Hide your plumbing

[DrDave]

I rerouted my waterfall plumbing and improved the flow at the same time. I did it by placing it underground and using electrical sweeps instead of elbows. I also placed my check valve into a vertical position to insure it will work flawlessly. It is there to prevent the bio filter from siphoning back to the pond if there is a power failure.

 

[Shdwdrgn]

Look for 'street elbows' when you're doing pvc pipes. They have a more gradual curve to them, and are designed to be smooth internally so that debris does not get caught and clog up the pipe. I've seen them available for 1.5" and larger pipes.

 

[DrDave]

This was all 3/4" feed line for the pump to bio filter.

 

[Shdwdrgn]

Ah it looked larger than that to me in your pictures. Definitely looks better with the pipes buried and out of the way though, just don't forget where you put them when you replant along the walk!

Do you know of any problems with using larger pipes? I was planning to use 1.5" or 2" pipe for a 2900gph pump. I've had 3/4" on mine for the past 4 years, which I know now is *way* too small, but I also noticed that the pipe would get restricted during the Summer, perhaps from algae build-up? I want to make sure there is no loss of flow with the new setup, but I also don't want to go absurdly large on the pipe.

 

[DrDave]

Having pipe larger than your outlet on your pump will not increase flow.
As for algae, most pumps have a screen or grid that protects the pump from string algae. You do have to drag the pump out once in a while and clean the inlet.
I only use submersibles, your large external pumps may have bigger outlets.

 

[Shdwdrgn]

I've only been using the submersibles as well, and yeah they gotta be brought up and cleaned out now and then. I find if I leave the pump running, the suction keeps everything attached when I bring it out of the water.

I wasn't expecting the larger pipe to increase the flow... obviously the pump will only push so much. My concern is more with if I use too large a pipe, will it increase the chance of leaves and such clogging up the pipe, or will the larger diameter be more useful in preventing clogging? There's also the issue of buried pipes trying to freeze in the Winter.

I know the pumps I want to use have a maximum outlet size of 1.5", so I'm just wondering about the experience of others, if its best to maintain the same size of pipe for the entire run, or if I would gain anything (less maintenance, less friction, etc) from using a 2" pipe for the majority of the plumbing?

 

[DrCase]

On my laguna i noticed a big flow increase when i went 1 1/2" all the way to the filter
Make sure you cut off all the adapters at the pump up to 1 1/2' for best flow