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Thread: PMUP for water change, hose type?

  1. #1
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    PMUP for water change, hose type?

    I plan to use the PMUP for manual water change on my QT tank. Is it better to go with the silicon tubing or RO tubing? I plan to attach the tubing to the wall it runs direct into drain and then the pump will just be in the tank. I just wondering if it would be better to use silicone as it would flex more?

    Thanks

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    Frequent Contributor iamchadster's Avatar
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    I had to run 100' under my house from the garage (pmup in a 55 gal drum) to the DT. Using silicone tubing would have been expensive compared to 100' of drip line from HD at $12.00. I got an adapter from BRS that take's the pmup output down to 1/4" and for months it's worked flawlessly.
    Chad

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    Master Control Freak RussM's Avatar
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    3/8" ID silicone tubing works great if you are sliding it over the PMUP output tube. But if you are using 1/4" tubing and a 3/8"-1/4" quick-disconnect/push-fit fitting on the PMUP, I would not use silicone. YMMV, but IME, silicone tubing (like better-quality airline tubing) does not work well in quick-disconnect fittings - it is too soft and pulls out of the QD fitting easily. For 1/4" tubing, I find polyurethane tubing to be the best mix of flexibility and solid fit in a QD fitting. I don't like the harder/stiffer polyethylene (aka "RO") tubing for purposes like this because it is so relatively stiff.
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    Frequent Contributor iamchadster's Avatar
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    YMMV ......Your mileage may vary. You kids and your acronyms.
    Chad

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    Master Control Freak RussM's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by iamchadster View Post
    YMMV ......Your mileage may vary. You kids and your acronyms.
    LOL. Especially funny coming from someone who uses about a zillion acronyms and abbreviations based on a dead language

    Just to stay sorta on topic - I've typed PMUP so many times in recent months that I can't type "pump" correctly anymore on the first try
    Please do not send me PMs with technical questions or requesting assistance - use the forums for Apex help. PM me ONLY if the matter is of a private or personal nature. Thanks.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RussM View Post
    3/8" ID silicone tubing works great if you are sliding it over the PMUP output tube. But if you are using 1/4" tubing and a 3/8"-1/4" quick-disconnect/push-fit fitting on the PMUP, I would not use silicone. YMMV, but IME, silicone tubing (like better-quality airline tubing) does not work well in quick-disconnect fittings - it is too soft and pulls out of the QD fitting easily. For 1/4" tubing, I find polyurethane tubing to be the best mix of flexibility and solid fit in a QD fitting. I don't like the harder/stiffer polyethylene (aka "RO") tubing for purposes like this because it is so relatively stiff.

    Thanks for the info

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    Quote Originally Posted by RussM View Post
    3/8" ID silicone tubing works great if you are sliding it over the PMUP output tube. But if you are using 1/4" tubing and a 3/8"-1/4" quick-disconnect/push-fit fitting on the PMUP, I would not use silicone. YMMV, but IME, silicone tubing (like better-quality airline tubing) does not work well in quick-disconnect fittings - it is too soft and pulls out of the QD fitting easily. For 1/4" tubing, I find polyurethane tubing to be the best mix of flexibility and solid fit in a QD fitting. I don't like the harder/stiffer polyethylene (aka "RO") tubing for purposes like this because it is so relatively stiff.
    So where can one buy this flexible silicon tubing? At Lowes they come in 10 ft segments only and id like to splurge and buy 40ft of it, so i can easily pump rodi into my ATO 2 room's away by moving the output only.

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  8. #8
    Frequent Visitor Todd's Avatar
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    Here is a good source for a multitude of tubing: https://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-p...ubing/=1ahgheo

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    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
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    The stuff they sell at home depot or lowes that's kinda in between the stiffness of RO tubing and silicon is what I have always used and it works pretty well. Doesn't kink easily like silicon and compressed well enough to seal good. Best of both worlds and you can get it up to a couple hundred feet at a time.

    You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can prove it mathematically.

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    Zombie,

    Yeah thats what i use right now. 40 ft of soft silicone hosing though just seems so much easier. Im gonna check out that link

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