Pipes, tubing, etc

[Dogcatlady]

I'm nearing the final stages of constructing my first big pond. I was using lots of instructions from Nelson's Water Garden Nursery which all show rigid pipes, so I was planning on that. But I see now that's not at all a requirement. I see corrugated plastic, smooth plastic, etc. Doesn't corrugated plastic cause a lot of friction? Do we know for sure all of these are nontoxic? Can anyone direct me to a good source for flexible pipe?

Thanks!!!

 

[RobAmy]

I used the flexible PVC Pond Tubing which is not corrugated.

Flexible PVC Pond Tubing

This PVC is made for Schedule 40 fittings. Connecting is a breeze with any PVC glue. The hose's black color makes it ideal for use in water gardens, as it is practically invisible underwater. Algae growth inside this hose is inhibited, as the black color resists sunlight. Withstands up to 50psi...

webbsonline.com

 

[EricV]

What is the size of your pond or the amount of water flow you want? Corrugated tubing is probably fine for small flows, FlexPVC is nice for larger flows and easier to work with.

 

[poconojoe]

The usual corrugated pond tubing I have used over the years doesn't last very long. I recently bought flexible schedule 40 PVC piping (hose). This stuff is great and looks tough as nails. I don't think it will ever fail. There are two varieties. Normal flex, which isn't all that flexible in the larger sizes. Then they have a superflex, ultraflex or whatever they call it.
Anyway, you glue the flex stuff right into normal schedule 40 ridgid pipe with PVC glue.
The point is...I wish I hadn't wasted my money on rolls of that corrugated junk over the years.

 

[Dosry5]

The usual corrugated pond tubing I have used over the years doesn't last very long. I recently bought flexible schedule 40 PVC piping (hose). This stuff is great and looks tough as nails. I don't think it will ever fail. There are two varieties. Normal flex, which isn't all that flexible in the larger sizes. Then they have a superflex, ultraflex or whatever they call it.
Anyway, you glue the flex stuff right into normal schedule 40 ridgid pipe with PVC glue.
The point is...I wish I hadn't wasted my money on rolls of that corrugated junk over the years.

I found a crack in my corrugated pipe last night. Didn’t even last one year. Bought some sched 40 flexible pvc today from Menards. It’s white, so looks different. Do you glue this stuff the same way? With primer and glue that use on regular sched 40 pvc?

 

[Dogcatlady]

Between the last 2 comments and the friction the corrugated tubing must have, I think I have my plan.

Thanks all for your help!!

 

[poconojoe]

I found a crack in my corrugated pipe last night. Didn’t even last one year. Bought some sched 40 flexible pvc today from Menards. It’s white, so looks different. Do you glue this stuff the same way? With primer and glue that use on regular sched 40 pvc?

Yes, primer and glue, same as the regular ridgid normal PVC pipe. It fits right into any of the schedule 40 fittings. It comes in black too.

 

[poconojoe]

On my filters I come out with a threaded female and a short piece of ridgid pvc. Then I use one of those rubber Fernco couplings with the hose clamps on it to connect to the flex pvc. This way I can easily disconnect my filter for the winter.