Piping and Suppliers - Help needed

[Andy41]

Hi Guys,

I've at long last settled on a design for my bio filter, but i've got one big problem..... i can't find the appropriate parts i need locally.

The system uses 2" piping from the pond to an external pump and then into a vortex filter. The output of the Vortex uses 3" piping to feed into two subsequent skippy filters, and then 3" piping back into the pond. I want to put a 3 way ball valve between the Vortex and the first bio filter so i can direct some water into a bog garden (so i need a 3" 3 way ball valve for this).

I live in an area that sees -20C in winter, so i think glued PVC fittings are out of the question (too brittle? Does anyone have experience with this?), so i've been looking at using drainage pipes with rubber inserts for the plumbing.

The problem i have is in finding ball valves and bulkhead fittings that can connect to this kind of piping.

Ideally i'd like to be able to go to a shop and play with all this stuff, but i haven't found a physical shop in my area yet that supplies this.... i'm still looking though.

I'd really appreciate any help here..... if anyone knows of a better way to do this, or an online supplier for such equipment i'd really appreciate it. Also, actually seeing how other people have plumbed in their own systems would be a great help.

Looking forward to your replies,

cheers,

Andy.

p.s. the hole in the ground attached is going to be the pond

 

[addy1]

We can get colder than -20 c here, not very often but it does happen. I used pvc, two inch and one inch for my pond without any issues. I do have the pump attached to the pvc with those flexible rubber connectors so we can pull it for the winter. We do have about 2 feet of pipe that sticks out with water in them, so far, two winters, one very cold, one warm the pipes have done fine. We also have ball valves that stay out all winter, exposed, they too have done fine.

So long and short you should be fine with pvc with those temperatures.

I like your hole in the ground! that is going to look great.

 

[Andy41]

Hi Addy,

Good to hear from you again.

Also good to know that PVC is ok at low temperatures. I'll look into this then. This stuff is just glued together, right?

The hole in the ground - at the far end is going to be a bog garden, and in the middle a wooden bridge. I still have a lot of work ahead of me I'm going to start a thread on hear detailing the build.

Do you use a UV light in your system?

cheers,

Andy.

 

[addy1]

Well that is going to look great. My pvc is glued together, well except where we are using the rubber couplings.

The only filtration I have is my bog full of plants. I don't use a uv, have not had any issues with green water or algae.

Start a thread in the construction part, so we can follow along and critique! lol and of course lots and lots of pictures.