually break or crack?

 

[dedfish]

I sure hope not!

 

[Scuba_Dave]

I'm sure it puts stress on the glass. If it is enough to break the glass would depend on:
Distance between holes
Thickness of the glass
If the pipes are supported at all
If the pump is securely fastened (doesn't move as it cycles)
Size of the pipe = weight of the water

I think I would make brackets to attach to the back of the stand (near the bottom of the tank) & secure the pipes to the stand.
Best to do this before you fill with water....

 

[nunofs]

The whole thing more or less supports itself... it's hard to describe, but most of the weight of the pipes is pushing down on the Squirt/pump assembly (I noticed this when I moved the pump to behind the tank instead of inside the stand, lifting the pump was hard because of all that added weight)... that said, I agree it would have been better to somehow support/anchor the pipes to the stand with some fasteners.

Nuno

 

[Armando]

I agree with SD it's a good idea to put brackets to attach the pipes to the stand.

However, although the brackets prevent the pipe from moving sideways, how they can be used to eliminate the pipe weight? Just by pressure? Wouldn't this pressure eventually "wear off" and make the pipe "heavy" again?

 

[Clutchcargo]

dedfish, what's the plumbing in the top/middle do?

 

[Chris A.]

Why not put some screws on the stand and tie the pipes to the screws.It would hold the pipes weight instead of the tank.

 

[Aquaman_68]

looks like a center overflow

 

[NateHanson]

two external dursos and a return, I believe.

Armando, If you really want to support the pipes you should probably add and elbow to the hoses at the top of the stand, and then use a strap to hang the horizontal portion of that elbow. That would keep the pipe completely supported, but it would obviously cut down flow somewhat.

 

[stang8s]

i agree that a couple of U shaped brackets to the stand could save a big mess. Like if you were messing around in the sump and somehow pushed and put pressure on one or more lines..

 

[Clutchcargo]

Ok, I get it. I got lost in the maze of plumbing and it looked like the return was plumbed into the durso overflows.
Thx
Cliff

 

[NateHanson]

It is quite an impressive maze, isn't it?

 

[Matt L.]

I was concerned about the same thing. I don't necessarily believe that it will, but I use rigid PVC and pipe clamps and supports down below the tank to support the pipe work on the back,

Matt

 

[paine43]

see these pics make me want to plumb my whole tank over again.

 

[cobra1858]

Imagine how I felt when they pulled out the 3" bit to drill the brand new 180. I still haven't figured a good way to support the pipe yet.

 

[Lam]

Armando, you're scaring me. I was thinking the exact same thing.

Those spaflex weighs a ton. When Rob, Gustavo, and I redid Dawn's plumbing, Rob made sure and supported the heavy hoses so the stress is away from the back glass.

 

[dedfish]

The center pipe is a 1" return that splits inside the overflow box to feed 2 3/4" locline sections. My plumbing will stay the same, but I have a new stand almost done.

 

[NateHanson]

Wow cobra, that's a big hole!

I'd support that one right at the bulkhead. you can screw a 2x4 on edge to the stand below the bulkhead, shape the top end of it a bit to cradle the bulkhead, and it should take any weight off the glass when you fill the tank. There are certainly other ways to do it, but I'd think that would be the easiest.

Nate

 

[Scuba_Dave]

i agree that a couple of U shaped brackets to the stand could save a big mess. Like if you were messing around in the sump and somehow pushed and put pressure on one or more lines..

I had this exact problem, made worse by the fact my sump is in the basement. So I didn't find the leak until I went back upstairs. Not too bad, no crack, tightended up the bulkhead & secured the hoses to the basement wall to relieve the stress/weight.

This way if I move the pipes in the basement, it will nto stress the connection upstairs to the tank

 

[Matt L.]

If you use rigid PVC pipe, you can support the pipe below the tank. Otherwise, you can use a COBRA plastic pipe clamp. I recommend them, and I use them on everything down to 3/8" Sch. 80 pipe,

Matt